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Organization: Calgary Homeless Foundation

Role: Director, Programs and Evaluation

Location: Calgary, AB, Hybrid work environment

Website:

CultureSmith is proud to partner with Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) in the search for a new Director, Programs and Evaluation — a key leadership role shaping the future of Calgary’s homeless-serving system of care.

The Organization: Calgary Homeless Foundation

Calgary Homeless Foundation is a purpose-driven systems leader dedicated to creating innovative, coordinated, and lasting pathways out of homelessness. As the central hub for Calgary’s homeless-serving network, CHF aligns funding, strategy, data, and partnerships to ensure every resource delivers maximum impact for individuals and families in need.

CHF works collaboratively with government, service providers, housing partners, and community stakeholders to translate policy into real-world impact. Through strong sector relationships and hands-on coordination — including convening more than 20 cross-sector partners weekly — CHF improves responsiveness, reduces barriers, and drives a unified approach to ending homelessness.

Data-driven insights are core to their work. CHF’s best-in-class community data systems support informed decision-making, guide resource allocation, and enable evidence-based improvements across programs. Partnerships with organizations such as the University of Calgary further support research that strengthens policy and practice.

Ultimately, people are at the heart of everything CHF does. They ensure those experiencing homelessness can access the right supports at the right time — from prevention and diversion to outreach and supportive housing. By fostering collaboration and system-level alignment, CHF helps the community deliver not just shelter, but stability, dignity, and opportunity.

How we work here:

At CHF our approach is grounded in purpose, collaboration, and accountability. We believe that how we work together matters as much as what we achieve.

Here’s what you can expect from us—and what we expect from you:

Ownership Under Pressure: We take responsibility for outcomes, even when challenges arise.

Constructive Feedback: We give and receive feedback openly, with the goal of learning and improving.

Pace with Purpose: We move quickly when needed, without sacrificing quality or integrity.

Healthy Disagreement: We challenge ideas respectfully and invite discussion to make decisions stronger.

Shared Understanding: Expertise means building clarity for others, not being “right by default.”

Our culture values transparency, inclusion, and resilience. We name real pressures – external and internal - and navigate them together. Interviews and development conversations focus on real examples of how we act when it’s hard, because that’s when our values matter most.

The Opportunity: Director, Programs and Evaluation

The Director, Programs & Evaluation (The Director) reports to the VP, Community Impact (VPCI) and serves as an integral part of the full leadership team providing both strategic expertise and guidance and operational oversight of the Calgary Homeless Foundation’s (CHF’s) funding envelope, evaluation strategy, and program coordination including Coordinated Access and the Day Space Network,

The Director plays a pivotal role in guiding the fight against homelessness by guiding key system-level initiatives within Calgary’s Homeless Serving System of Care (HSSC).

This position leads four interconnected teams: System Planning, Evaluation, Coordinated Access and Assessment, and the Day Space Network and Outreach Coordination.

With oversight of the annual programs budget and responsibility for federal and municipal funding portfolios, the Director cultivates and strengthens collaborative relationships across funded agencies, government, and partners across the system to reduce barriers to housing, improve service delivery, and drive continuous quality improvement.

This role combines strategic thinking with operational leadership, championing evaluation frameworks, capacity building, and collaborative solutions that enhance outcomes for Calgarians experiencing homelessness.

The Director oversees four teams with four direct reports, Managers of the System Planning, Evaluation, Outreach, and Coordinated Access teams. The Director is a critical part of the Community Impact division and works in close partnership with the Director, Data and Analytics.

Accountabilities and Deliverables:

Serve as a subject matter expert (building shared understanding) on homelessness-related issues, including housing, social and health services, complex system design, and strategies for evaluating effectiveness.
Build and sustain integrated partnerships that enhance system performance with funded agencies, all orders of government, public systems, and community organizations to foster an integrated system of care that ensures timely access to housing and supports.
Advance Indigenous perspectives by identifying opportunities to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing and paradigms of practice.
Lead four teams (System Planning, Evaluation, Coordinated Access & Assessment (CAA), and Day Space Network & Outreach Coordination) to achieve objectives such as:

-Making recommendations on the CHF funding envelope.

-Administering funding through grants and monitoring compliance with funding objectives.

-Implementing and monitoring standards across the HSSC and coordinating accreditation processes.

-Developing and coordinating the Day Space Network, Extreme Weather Response, and outcome-focused outreach initiatives.

-Designing and implementing continuous quality improvement initiatives.

-Leading a responsive and continuously improving CAA program to ensure equitable, efficient, and timely housing placements.

-Advising and co-creating training and capacity building programs for the HSSC.

Implement CHF’s evaluation strategy to assess system effectiveness, program outcomes, and participant experience, including:

-Interpreting and sharing evaluation findings internally and across the HSSC.

-Building evaluation capacity within CHF and among funded agencies.

-Collaborating with the Data & Analytics team to ensure evaluation activities are tracked and results are actionable.

Champion engagement of people with lived and living experience in shaping programs and strategies.
Develop an applied research strategy in collaboration with the VPCI and Director, Data & Analytics, leveraging partnerships with researchers, institutions, and other sources of expertise to drive innovation and evidence-informed practice.
Demonstrate and promote CHF's leadership competencies and represent CHF as an integral part of the full leadership team across the organization
Provide direct coaching and feedback habits to support the development and performance of direct reports and their teams and work with the VPCI to support the goals and objectives of CHF and the Community Impact Division.
Demonstrate the ability to withstand the complexities of external pressures while navigating trade-offs between funded agencies and partners when not every need can be met

Qualifications and Requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in human services, social sciences, health sciences, business, evaluation, or other relevant discipline. A postgraduate degree would be considered an asset.
10+ years’ experience in social services or healthcare. Experience with housing and homelessness would be an asset.
5+ years’ leadership experience in social services or healthcare.
Ability to speak to specific past examples of personal leadership in the face of challenge and complexity
Strong examples of difficult funding decisions and the ability to translate complex data into tangible practice
Strong background with collaboration and coordination of system-level initiatives.
Strong background in evaluation and research methodologies, including at least one or more of:

-Utilization-focused evaluation

-Program logic models and theories of change

-Developmental evaluation

-Principles-focused evaluation

-Ability to identify and assess existing data sources for their potential in program evaluation

-Ability to work with partners to present analyses, find common themes, and identify relevant and actionable findings from evaluations.

Grant management experience, including procurement, program budgeting and forecasting, and monitoring.

How to Apply:

If you’re inspired by this opportunity and believe your experience aligns, we encourage you to apply.

Please submit your resume and cover letter by email or via LinkedIn:

Tony Harvie, Partner – CultureSmith

Email: tony@culturesmith.ca

Calgary Homeless Foundation is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. They are committed to an inclusive, diverse, and accessible workplace where everyone is welcomed and valued — regardless of race, religion, colour, national or ethnic origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.

This posting provides a high-level overview of the role. Responsibilities and qualifications may evolve as CHF continues to grow and respond to community needs.

We appreciate the interest of all applicants. Please note that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Calgary Homeless Foundation

Open Positions

Director, Programs & Evaluation