Chief Executive Officer Search 2026

The Durham District School Board acknowledges that many Indigenous Nations have longstanding relationships, both historic and modern, with the territories upon which their school board and schools are located. Today, this area is home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island. They acknowledge that the Durham Region forms a part of the traditional and treaty territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, the Mississauga Peoples and the treaty territory of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. It is on these ancestral and treaty lands that we teach, learn and live.

Durham District School Board (DDSB) is responsible for public education in the rural communities of Uxbridge, Brock and Scugog townships and the cities and towns of Ajax, Whitby, Pickering and Oshawa. DDSB employs over 12,000 teaching and educational services staff in 138 elementary and secondary schools and learning centers. DDSB serves more than 80,000 regular day students and thousands more through continuing education and adult credit programs. The Board operates with an annual operating budget of approximately $1.084 billion and a capital budget of approximately $225 million.

The DDSB’s vision is that schools are places where everyone can succeed in a culture of high expectations. Guided by its commitment to upholding distinct Indigenous Rights, affirming Human Rights, and caring about and striving to know each other, the DDSB is dedicated to fostering meaningful learning, connected communities, and well-being for all students, staff, families, and community members.

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) serves as the senior executive responsible for the overall leadership, governance, organizational performance, and long-term sustainability of the Durham District School Board. The CEO provides visionary and values-based leadership to advance the Board’s strategic priorities, ensure effective stewardship of public resources, and strengthen the Board’s long-term sustainability and operational effectiveness. Working in close partnership with the Chief Education Officer, the CEO ensures alignment between educational priorities, organizational strategy, resource allocation, and system-wide performance while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

As the principal advisor to the Board of Trustees, the CEO is accountable for financial stewardship, enterprise risk management, governance, labour relations, capital infrastructure planning, regulatory compliance, and overall organizational effectiveness. Guided by a commitment to equity, anti-oppression, human rights, inclusion, Indigenous Rights, Truth and Reconciliation, and public accountability, the CEO builds trusted relationships with employees, families, Indigenous communities, municipalities, government partners, and community stakeholders. Through strong governance, strategic leadership, and responsible management of human, financial, and physical resources, the CEO ensures the Durham District School Board is well-positioned to meet evolving community needs, support student success and well-being, and maintain public confidence in the organization.

The ideal candidate is a values-based, strategic, and highly accomplished executive leader who brings a demonstrated record of success leading large, complex public-sector organizations. They possess extensive experience in financial stewardship, enterprise risk management, capital infrastructure planning, labour relations, governance, regulatory compliance, and organizational transformation. Recognized for their integrity, sound judgment, political acuity, and commitment to public accountability, they are skilled at navigating complex stakeholder environments, balancing competing priorities, and providing thoughtful leadership in support of long-term organizational sustainability. They lead with transparency, foster trust and collaboration, and are adept at building consensus while advancing strategic priorities and delivering measurable results.

The successful candidate is an exceptional relationship builder and communicator who inspires confidence among Trustees, employees, government partners, municipalities, Indigenous communities, and community stakeholders. They are deeply committed to equity, anti-oppression, human rights, inclusion, and public service, ensuring that decisions are grounded in fairness, respect, and accountability. With a strong systems perspective and a proven ability to align people, resources, and organizational objectives, they foster high-performing teams, develop future leaders, and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement. They bring demonstrated expertise in governance, negotiation, conflict resolution, and organizational stewardship, together with the resilience and adaptability required to lead through complexity and change. A graduate degree is required. Given that teaching, learning, and student well-being are at the core of the organization’s mandate, demonstrated leadership experience in the K-12 education sector will be highly valued. An MBA, MPA, Master of Education, and eligibility for Ontario Teacher Certification are considered assets.

The Durham District School Board and Boyden are committed to creating an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process. Please let us know if you require accommodation due to a Human Rights Code protected ground during any aspect of the recruitment and selection process and we will work with you to address your needs. This document is available in alternate format(s) upon request.

We actively encourage applications from First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, all other Indigenous peoples, and members of groups that are underrepresented, under recruited and/or discriminated against because of ancestry, race, colour, ethnic origin, place of origin, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, disability, neurodiversity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and all other Human Rights Code protected grounds.