Executive Director

Search conducted by Placemaking 4G at p4g.ca on behalf of Community Living Alternatives Society (CLAS).

Statement of Intention
Community Living Alternatives Society (CLAS) is deeply committed to equity, dignity, and belonging for people with intellectual disabilities, and to fostering a workplace grounded in inclusion, respect, and care.

We encourage applications from individuals who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, including people who identify as Indigenous, Black, racialized, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+, gender diverse, newcomers to Canada, and others who bring lived experience and diverse ways of knowing.

CLAS recognizes that identities are intersectional and shape how people experience both barriers and opportunities. If you are comfortable, you are invited to share relevant lived experiences and your pronouns in your application.

To support an intentional and inclusive hiring experience, CLAS has partnered with the Placemaking 4G (P4G) search team. P4G is committed to creating a recruitment process that is thoughtful, relational, transparent, and grounded in care.

About Community Living Alternatives Society (CLAS)
Community Living Alternatives Society (CLAS) is a non-profit organization based in Kings County, Nova Scotia, dedicated to supporting adults with intellectual disabilities to live meaningful, self-directed lives in their communities. CLAS provides individualized, person-directed supports that promote autonomy, inclusion, belonging, and participation in everyday community life.

Founded in 1976 in response to the challenges of deinstitutionalization, CLAS was the first organization of its kind in Nova Scotia. Born from the leadership of families, advocates, and community members, CLAS helped shape a provincial shift away from institutional models toward inclusive, community-rooted support. Nearly five decades later, CLAS continues to build on this legacy, grounded in dignity, respect, and the inherent worth of every individual.

Today, CLAS operates within a complex and evolving social services environment shaped by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Remedy, provincial policy reform, and rising expectations for inclusive, person-directed care. With a committed Board, experienced leadership team, and dedicated frontline staff, CLAS is strengthening its systems, culture, and capacity to ensure service excellence, workforce sustainability, and long-term organizational resilience.

Mission & Purpose
CLAS provides quality community living opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. We promote and facilitate the exercise of individual rights, fulfillment of responsibilities, and full participation within community life.

At the heart of our work is a commitment to dignity, respect, belonging, and individual worth. We believe every person deserves the opportunity to live with autonomy, purpose, and meaningful connection, supported by strong relationships, responsive services, and inclusive communities

Our Aims

CLAS is guided by enduring aims that shape how we design and deliver supports:

• To foster dignity, respect, autonomy, and individual worth.
• To provide emotional, social, physical, and economic supports that enable personal growth and community involvement.
• To strengthen meaningful support networks rooted in relationships, trust, and belonging.
• To create opportunities for individuals to exercise the fullest possible control over their environment, decisions, and daily lives.

 

This Moment, This Position
This is a pivotal leadership role for a values-driven, relational, and strategic Executive Director who is inspired by the opportunity to lead a respected community organization through a period of sector-wide transformation.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director provides overall leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for CLAS. They ensure the organization delivers high-quality, person-directed supports while operating in alignment with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Remedy, provincial legislation, funding agreements, and sector best practices.

This role requires a leader who can balance strategic vision with operational excellence,  build trust and morale across the workforce, and build strong relationships across government, community, families, and partners.

The Executive Director will guide CLAS through significant sector change, including implementation of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Remedy, with steadiness, transparency, humility, and care, ensuring that individuals supported by CLAS remain at the centre of every decision.

How You Would Contribute
Leadership & Strategic Direction

• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of CLAS’s strategic plan in collaboration with the Board of Directors.
• Ensure the mission, vision, and values of CLAS guide all programs, services, and organizational decisions.
• Provide visible, ethical, and inclusive leadership across the organization
• Respond to emerging trends and changes within the disability support sector in Nova Scotia (i.e. Nova Scotia Human Rights Remedy) and align the organization to ensure best practices within the sector.
• To develop and maintain promotional campaigns designed to enhance CLAS’s visibility within our communities and provide readily available information for all relevant parties.

Governance & Board Support

• Serve as the primary liaison between the Board of Directors and staff.
• Support the Board in fulfilling its governance role through timely reports, analysis, and recommendations.
• Ensure compliance with CLAS bylaws, policies, and governance best practices.
• Support board recruitment, orientation, education, and succession planning.

Human Resources & Labour Relations

• In collaboration with the Human Resource Manager, provide leadership and oversight for all human resource functions, including recruitment, performance management, training, employee benefits/pension and succession planning.
  Directly supervise senior leadership, management and administrative staff (non-union).
• Manage labour relations in a unionized environment, including interpretation and administration of the collective agreement, grievances, and negotiations support
  Promote a positive, respectful, and safe workplace culture aligned with CLAS values.
• Ensure CLAS’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity and encourage applications from all qualified individuals.

