Executive Coordinator, Office of the Presiden in Cambridge, Ontario at Canadian Institute for Safety Wellness & Performance CISWP

Job Title: Executive Coordinator, Office of the President & CEO

Organization: Canadian Institute for Safety, Wellness & Performance (CISWP)
Employment Type: Full-time
Reports To: President & CEO

Salary Range: $72,000 to $84,000 per annum

Vacancy Type: Existing Vacancy

Requisition Number: 26-1007

About CISWP

The Canadian Institute for Safety, Wellness, and Performance (CISWP) is a leading applied research institute dedicated to advancing innovation in workplace safety, wellness, and performance in Canada by integrating applied research, workforce development, advanced technology, and evidence-informed practices in collaboration with partners to deliver measurable, real-world impact.

Position Summary

The Executive Coordinator, Office of the President & CEO, is a highly trusted organizational partner responsible for ensuring the President & CEO’s office—and the broader organization—operates with exceptional organization, professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail.

This is a high-trust role that extends well beyond calendar and administrative support. The Executive Coordinator serves as a key point of coordination across the organization, connecting the Office of the President & CEO with the Board of Directors, leadership, employees, external partners, vendors, and other stakeholders.

The successful candidate will be exceptionally organized, discreet, calm under pressure, and highly attuned to the needs of others. They will be comfortable working with confidential and sensitive information, exercising sound judgment, establishing appropriate boundaries, and representing the President & CEO and CISWP with professionalism and credibility.

The Executive Coordinator is expected to anticipate needs rather than simply respond to requests. They will proactively identify upcoming requirements, ensure leaders are prepared for important meetings and commitments, follow through on outstanding actions, and ensure that details do not fall through the cracks.

The role provides broad organizational coordination across executive support, Board and governance activities, travel and logistics, meeting and event coordination, purchasing and procurement, records and information management, and administrative support to Finance, People & Culture, and other areas of the organization as required.

As CISWP continues to grow, this individual will play an important role in creating structure, consistency, and administrative discipline across the organization. They will be someone colleagues trust, respect, and rely upon to get things done. This role is ideal for an accomplished executive support professional with strong project management capability who wants to work at the centre of a mission-driven organization and have a direct hand in its growth and impact.

Work Location and Schedule

• Work must be conducted within Ontario
• Regular schedule: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week (some flexibility required to support the President and CEO’s schedule, Board meetings, and occasional organizational events outside regular hours)
• On-site at CISWP office located in Cambridge, ON
• Occasional travel within Ontario to support meetings and events with the President & CEO.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Support to the President and CEO

• Serve as the primary point of support for the President & CEO, managing the executive calendar, priorities, and commitments with a strategic view of what matters most.
• Manage complex, high-volume scheduling across internal, Board, partner, funder, and government stakeholders; resolve conflicts and protect time for strategic priorities.
• Demonstrate exceptional professionalism, discretion, and composure when dealing with senior leaders, Board members, employees, external partners, and sensitive situations.
• Demonstrate high emotional intelligence and the ability to read situations, adapt communication style, and respond appropriately to different personalities and circumstances.
• Maintain a calm, solutions-oriented approach when priorities shift, information is incomplete, or situations become time-sensitive.
• Demonstrate sound judgment in knowing when to act independently, when to seek guidance, and when an issue requires escalation.
• Build trust through reliability, consistency, sound judgment, discretion, and follow-through.
• Respectfully challenge, redirect, or set appropriate boundaries when necessary, while maintaining positive and professional relationships.
• Maintains appropriate confidentiality and professional boundaries, including when working closely with senior leaders, Board members, and employees.
• Represents the President & CEO and CISWP with credibility, tact, maturity, and professionalism in interactions with internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide confidential administrative support to members of the senior leadership team.
• Manage complex scheduling requirements, and meeting coordination; including preparation of agendas, meeting materials, minutes, and follow-up actions.
• Draft, edit, proofread, and format correspondence, presentations, reports, and other documents.
• Support leadership with board, stakeholder, and partner meetings as required.
• Monitor and prioritize communications, responding or redirecting inquiries as appropriate.
• Anticipate leadership needs and proactively identify opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Coordinate and provide executive-level support to members of the executive team, ensuring consistency, alignment, and follow-through across the Office of the President.

Executive Office Administration and Operational Support

• Maintain organizational records, files, and documentation systems.
• Develop and maintain administrative processes, procedures, and templates.
• Coordinate office supplies, equipment, vendor relationships, and facility-related administrative requirements.
• Plan and deliver executive and organizational events, including Board events, partner visits, workshops, and conferences.
• Assist with onboarding logistics for new employees and visitors.

Stakeholder and Partner Relations

• Act as a primary point of contact for external stakeholders, including funders, government, industry, academic, and healthcare partners, representing the Office of the President with professionalism and discretion.
• Coordinate high-profile visits, partner meetings, and executive engagements, including logistics, protocol, and follow-up.
• Draft and manage executive correspondence and communications to partners and stakeholders on behalf of the President & CEO.

