Chief Executive Officer, Remote/Virtual (British Columbia)
About SelfDesign Learning Foundation
SelfDesign Learning Foundation (the “Foundation” or “SelfDesign”) is a mission-driven, non-profit educational charity serving learners and families across British Columbia through remote, personalized, and inclusive programs. Founded in 1985, SelfDesign has been recognized for its learner-centred model of education, which emphasizes self-agency, curiosity, and holistic development.
With an annual budget of approximately $25 million, funded primarily by the BC Ministry of Education, SelfDesign supports approximately 2,000 K-12 learners and their families each year. SelfDesign does not currently employ staff and is supported by a community of approximately 200 independent contractors, including its leadership team, all of whom work entirely remotely across the province. SelfDesign does not operate a head office or brick-and-mortar locations.
Its primary program, the SelfDesign Learning Community (SDLC), is a Ministry-certified independent school, delivered by a geographically dispersed team of educators and contractors. The Foundation also offers HomeLearners Network, a guided, online learning space for children and youth to connect with others and dive into their passions; and, SelfDesign Home Learning, a flexible option for those who wish to homeschool their children.
The Foundation serves as the overarching entity providing strategic direction, innovation, and administrative infrastructure—including finance, IT, communications, procurement, and HR—across its programs.
Strategic Framework
SelfDesign’s work is guided by its Vision, Mission, Values, and four strategic pillars.
Vision: A world deeply rooted in curiosity, compassion, and learning.
Mission: We facilitate lifelong learning and holistic personal growth through programs, opportunities, and support for people of all ages, with an emphasis on choice and self-direction.
Values: Lifelong learning, Relationships, Innovation, Integrity, Accountability, Quality.
Strategic Pillars:
Innovate – Explore new opportunities for impact and sustainable growth.
Engage – Nurture relationships within SelfDesign and with communities and allies.
Strengthen – Build on a solid foundation by enhancing programs, systems, and financial sustainability.
Excel – Use data, research, and best practices to ensure governance, leadership development, and excellence across the organization.
For more information, please visit www.selfdesign.org.
The Opportunity
Chief Executive Officer
SelfDesign is seeking a compassionate, values-aligned, and strategic leader to guide the Foundation through its next chapter, which will emphasize capacity-building, operational excellence, and innovation through stakeholder and community engagement.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will provide overall leadership across the Foundation and its programs, including the SelfDesign Learning Community and the Foundation for SelfDesign. Despite the CEO title, SelfDesign, true to its origins as a convention-testing community of contractors, is not ideally operated through a top-down corporate decision-making model. Rather, sustainable strategies are collectively inspired through community engagement.
This is a unique opportunity to lead one of Canada’s most innovative educational organizations at a critical inflection point of renewal, advancing its learner-centred mission while modernizing systems, strengthening collaboration, and fostering clarity and confidence across its community. The new CEO will take on a dedicated, experienced and values-driven leadership team and community, including many members who have shepherded the organization through its formative chapters, from rapid growth with its visionary founder, to establishing systems for sustainable growth, accountability, and innovation.
Now, as SelfDesign has grown beyond a grassroots movement, its opportunity and challenge are to build upon their groundwork to continuously support and add unique value to their community of diverse learners while staying true to their strategic pillars and individualized, student-centred philosophy.
Key Responsibilities
The CEO’s main responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Board Relations and Governance
Act as the nexus between the Board and SelfDesign’s Leadership Team and community of contractors.
Work with the Board to create a Strategic Plan that works toward Board-defined priorities and organizational needs.
Ensure strong governance practices, provide transparent reporting, and support effective decision-making.
Advise the Board on emerging risks, opportunities, and trends in education and non-profit governance.
Strategic and Operational Leadership
Oversee and support SelfDesign’s activities across all areas to ensure they are in alignment with the mission, vision, values, and strategic framework of the Board.
Identify, assess, and plan to address needs, gaps, and risks across the organization.
