Position Overview

Organization:

Organization: Eli’s Place Title:

Position: Executive Director Reports To:

Reports to: The Board of Directors Team:

Team: To be hired

Location: Guelph, Ontario (at the onset likely a minimum 3 days a week.)

Compensation: $160,000 - $190,000

Is This You?

We are seeking a visionary and dynamic Executive Director to lead the opening and strategic growth of Eli’s Place, ensuring the delivery of exceptional, client-centred care and outcomes.

You are at the point in your career where you are ready for the responsibility and overall accountability of bringing an organization’s vision to life alongside a highly seasoned and experienced board.

You are deeply passionate about the transformative power of long-term residential (~6 months) therapeutic care with supported transition into the community to assist young adults facing severe mental illness. You understand the need and that 1 in 24 adults have serious mental illness and there are families desperately trying to find solutions and institutions to meet escalating needs.

You want to be at the forefront of inspiring hope, reducing stigma and raising awareness. You believe in the Eli’s Place model and how it will increase employment and education attainment and reduce crisis interventions, substance abuse and death by suicide.

You are great with people and at building relationships. You are comfortable working with senior volunteers and sophisticated stakeholders You understand Board Governance because you’ve (ideally) reported to a Board of Directors or have sat on a board yourself.

You have a strong operations background, and you have successfully hired and led diverse and dynamic teams and although you may not have direct experience being a clinical director, you ideally have management experience in the mental health, addictions, rehabilitation, and other residential setting space and understand health policy and legislation.

Does this sound like you? If so, please read on…

The Organization

Eli’s Place is a new, mission-driven non-profit organization dedicated to providing a supportive and therapeutic residential farm-based treatment centre for young adults (ages 18-35) navigating serious mental health challenges. The centre will offer integrated, evidence-based treatment, fostering a community of recovery and well-being.

After conducting an in-depth global review of 33 centres, Eli’s Place chose the 108-year-old proven effective model of Gould Farm. Employment rates of the Gould Farm program participants went from 14% at departure to 81%, eighteen months after participation. Only 5% had a re-hospitalization and 100% were in stable housing 36 months after participation.

If you haven’t heard already, Eli’s Place is now planning exciting next steps to enable opening! They have reached an agreement with representatives of the Ignatius Jesuit Centre (IJC) to lease their existing residence, just north of Guelph, to define the path forward. Please note Eli’s Place will be a non-denominational/non-religious start-up.

Some renovations to the residence will be for clients and to ensure there are dedicated spaces necessary to offer a variety of treatment modalities and to provide a safe and secure environment.

Set within a 600-acre conservation area, Eli’s Place clients will find a quiet and nurturing space to begin their healing. Together with some of the IJC staff, Eli’s Place will provide outdoor programming that is rooted in farming, gardening, conservation, trail management and other seasonal activities. This tranquil setting will provide the therapeutic milieu at the heart Eli’s Place model.

The Jesuits of Canada have owned this land for over 100 years, cultivating spiritual growth and ecological engagement through programs in land stewardship, education, and community agriculture.

Eli’s Place will complement IJC’s longstanding charitable and community-focused work, offering a program within a spiritual — though explicitly non-religious — framework that is central to the mission.

Mission Statement

Eli’s Place will be a rural, residential treatment centre for young adults with serious mental illness focused on promoting sustainable recovery and resilience through the acquisition of life and work skills within a therapeutic community. In addition to our core mission, we are actively engaged in education aimed at raising awareness and understanding of severe mental health challenges within the broader community.

The Position

The Executive Director will serve as the Chief Executive and operational leader, responsible for bringing the organization's vision to life. This role involves comprehensive oversight of all aspects of the start-up and ongoing operations, including strategic planning, financial management, modification of the existing physical plant (to comply with institutional safety requirements, zoning and codes), program development and implementation, and human resources.

Key Accountabilities

Provide visionary and strategic direction to develop, implement, and coordinate the centre's policies, programs, and services.
Collaborate with the Board of Directors to define long-term goals and objectives, translating strategic priorities into actionable operational plans.
Serve as the primary liaison between the Board, staff, and external stakeholders.

Operational & Program Management:

Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring a safe, supportive, and effective environment for residents and staff.
Direct the development and evaluation of all residential programs and clinical services, ensuring they align with best practices, trauma-informed care principles, and fostering of the residents’ reintegration into broader social communities.
Implement quality assurance and risk management policies and programs to ensure the well-being and safety of clients and staff.

Financial Management & Fundraising:

Develop, monitor, and manage operational budgets, ensuring fiscal responsibility and organizational sustainability.
Establish fundraising, including grant writing, major donor engagement, recruitment, as well as building relationships in the communities with health care leaders , and funding organizations at the local, provincial and federal levels.
Ensure transparent financial reporting and compliance with all accounting and non-profit regulations.

Human Resources & Team Leadership:

Recruit, hire, train, and oversee a multidisciplinary team of clinical leads, professionals, and support staff.
Foster a positive, inclusive, and collaborative work environment that supports staff well-being, professional development, and high performance.
Implement robust performance management processes and clear communication channels to align staff efforts with the organization's mission.

Community Relations & Compliance:

Ensure strict compliance with all federal, provincial/state, and local regulations, including the Mental Health Act, privacy legislation (e.g., PHIPA), and Occupational Health and Safety Acts.
Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with community organizations, post-secondary educational institutions, healthcare providers, government agencies, and the public.
Act as the organization's primary public spokesperson, representing its mission and values to the broader community.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a passionate advocate for mental health, possessing strong leadership skills and the ability to build effective relationships with staff, the Board, community partners, and funding sources.

Education: A minimum of a Master's level degree in a related field (e.g.: Healthcare Administration) is required.

Experience: A minimum of ten years progressive management in healthcare (mental health, addictions, rehabilitation, and other residential settings), including supervisory, operational, and financial experience.

Skills:

Demonstrated strategic thinking and program development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Complex problem-solving abilities, including conflict resolution, public relations and political astuteness
Knowledge of community mental health services, including community reintegration
Ability to coach and mentor the team
Strong collaborator, with superior interpersonal and relationship-building skills
Sound judgment and ethical decision-making skills

Application Instructions

In addition to a competitive salary (the hiring range is $160,000-$190,000), Eli’s Place also provides competitive health and wellness benefits.

Eli's Place is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. They strive to ensure that all individuals are treated with respect and dignity and have equal opportunities to participate and succeed.

Preston Human Capital Group is conducting this search on behalf of Eli’s Place. If you are looking for an outstanding challenge and meet the qualification criteria, we look forward to hearing from you.

Please include a cover letter and CV addressed to Cathy Preston and send to cathy@phcap.ca . The posting closes on February 6, 2026 at 5pm ET . Please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Thank you for your interest

Preston Human Capital Group

Open Positions

Executive Director (Eli's Place)