Organizational Coordination & Follow-Through

• Serve as a central point of coordination for information, requests, commitments, and administrative priorities across the organization.
• Maintain awareness of key organizational activities, deadlines, meetings, visitors, travel, events, and leadership commitments.
• Proactively identify upcoming requirements and ensure the appropriate people, information, materials, and logistics are in place.
• Track outstanding actions and commitments and follow up appropriately to ensure timely completion.
• Identify gaps, inconsistencies, or potential issues before they become problems and take appropriate action to resolve them.
• Connect people and information across departments to ensure work moves forward efficiently.
• Establish and maintain systems that improve organizational organization, consistency, and accountability.

Board & Governance Support

• Coordinate the full cycle of Board and committee meetings: annual calendar, agendas, materials, logistics, minutes, resolutions, and follow-up on action items.
• Maintain governance records, policies, bylaws, and corporate documents in collaboration with the President & CEO and the Board Chair.
• Serve as a professional and discreet liaison between the Office of the President and Board members.
• Coordinate administrative logistics for meetings of the Board of Directors and Board committees.
• Prepare and organize Board meeting materials, agendas, presentations, briefing materials, and supporting documentation.
• Maintain Board calendars, meeting schedules, action items, and follow-up requirements.
• Coordinate meeting rooms, technology, catering, travel, accommodation, and other logistics for Board meetings and events.
• Ensure Board materials are complete, accurate, professionally formatted, appropriately distributed, and available within established timelines.
• Maintain confidential Board and governance records in accordance with organizational requirements.
• Coordinate follow-up arising from Board meetings and ensure assigned actions are appropriately tracked.
• Serve as a professional and discreet point of contact for Board members, recognizing the importance of confidentiality, responsiveness, and sound judgment.

Travel and Executive Logistics

• Coordinate end-to-end domestic and international travel arrangements for the President & CEO, Board members, and executive team, and for visiting partners and guests, including itineraries and supporting documentation.
• Arrange flights, hotels, ground transportation, meeting locations, and other travel-related logistics.
• Prepare detailed itineraries and ensure travellers have all required documentation and information.
• Anticipate travel-related needs and proactively address scheduling conflicts, changes, cancellations, and contingencies.
• Coordinate travel logistics for conferences, research activities, Board meetings, and organizational events.
• Ensure travel arrangements are aligned with organizational policies, budgets, and approval requirements.
• Prepare and reconcile expense claims for the President & CEO.

Purchasing and Procurement Support

• Support purchasing and procurement activities in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.
• Obtain quotes, prepare purchase requisitions, and coordinate purchase orders.
• Track orders, deliveries, and invoices.
• Liaise with vendors, suppliers, and service providers.
• Maintain procurement records and documentation.

Project Management and Strategic Initiatives

• Lead and manage cross-functional projects and special initiatives on behalf of the President & CEO, from scoping and planning through execution, tracking, and reporting.
• Develop project plans, timelines, and status reports; monitor progress against milestones; and escalate risks and decisions requiring executive attention.
• Support implementation of new systems, processes, and administrative improvements.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts across the organization.
• Support People & Culture and Finance on confidential, executive-level matters (for example, executive recruitment, compensation cycles, and Board-related items) as required.

Qualifications and Experience

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Office Administration, Communications, Management, or a related discipline; or Three-year college diploma in Business Administration, Office Administration, Executive Administration, or a related field.
• 5–7+ years of progressive experience in executive coordination, executive administration, office management, operations coordination, or a similar role.
• Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives, leadership teams, Boards, committees, or other senior-level stakeholders.
• Experience coordinating complex meetings, travel, events, and competing priorities.
• Experience handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage processes and follow through on commitments from beginning to end.
• Experience working across multiple functional areas such as Finance, HR, procurement, operations, or governance.
• Experience in a professional, corporate, post-secondary, research, healthcare, not-for-profit, or similarly complex environment is an asset.
• Experience preparing Board materials, minutes, and governance documentation.
• Experience working with senior external stakeholders such as funders, government, industry, and academic partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills, executive presence, and a service-oriented mindset, with the ability to build effective relationships with Board members, partners, and staff at all levels.

Assets

• Experience within a research institute, post-secondary, healthcare, scientific, innovation, non-profit, or other professional environment is preferred.
• Experience supporting operational functions such as human resources, procurement, finance, or office administration is considered an asset.
• Demonstrated experience supporting executives, boards, committees, or other senior-level governance environments is strongly preferred.
• Project management certification (PMP, CAPM) or formal project management training is an asset.
• Experience in an organization that is scaling or has undergone significant transition or growth.
• Experience supporting a Board of Directors or governance committees.

Why Join CISWP?

• Work directly with the President & CEO and executive team at the centre of a growing, independent national research institute.
• Work on impactful applied research projects
• Collaborate with industry, government, and academic partners
• Support meaningful improvements in workplace health and safety
• Join a collaborative, mission-driven research environment
• Competitive salary, CAAT-pension plan, and comprehensive benefits package

CISWP is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and encourage applications from women, racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and individuals of diverse gender identities and expressions.