Healthy and regenerative, local food systems

Position: Director of Programming (Toronto area)
Organization: Canadian Centre for Food and Ecology (CCFE)
Location: Downtown Toronto ON (primarily on-site, at the CCFE’s homebase at the Centre for Social Innovation, with periodic in-person meetings or events in the Greater Toronto Area.)

About the Canadian Centre for Food and Ecology (CCFE):

If you are an experienced program leader with a conviction for taste-driven, joyfully immersive programming delivered with and through partnerships to reach targeted audiences, we want to meet you.

The Canadian Centre for Food and Ecology (CCFE) is a national charity established in 2024 with a mission to educate and mobilize Canadians in support of a healthy food system that works in harmony with nature.

Our aim is to elevate and amplify the voices that are regenerating local food economies.

As we embark on a three-year initiative with the primary strategic outcome to develop and pilot a replicable, financially-sustainable, bioregionally-based model that drives food system change from the demand side, we are seeking a Director of Programs to work from our home-base at the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) and co-create programs that inspire communities in the Greater Tkaronto Bioregion (GTB) to unlock the regenerative potential of our local food economy.

Reporting to the Executive Director and serving on the Senior Leadership Team, this role will establish a calendar of taste-driven programs backed by an on-line resource that supports, scales, and tracks shifts in food purchasing behaviour.

About the Role:

Supported by leading edge audience motivations and insights, communications expertise, and guidelines for behavioural science informed strategies, this role is accountable for developing a vision for CCFE programming, and overseeing all aspects of program design, stakeholder engagement, and program delivery to achieve the organization’s impact goals pertaining to:

• Food Education: strengthened understanding of the link between how food is grown, health & well-being, and the environment.
• Food Production: increased market opportunities and equitable collaboration with producer partners.
• Food Quality: Increased and sustained preferences for regeneratively and locally grown, nutrient-dense foods in partner communities.
• Food Security: improved year-round access to regeneratively and locally grown, nutrient-dense food.

As such, this role is central to advancing the organization’s key three-year strategy to identify, mobilize and equip key stakeholders in the GTB to ideate, test, target, and track impactful, financially-sustainable year-round programming in the bioregion.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

Strategic Leadership

• Develop a calendar of new events and programs that are rooted at the CSI and designed to engage audiences in the GTB.
• Ensure that program designs incorporate insights on the target audience needs and motivations and are based on behavioural science-informed strategies.
• Establish clear objectives and goals to deliver impactful programs.
• Work with the Communications team to deliver effective communications plans in support of program goals.
• With the Executive Director and the Board, incorporate earned revenue and funding goals into program development.
• Represent Programming in organizational planning, budgeting, best practice guidelines, and resource planning.

Program Management and Growth

• Starting with Flavour Harvest in select Farmers Market this 2026 summer season, build out the growth plan for the Flavour Harvest program brand in Fall 2026 and beyond.
• Lead and be involved in the day-to-day operations of place-based programs.
• Oversee the roll-out and further development of a corporate service offering designed to engage people through their place of work.
• Develop, execute, and evaluate program growth strategies to expand reach and impact while maintaining relational integrity.

Team Leadership & Management

• Identify and assemble the needed resources for the execution of impactful programs.
• Lead recruitment, professional development, and recognition initiatives within the Programming team.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget.
• Build on and nurture a culture of accountability, collaboration, systems-thinking, entrepreneurship, diversity, and problem-solving.
• Model equitable collaboration with program partners and cultivate this competency within all team members.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Ensure program evaluation and the organization’s culture of developmental evaluation are applied toward continuous learning and improvement.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of program outputs and outcomes to the organization’s impact dashboard (internal) and funders (external).
• Translate program data into actionable insights for continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead efforts to co-create programs with partners, including government and foundation stakeholders.
• Oversee the full participant journey for both ecosystem partners and demand-side participants - from first bite to ongoing engagement.
• Ensure the organization’s Partnership Principles are followed and reflected in all programs.
• Represent CCFE at community events, conferences, and sector tables.

Qualifications

• Conviction for CCFE’s mission, vision and values.
• 8+ years of experience creating programs in related fields, with deep knowledge of food-related programming.
• At least 5 years of progressive program management leadership, including budgeting, evaluation, and strategic oversight.
• Exceptional team leadership, communication, coaching, and team‑building skills.
• Strong understanding of insights-informed design.
• Experience in nonprofit fundraising, grant writing, and evaluation and impact reporting considered an asset.
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative, dynamic environment with diverse stakeholders.
• A strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and community impact.
• A genuine passion for supporting actors working at the front lines of regenerative local food systems.

Compensation

This is a full-time position, with a salary range of $100,000-$135,000, commensurate with experience.

Work Schedule

This position is primarily on-site, at the CCFE’s homebase at the Centre for Social Innovation, with periodic in-person meetings or events in the Greater Toronto Area.

Why Join CCFE?

• Be part of a growing organization shaping the future of sustainable food systems in Canada.
• Collaborate with a passionate, multidisciplinary team.
• Work in a flexible, creative, and impact-oriented environment.
• Gain hands-on experience in nonprofit strategy, development, and ecosystem building.
• Comprehensive Benefits package including:

  • Health, Dental, Health Care Spending Account, and Life Insurance

  • 3.5 Cultural Days

  • 15 Vacation Days to start

Accommodation

Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Please contact zahra@theccfe.org to notify us of any needs related to completing the job application and/or throughout the recruitment process.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Canadian Centre for Food and Ecology (CCFE) aspires to be an equitable and inclusive place where a diversity of life experiences, identities, and perspectives work together. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

Application

If you’re excited about joining the CCFE team and meet the qualifications, please submit the following as a single PDF:

1. A one-page cover letter outlining your interest in the role and alignment with CCFE’s mission.
2. Your resume.

Please write the title of the position in the subject line and save your file as:
First Name_Last Name_ProgramDirector.pdf

Submit your application to: hello@theccfe.org

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.