Chief Development Officer
Pathways to Education
Salary: $190,000 - $230,000
THE OPPORTUNITY
Each year, thousands of students across Canada drop out of high school. In low-income communities, high school dropout rates can be more than double the national average. Dropping out creates an achievement gap that lasts a lifetime and the cost to Canada’s economic, health, and justice systems is steep.
At Pathways to Education, we don’t believe any young person should face those odds. Our programs change the lives of young people across the country by working with local communities and donors to help overcome barriers to education and improve graduation rates.
To help drive our important mission, Pathways to Education is seeking a Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead our public and private resource development activities and strategically grow Pathways’ $38M+ revenue base to ensure we can help more students and support long-term organizational sustainability.
Reporting to the President and CEO, the Chief Development Officer will be an integral member of a highly collaborative senior leadership team and will work closely with Pathways’ Board of Directors and fundraising volunteers. As a manager and mentor, the CDO will lead a strong and dedicated team of 20 resource development and government relations professionals who have the responsibility to secure and service government agreements, fundraising operations, stewardship activities, fundraising planning, and all philanthropic giving (major gifts, corporate partnerships, annual, sponsorship, and events).
While the CDO will lead using their skills and experience in resource development, these skills will be complemented by their knowledge and understanding of government relations, marketing and communications, and program management which will help drive strategy and build positive relationships across the organization.
This is a very exciting time to join Pathways as we embark on our next stage of development and growth. Our new CDO will be integral to our success, and we are excited to welcome our new team member. The hiring range for this position is $190,000 – $230,000 plus a generous and comprehensive benefits program. Please note that Pathways to Education is a hybrid work environment, with the expectation to work at our office in downtown Toronto a minimum of three days per week. This position also requires frequent travel within the GTA and occasional travel elsewhere in the country. Relocation support is available.
ABOUT PATHWAYS TO EDUCATION
Our Vision
Breaking the cycle of poverty through education.
Our Mission
For youth in low-income communities, Pathways to Education provides the resources and network of support to graduate from high school and build the foundation for a successful future.
What We Believe
We believe in the strength and potential of young people and the communities that stand behind them. We believe in the power of our partners, including individual volunteers, organizations, and government supporters. We believe in our ability to learn from others and apply that learning to make our work the best it can be. We strive for impact, whether in the life of one student, the strength of one community, or the health of our country. Our goal is to ensure that one day, every young person in Canada can graduate from high school.
How does income affect educational success for youth?
Economic uncertainty, unemployment, food insecurity, and mental health concerns are exacerbated for youth living in low-income communities and for the record number of newcomer youth who already face considerable barriers to success.
Data tells us that youth from low-income households are more likely to leave school early. Their families may struggle to pay for rent or food, school supplies, and transportation, directly affecting a young person’s ability to be present and actively learn. These same families are also less likely to afford additional educational supports, such as after-school tutoring.
Some low-income youth have additional family responsibilities, like caring for younger siblings or maintaining part-time work to help support the household. Many youth in low-income communities, including newcomer youth, can also lack access to the supports and benefits of mentor networks.
Taken together, these barriers can limit a young person’s potential for the rest of their lives. Societally, this lost potential can have a negative impact not only on individuals and their families, but also on achieving the full potential of our communities and our country.
The Pathways Program
The award-winning Pathways to Education Program is delivered to high school students living in low-income communities across Canada. Students in our program receive a comprehensive set of supports needed to overcome the barriers they face and succeed in school, including food vouchers, after-school tutoring and mentoring, financial support, and career planning. In the 2021-22 school year, the average graduation rate in the communities that Pathways serves was 78%.
Program Components
Tailored student plans – Pathways staff work one-on-one with students to map out a tailored support plan that is focused on helping them achieve their goals.
Tutoring – Pathways staff work in conjunction with schools in their community to ensure the tutoring offered to Pathways students matches their lesson plans. Volunteers devote time to helping students with their schoolwork.
Social support – Youth are surrounded by other Pathways students and soon realize that they are not alone. Adult role models are available to provide social support and guide students in their decision making.
Mentoring – Through Pathways’ network of volunteers and corporate partners, students are given opportunities to speak with mentors in fields that are of interest to them and to acquire career-related advice and skills.
Financial Support – Pathways provides students with both short- and long-term financial supports, including lunch vouchers, transit passes, and scholarships for post-secondary education or training.
Planning for life after high school – With Pathways’ support, many Pathways alumni go on to pursue post-secondary education or training. Others gain meaningful apprenticeships, internships, and employment opportunities.
Local Program Partners
Currently, the Pathways Program is delivered in 31 locations across Canada, allowing us to support thousands of youth to attain high school graduation each year.
To achieve this work, Pathways partners with local organizations that possess deep community knowledge and credibility to deliver the Program directly to students.
Pathways to Education is a globally recognized, made-in-Canada innovation success that is endorsed by the World Bank.
Our Impact
The Pathways to Education Canada story started in 2001 with the Regent Park Community Health Centre’s vision to break the cycle of poverty through education. Now, over 20 years later, Pathways to Education’s award-winning program has supported more than 20,000 students in low-income communities across Canada.
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AT PATHWAYS
The support Pathways is fortunate to have from across Canada reinforces a commitment to transforming lives and delivering better outcomes for students, and in turn, contributes to a healthier society and stronger economy.
Thanks to ongoing government support, along with generous corporate and private donors, in FY2023, Pathways Canada surpassed $38 million in funding to deliver the Pathways Program and reach more students than ever.
Pathways continues to respond to economic and societal challenges by working directly with communities to develop and scale innovative approaches that meet the changing needs of students. Our Board of Directors, President & CEO, and our leadership team have developed an ambitious agenda that focuses on further increasing Pathways to Education’s impact on youth, and in turn, drive greater social change. We envision that this increased impact will come about through realignment of programming against current needs, rethinking our approaches to program design and delivery, and identification of new market segments to better serve the evolving needs of both youth and communities.
All of this innovation, evolution, and impact is enabled by the support that we are able to generate through resource development. Currently, the team is composed of 20 staff members, approximately 1/3 of our overall organizational staff size.
Our resource development and government relations professionals have the collective responsibility to secure and steward all:
philanthropic support (annual, major and planned gifts, and related events)
corporate partnerships and sponsorships
government funding and agreements