Executive Director

Executive Director

Too many kids don’t know where food comes from or have access to nourishing food and food education.

Growing Chefs is on a mission to change that.

For 20 years, this grassroots organization has been helping kids connect to food, how it grows, how it’s prepared, and how it sustains us. What started as a handful of chefs volunteering in classrooms has evolved into a leading voice for food literacy in BC, partnering with schools to deliver hands-on programs that teach children the whole food cycle, from seed to plate to compost.

At the heart of Growing Chefs are its food education programs, immersive, joyful experiences that make food both a learning tool and a community connector. Through activities that span classroom gardens to chef-led meal programs, students explore how what we eat connects to health, equity, and the planet.

Signature initiatives like LunchLAB place professional chefs inside schools, working with students to plan menus, cook, and serve fresh lunches to their peers. Every program empowers kids to grow, cook, and share food with confidence and care.

After two decades of impact as well as a strong partnership with the Vancouver School Board, Growing Chefs stands ready for its next chapter, strengthening internal systems and relationships, re-energizing its culture, and expanding its reach across BC.

The Role

The Executive Director will guide Growing Chefs through its next chapter of organizational maturity and renewal. This phase is focused on supporting a talented team, reinforcing the foundations that help people do their best work, and ensuring Growing Chefs is well positioned for future opportunities in BC’s school food landscape.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED will provide steady and thoughtful leadership across people, partnerships, and strategy. You will help nurture a strong, connected team, build shared clarity and confidence, and lead effectively within an established and relationship-rich organization, represent Growing Chefs with warmth and credibility.

The role blends internal stewardship with measured, relationship-centred external work, helping the organization learn, explore, and prepare for future growth at a sustainable pace.

This is an opportunity for a grounded and relational leader who brings presence, clarity, and care, and who is energized by supporting a committed team and advancing a meaningful mission.

What You’ll Lead and Impact

Support a healthy, connected, purpose-driven culture
Nurture the collaborative and mission-focused environment that defines Growing Chefs. Strengthen clarity, communication, and shared ways of working across the team. This includes advancing our ongoing journey of decolonization and bringing a JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) lens to all aspects of our work.

Provide steady, people-centered leadership
Coach and empower staff at all levels. Partner closely with the Director of Programs and Engagement.
Help the organization navigate change with ease and confidence.

Guide strategy, planning, and organizational learning
Work with the Board and staff to implement the strategic plan through a period that emphasizes exploration of growth opportunities and deepening impact at a sustainable pace. Ensure annual priorities reflect values, long-term direction, and stable growth.

Represent Growing Chefs in the community
Build and steward relationships with partners, school districts, funders, and sector collaborators. Serve as a credible and approachable spokesperson for food literacy and the impact of programming.

Advance fundraising and partnerships
Work with the development team to cultivate and steward funding relationships across foundations, corporate partners, and community supporters. Contribute to building a diverse and resilient funding base.

Oversee organizational health and systems
Ensure sound financial management, accountability, and governance practices. Strengthen internal systems that support effective communication, coordination, and decision-making.

Champion program excellence
Collaborate with the program leadership team to maintain quality and consistency across all programs.
Support continuous improvement grounded in data, feedback, and impact.

Who You Are

You are a grounded and relational leader who brings steadiness, clarity, and care to teams. You excel at building trust, supporting people, and creating environments where collaboration and purpose thrive. You lead with confidence and humility, and you bring the maturity needed to guide a committed team within a nuanced internal environment through its next stage of development.
You have experience leading in nonprofit, education, community, or impact-driven environments and are comfortable representing an organization in conversations with partners and funders. You navigate relationships with warmth and professionalism and communicate in ways that build confidence and connection.

You bring an interest in public systems and community impact and are comfortable learning within evolving landscapes. You are motivated by purpose, energized by people, and committed to supporting Growing Chefs as it continues to strengthen its foundation and prepare for what comes next.

Why This Role Matters

This is a pivotal moment for Growing Chefs. Families, schools, and communities across BC are navigating rising food injustice and growing demand for hands-on, community-centered food education. With its established programs, strong partnerships, and trusted reputation, Growing Chefs is uniquely positioned to deepen its impact and prepare for the opportunities ahead. The Executive Director will play a key role in supporting the team, strengthening the organization, and helping Growing Chefs represent its work with clarity and credibility. This is a meaningful leadership opportunity for someone who wants to steward a beloved mission and help shape how children across BC experience food, learning, and community.

Compensation and Details

Location: Vancouver, BC with a flexible mix of work-from-home and in-person expectations
Salary: $107,500 based on a 35 hour work week
Time-off: 4 weeks of annual paid vacation. 3 weeks of closure dates including winter and summer office closures. 12 wellness days annually.
Benefits: Comprehensive health and dental benefits, annual professional development funding, paid volunteer days, flexible work hours

Please express your interest by sending an email with a bit about yourself and a resume to our search partner:

Mimi Buan
Senior Talent Associate
mimi@boldhouse.ca
BoldHouse Executive Search

Please mention you saw this at FoodWork.ca.