Finance Director - Ontario Nature

FINANCE DIRECTOR

Ontario Nature

Salary Range $115,000-$140,000 (commensurate with experience)

plus a Comprehensive Benefits Program and RRSP Match

This position may work remotely from any location within Ontario understanding there are times when working from the Toronto office will be required along with attendance at board meetings, workshops and staff gatherings both within and outside of the GTA.

Ontario Nature is a charitable organization dedicated to protecting wild species and wild spaces through conservation, education and public engagement. We represent 9,500 members, 130,000 supporters and 150 member groups throughout the province. We are there wherever and whenever nature needs us most.

Ontario Nature operates with an annual budget of approximately $5 million, supported by a combination of donations, bequests, grants and other income. The organization is entering a new phase with a focus on strengthening financial sustainability, operational effectiveness and long-term impact. Our newly launched strategic plan charts the course for Ontario Nature’s centennial anniversary. You can find the Annual Report here

The Position – Finance Director

Ontario Nature is seeking a strategic and solutions-oriented Finance Director to lead the organization’s financial stewardship and strengthen its long-term resilience. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Finance Director will oversee financial operations, budgeting, forecasting and risk management while serving as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director, Leadership Team, Finance Committee and Board of Directors. The successful candidate will help transform financial information into strategic insight, enabling confident decision-making in an environment characterized by diverse revenue streams, complex restricted funding and evolving conservation priorities.

Beyond ensuring financial integrity and compliance, the Finance Director will help transform finance into a strategic asset for Ontario Nature. The Finance Director will lead scenario planning, strengthen revenue and cashflow forecasting, improve visibility across programs, distinguish secured funding from future opportunities, support evidence-based staffing and investment decisions, and will demonstrate both through data and compelling story telling how financial stewardship drives measurable conservation outcomes.

This role combines hands-on financial oversight with strategic leadership and is particularly suited to a candidate who is comfortable operating in a mission-driven, resource-conscious and human-centric nonprofit environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, reporting, cash flow management, payroll oversight and financial controls
• Oversee the annual audit process and ensure compliance with regulatory and reporting requirements
• Support the Executive Director and Board with clear, timely financial insights and strategic recommendations
• Develop and strengthen financial systems, processes and internal controls
• Provide oversight of grants, restricted funding, bequests, estates, fund accounting, and related compliance and reporting requirements
• Manage and mentor finance staff
• Contribute to organizational planning and decision-making as a member of the leadership team
• Partner with program and development teams to improve financial planning, align budgets with funding strategies, and distinguish secured revenue from funding pipelines
• Develop financial dashboards and performance reporting that connect resources, financial health, and conservation outcomes for leadership and the Board
• Oversee financial risk management, organizational insurance programs and related policies that support organizational resilience

Key Priorities (First 6-12 months)

• Lead mission-driven financial intelligence
• Build strategic forecasting and decision support
• Support organizational resilience through evidence-based financial planning
• Strengthen financial storytelling and reporting
• Ensure operational excellence and continuity

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• Significant senior finance experience leading all financial functions
• CPA designation (or equivalent) strongly preferred
• Experience in nonprofit, charitable or public sector organizations is strongly preferred
• Strong knowledge of accounting standards and regulatory requirements applicable to charities and nonprofits
• Experience leading financial systems implementation, innovating financial practices and process transformation initiatives is strongly preferred
• Experience leading and supporting a small team
• Proven experience with budgeting, audit and Board-level reporting
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with teams such as Development and Operations to align financial strategy with organizational goals and revenue growth

Capabilities

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate financial data into clear, actionable insights that inform strategic and operational decisions
• Hands-on and adaptable, with comfort operating in a lean environment
• Ability to communicate financial performance through clear, compelling narratives, tailored to Board members, donors and non-financial individuals
• High level of integrity, judgement and attention to detail

Leadership & Fit

• Collaborative leadership style
• Alignment with Ontario Nature’s mission and values
• Ability to build trust and credibility quickly with internal and external stakeholders

Ontario Nature is committed to workplace equity and welcomes applications from individuals who reflect the diversity of communities we serve. We encourage applications from people who are Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, persons with disabilities and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities.

We are committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment, selection processes and work environments in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Requests for disability-related accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process.

Application Details

This search is being conducted on behalf of Ontario Nature by crawfordconnect, a search firm specializing in recruiting for Canada’s non-profit sector.

By August 6, 2026, qualified applicants are invited to email their cover letter and resume (Word or PDF) to Heidi Stock at heidi@crawfordconnect.com.

Although the deadline for applications has been set for August 6, 2026, we encourage early applications. The posting will close early if we have sufficient qualified candidates.

We thank all applicants for applying; however, only qualified candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

If someone you know may be interested in this position, feel free to forward this information – we’d be pleased to connect. Key Contact: Heidi Stock, heidi@crawfordconnect.com

This is an existing vacancy. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not used in the candidate assessment or selection process.