Financial Management & Sustainability

• In collaboration with the Finance Director, oversee budgeting, financial planning, and financial reporting for CLAS.
• Ensure responsible fiscal management and long-term organizational sustainability with a keen understanding of financial statements, reporting, and practices for non-profit organizations within Nova Scotia.
• Work collaboratively with the Finance Director, Board Treasurer and Finance Committee to monitor financial performance.
• Ensure compliance with funder requirements, including, but not limited to, reporting to the Nova Scotia Department of Opportunities and Social.
• Development (DOSD) and other relevant stakeholders.
• Explore funding opportunities and partnerships that support program development, stability and growth.

Program Oversight & Service Excellence

• In collaboration with the Program Director, ensure the delivery of high-quality, person-directed supports that promote choice, inclusion, and independence.
• Monitor program outcomes and implement continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with licensing, funding agreements, and provincial standards.
• Support innovation in service delivery in response to the evolving needs of individuals supported by CLAS.

Community, Government & Stakeholder Relations

• Represent CLAS with government departments, funders, community partners, families, and the broader public.
• Maintain strong working relationships with the Nova Scotia Department of Opportunities and Social Development and other relevant stakeholders
  Advocate for individuals supported by CLAS and for the community living sector more broadly.
• Promote CLAS’s profile, reputation, and role within the community.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all applicable legislation and regulations, including, but not limited to, labour standards, occupational health and safety, privacy, and human rights legislation.
• Identify organizational risks and implement mitigation strategies
• Ensure policies and procedures are current, effective, and consistently applied.
• Liaison with insurance carriers, ensuring appropriate coverage for the entire organization.

The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a compassionate, strategic, and grounded senior leader who brings a strong balance of human-centred leadership, operational excellence, and systems-level thinking. They combine strategic and financial acumen with deep respect for people with intellectual disabilities, their families, and frontline teams, ensuring dignity, belonging, and quality of life remain central to every decision.

They are a confident communicator and trusted relationship builder, comfortable working across community, government, leadership, and frontline environments. They balance collaboration and deep listening with clear decision-making and accountability.

They lead through presence, visibility, and connection, building trust across homes, offices, and community settings. They understand the realities of delivering publicly funded services in Nova Scotia and are motivated by the opportunity to strengthen systems, relationships, and outcomes for individuals, families, staff, and the broader community.

What You’ll Bring

• 7 to 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in non-profit, community services, health and social services, disability supports, or related sectors.
• Post-secondary education in social work, business administration, public administration, community development, health services, or a related field, or equivalent lived and professional experience.
• Demonstrated success leading organizations through change, complexity, and growth, grounded in a people-centred, frontline-informed approach.
• Strong experience building healthy organizational cultures, supporting frontline and supervisory teams, and strengthening HR practices.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage conflict, and foster trust, collaboration, and psychological safety.
• Experience working in unionized environments and navigating labour relations.
  Solid financial acumen, including budgeting, financial oversight, and organizational sustainability.
• Experience working with Boards of Directors and supporting effective governance and strategic planning.
• Comfort leading within complex regulatory and funding environments.
• Experience leading organizations through significant sector, funding, or policy change, ideally including disability services reform, individualized funding models, or human rights–driven system transformation.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills.
• A leadership approach grounded in empathy, humility, fairness, and accountability.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, dignity, trauma-informed practice, and human-centred leadership.
• Deep respect for the autonomy, rights, and leadership of people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

The Package
Location: Kings County, Nova Scotia
Salary: $107,469 to $121,560, commensurate with experience
Benefits:

• Group RRSP (8% matched contribution)
• Group Benefits: Including Health, Dental, LTD, and Life Insurance Coverage

 

What to Expect
Hiring processes often reflect systems that don’t work for everyone. At Placemaking 4G, we believe recruitment should be relational and affirming. We’re working with the organization to ensure candidates are respected, informed, and supported throughout.

• We closely review all applications and read each cover letter (we promise).
• If you are selected as a top candidate, expect an invitation to chat with a Lead Placemaker from P4G. This is someone who treats the recruitment process non-traditionally. We want to get to know what inspires you.
• Selected candidates will proceed to a virtual interview with the Lead P4G Placemaker and 2-3 representatives from the organization.
• Finalists may participate in a second-round interview or skills activity (virtual or in-person).
• P4G will check employment references and assist in presenting an offer to the successful candidate.

 

Application Details

Ready to take the next step? Click “Apply” to be redirected to our website, where you’ll find the opportunity brief and application link.

Applications will be accepted until February 23, 2026

Please include a cover letter that speaks to your experience and offers a glimpse of your personality.

Don’t be generic. Be yourself.