Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Description

The RMG seeks a visionary and resourceful CEO who can see what this gallery can become, build shared confidence in that future, and secure the resources to achieve it. As the gallery approaches its 60th anniversary in 2027, the next CEO will lead an important phase of audience growth, program development, fundraising, and long-term planning.
Central to this work is a strong, productive relationship with the City of Oshawa, whose investment supports nearly half of the RMG’s operations. The CEO will strengthen relationships with municipal staff and the Mayor and Council taking office in 2027, while building new relationships with other municipalities across Durham Region. Political acumen, sound judgment, and demonstrated success in building relationships with elected officials and public-sector partners are essential strengths for this role.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO provides strategic and operational leadership across the organization. They will connect artistic ambition and community needs with staff capacity, financial resources, and a changing funding environment. Priorities include increasing attendance and repeat visitation, expanding adult education and evidence-informed art wellness programming, strengthening fundraising events, and building a more diversified and dependable revenue base.
This role requires a leader who is closely engaged with the work of a small, multidisciplinary team. The CEO must understand the contribution and pressures of each gallery function, coach staff, resolve barriers, and coordinate delivery while respecting professional expertise and delegated authority. They will unite curatorial, learning, development, communications, visitor services, and operations around shared priorities and measurable results.

An effective public advocate and active fundraiser, the CEO will deepen the RMG’s community and funding relationships and advance the national visibility of its collection. They will translate the gallery’s public value into compelling investment opportunities for governments, foundations, businesses, and individual supporters, while safeguarding artistic integrity and public access.

Strategic Leadership
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Lead the RMG’s vision, mission, and strategic priorities in partnership with staff and the Board, translating direction into costed annual plans, quarterly objectives, clear responsibilities, and achievable milestones.
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Strengthen the RMG’s relationship with the City of Oshawa as its principal municipal funder and a key civic partner, building trust with municipal staff, the Mayor, and Council through regular engagement, clear reporting, and a compelling account of the gallery’s public value.
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Build relationships with other municipalities across Durham Region, identifying shared priorities and opportunities for regional participation, partnerships, and investment. Exercise political acumen and sound judgment in navigating municipal priorities, public accountability, and changing government leadership.
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Build a shared vision for growth that connects artist support, collection access, learning, community wellbeing, attendance, and financial resilience.
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Assess opportunities against public benefit, demand, funding, staff capacity, and infrastructure; make clear recommendations about what to launch, sustain, scale, redesign, or defer.
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Review existing and potential revenue streams, including commercial partnerships, restaurant and food vendor arrangements, rentals, and other earned-income opportunities, to strengthen financial returns, visitor experience, and alignment with the RMG’s mission.
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Guide anniversary activity and future strategic planning through meaningful engagement with artists, staff, under represented partners, audiences, community organizations, donors, funders, and the Board.
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Serve as a visible advocate for the RMG’s artistic, educational, civic, and economic contribution, strengthening provincial and national partnerships and sector visibility.
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Assess long-term space and capital needs through evidence, financial modelling, and Board-authorized feasibility work before making project or campaign commitments.
Programming & Relationship Development
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Work with the Senior Curator and gallery teams to advance artistic excellence, fair artist compensation, equitable opportunities, and a coherent relationship between exhibitions, collections, interpretation, and public programming.
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Provide executive oversight of collection stewardship, acquisitions, conservation, storage, loans, and public access, supported by curatorial expertise and appropriate policies.