Envision future organizational structure and roles, including leadership roles and functions, and compensation across the organization.
Create visibility and communication pathways within leadership as well as within the entire community of contractors.
Lead ongoing modernization initiatives that enhance digital systems, communication tools, and operational practices to support a connected, high-performing remote organization.
Build capacity, trust, and alignment in SelfDesign’s leadership team and across the organization.
Drive operational reform across SelfDesign to ensure effectiveness, transparency, and accountability.
Financial Management
Work with Chief Financial Officer to develop and manage budgets, forecasts, and financial plans, ensuring compliance with financial policies, regulations, best practices, and alignment with SelfDesign’s values of integrity, transparency, and accountability.
Ensure sustainable alignment between financial resources and mission priorities, including equitable and competitive educator compensation.
Safeguard assets and ensure compliance with regulatory and audit standards.
Government Relations and Community Engagement
Provide general oversight and management and act as the school’s Authority Representative (per the Independent School Act) liaising with Government as required.
Provide oversight and general management of the Foundation for SelfDesign (FSD) parallel foundation.
Serve as a visible and authentic advocate for SelfDesign’s philosophy and programs.
Build strong relationships with learners, families, educators, contractors, and community stakeholders.
Represent SelfDesign in government relations, advocating for resources, recognition, and policy alignment.
Culture and Human Resources
Ensure a virtual workplace environment that is inclusive, accessible, and conducive to collaboration and innovation.
Lead with empathy, authenticity, and accountability to foster a culture of inclusion, safety, diversity, and transparency.
Establish accessible, visible, and regular communication channels to escalate and advance opportunities, ideas, and challenges.
Essential Qualities and Experience
Based on SelfDesign’s distinct philosophy, mission, and fully-remote operational model, the Search Committee will prioritize candidates who can demonstrate a clear understanding and clear alignment with their values. Professional and/or lived experience with home learning, or other individualized and person-centred programs is an asset, though not required.
While this opportunity is designed and budgeted as a full-time executive leadership mandate, the Search Committee will also welcome applications from consultants (full-time or fractional, recognizing that fractional will likely require the majority of the consultant’s capacity), preferably with combined backgrounds in strategic planning, change management, project management, stakeholder engagement, and organizational development with comparable clients.
SelfDesign welcomes experienced executive leaders to apply, and will shortlist candidates who best demonstrate most of the following qualifications:
A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a Master's degree in a related field or discipline supplemented by a minimum of 10 years of progressively more senior experience with a minimum of 5 years at a leadership level within comparably complex and values-driven organizations delivering individualized programs and services.
Extensive experience successfully reporting up to, and working productively with, Boards.
Strong strategic, operational, and financial leadership skills, with demonstrated success in stakeholder engagement, organizational development, and change management.
Demonstrated success in government relations and advocacy. Strong understanding of government funding and related operational and program budgeting.
Authentic, transparent leadership style; a listender and community builder who leads with empathy and approachability.
Full alignment with SelfDesign’s learner-centred philosophy and values; experience in education is an asset but not required.
Strategic understanding of enterprise technologies, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and experience aligning technology with operations and programs.
Demonstrated ability to lead and cultivate collaborative, values-aligned teams and promote accountability across a virtual and geographically dispersed environment.
Compensation and Search Process
SelfDesign offers a competitive package, including an annual compensation range budgeted between $180,000–$220,000 (pro-rated for fractional arrangements), depending on experience. As this position is primarily remote, the CEO may be based anywhere in British Columbia.
The search process may include longlist, shortlist, and committee interview stages. Finalists will be asked to provide comprehensive references and complete a thorough background check. We expect to begin our first review of applications by January 31, 2025.
In the spirit of inclusion, we encourage candidates who require accommodations during the recruitment process to contact us directly in confidence.
To apply, please forward your resume and cover letter to info@mosaicsearch.ca.
You are also welcome to contact Alana Briggs (alana@mosaicsearch.ca) or Dave Namkung (dave@mosaicsearch.ca) with any related questions.
