Job Description / Duties

The CEO plays a key leadership role in Ontario’s tourism industry, and is highly visible to industry stakeholders and government officials as a passionate industry champion. You will be responsible for leading the organization’s achievement of its strategic plan through effective advocacy, communications and organizational management. Representing a highly diverse industry, and reporting directly to the Board of Directors, you build and balance relationships throughout the industry and across sectors, and with key government officials to ensure the tourism industry is recognized for the value it creates and that policy development and investment decisions reflect that value and support the industry’s continued growth.

Core responsibilities:
 Develop and implement an annual business plan and operational budget that delivers on the priorities defined in the organization’s Strategic Plan
 Attract, retain and develop talent to thrive as a small organization representing a large and highly diverse industry
 Oversee operations ensuring prudent use of financial resources and a strategy to sustain and grow revenues
 Foster productive relationships with provincial government officials to advance key issues and to ensure TIAO is a trusted partner in policy development
 Facilitate municipal awareness and advocacy among Councils and officials
 Engage proactively with national and international tourism coalitions including the TIAC, the
Provincial Territorial Tourism Industry Associations (PTTIA) and World Travel and Tourism
Council (WTTC)
 Maintain active communications and visibility with the industry across different sectors, scale of
business and regions of the province
 Maintain visibility for the industry as an effective media spokesperson
 Build and sustain strategic partnerships across economic sectors that support the industry’s
competitiveness

Qualifications / Required Skills

The ideal candidate combines a record of organization leadership with significant experience and achievement in influencing government decisions.

Experience: The ideal candidate has . . .
 Proven ability to influence the decision-making processes of provincial and municipal governments  Extensive experience working with and reporting to a Board of Directors
 Knowledge of governance in not-for-profit associations
 Experience in creating and managing high-performance teams
 Experience leading an organization faced with complex strategic issues
 Demonstrated collaborative skill and proven success in a multi-stakeholder environment  Knowledge of financial analysis and proven ability to manage significant resources
 Experience as a media spokesperson
 Experience in navigating a highly dynamic landscape with nimbleness and adaptability
 Experience with the tourism industry

Skills: The ideal candidate is . . .
 A strong communicator, equal parts empathetic and persuasive, able to communicate complex issues in understandable ways
 A compelling presenter and spokesperson through passionate and skilled delivery of messages and information
 A connector and relationship-builder, establishing productive trust-based relationships across sectors and jurisdictions
 A strategic thinker, able to execute near-term programs with an astute eye on the broader evolving circumstances and objectives
 A unifying and motivating leader that can build and sustain momentum among staff and an extensive industry volunteer network aligned to a shared vision
 Adaptability: Willingness to be flexible and versatile in a changing work environment to maintain effectiveness and efficiency
 An effective manager, fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration, including disciplined financial performance management
 Service-oriented in providing outstanding programs and connectivity for members and the broader industry

Contact Information

Interested candidates should send a letter expressing their interest and current CV to the confidential address ceosearch@tiaontario.ca by March 26, 2021. Applicants selected for an interview will be contacted directly.

Employer Profile

TIAO is the voice of the tourism and hospitality industry in Ontario, representing 200,000 businesses and 400,000 people who work in the sector, and generating more than $35 billion in economic activity throughout the province (at pre-COVID levels). Founded 15 years ago, TIAO has grown to be a galvanizing force in the tourism industry, advocating to ensure a policy and business environment conducive to the success and growth of the tourism industry. An association of more than 1,400 members, TIAO supports the industry through education and networking events including the annual Ontario Tourism Summit.