Lead a coordinated audience-development approach that increases attendance, repeat visitation, and participation among adults, young adults, students, and communities not yet engaged with the RMG.
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Support staff to develop adult learning connected to exhibitions and the collection, artist professional development, and accessible opportunities for independent and intergenerational learning.
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Advance evidence-informed art wellness programming, including Wellness Wednesdays, through appropriate community, education, and health partnerships, qualified facilitators, and clear non-clinical scope.
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Deepen reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities and equity-deserving groups; incorporate their perspectives through respectful processes and accountable commitments.
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Align marketing, outreach, visitor services, and programming to improve discovery, welcome, accessibility, and engagement; use audience data and feedback to refine the experience.
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Evaluate programs and public events for participation, public benefit, cost, revenue contribution, and staff workload; scale successful approaches when resources support them.
Financial Management
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Work with the Director of Finance to prepare and monitor annual budgets, multi-year forecasts, cash flow, and accurate, timely financial reporting for the Board; ensure the Board understands significant risks, variances, and financial decisions.
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Connect each major priority to a realistic staffing model, full delivery cost, and funding pathway; match recurring commitments to dependable resources.
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Oversee financial controls, restricted funds, reserves, insurance, and financial risk management to protect the gallery’s assets and meet its charitable, contractual, and regulatory obligations.
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Work with the Director of Finance, Board Treasurer, and the gallery’s investment advisor to oversee the investment portfolio, monitor performance, fees, risk, and liquidity, and ensure investment practices and withdrawals align with Board-approved policies, donor restrictions, and the gallery’s long-term needs.
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Oversee the annual external audit and required financial filings in collaboration with the Director of Finance; support Board review of audited statements and ensure audit recommendations are addressed.
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Use timely financial and performance information to identify pressures, recommend corrective action, and allocate resources to the gallery’s most important outcomes.
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Evaluate existing and potential revenue streams, commercial agreements, and major expenditures for financial return, operational feasibility, and alignment with the RMG’s mission.
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Ensure growth plans account for collection care, facilities, accessibility, environmental sustainability, and future operating and capital costs.

People, Culture & Operations
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Lead a workplace grounded in care, accountability, belonging, and clear expectations; address concerns and conflict promptly and fairly.
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Provide regular coaching, direction, and practical problem-solving support to direct reports, and maintain an informed understanding of responsibilities and dependencies across all gallery roles.
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Build coordinated workplans and strong communication across departments; clarify decisions, remove delivery barriers, and sustain manageable workloads as priorities evolve.
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Support equitable recruitment, onboarding, performance development, retention, professional learning, succession planning, and continuity of essential functions.
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Ensure employment practices, workplace health and safety, accessibility, and organizational policies meet applicable requirements, drawing on specialist advice when needed.
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Work with finance and operations staff to oversee building maintenance, security, emergency readiness, and business continuity; act as the principal executive liaison with the City of Oshawa on facility and capital matters.
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Use staff feedback and workload evidence to improve organizational systems and follow through on agreed actions.
Fund Development
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Lead revenue development with the Development Lead, Board, and relevant staff, setting achievable targets, shared responsibilities, and a coordinated prospect and stewardship plan.
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Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward donors, sponsors, foundations, and government partners; equip Board members to contribute through introductions, advocacy, and fundraising.
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Develop a compelling case for support that connects the RMG’s artistic and public priorities with funder objectives and philanthropic interests without compromising its mission or curatorial independence.
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Monitor changes in grant programs, eligibility, public investment priorities, foundation interests, corporate sponsorship, and individual giving; adapt funding strategies and position the gallery for emerging opportunities.
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Lead core operating funding relationships, including the City of Oshawa, Ontario Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts; oversee strong applications, reporting, and stewardship across the grant portfolio.
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Grow annual giving, major gifts, sponsorships, foundation support, and multi-year commitments, with attention to unrestricted operating revenue and donor retention.
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Develop fundraising events that build relationships and deliver meaningful net proceeds; assess sponsorship, costs, staff effort, and follow-up as part of event planning.
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Grow appropriate earned revenue through venue rentals, adult programs, memberships, retail, publications, and collection-related opportunities while maintaining accessible public participation.
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Monitor revenue mix, prospect progress, donor retention, grant outcomes, and net fundraising returns; adjust approaches to strengthen long-term resilience.