CCUA is the national credit union trade association for credit unions and caisses populaires in Canada (outside of Quebec), and regional Central organizations. They actively support credit unions in staying competitive and navigating industry disruptions, while staying true to the cooperative principles at the core of their mission. The credit union sector provides Canadians with a vital choice in financial services, and now more than ever, it’s essential that credit unions operate with an aligned and mobilized voice to influence decisions that shape their future. CCUA advocates with a single, strong voice to ensure that national and provincial public policy, regulatory, and compliance regimes reflect credit unions’ distinctive strengths, best interests, and contributions.

 

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Canadian Credit Union Association (CCUA) will lead the national voice representing 156 credit unions and over six million members across the country. This is a rare and influential opportunity for a strategic, forward-looking executive to shape the next stage of CCUA’s evolution and strengthen the sector’s collective impact. The CEO will guide CCUA through a rapidly changing financial services environment—navigating regulatory shifts, system transformation, accelerating consolidation, and evolving member needs—while safeguarding the cooperative values that define the credit union movement. As the primary ambassador for the sector nationally and internationally, the CEO will unite diverse stakeholders, deepen CCUA’s advocacy and thought leadership, and elevate the visibility and reputation of credit unions across Canada. Leading a high-performing team and working closely with an engaged Board, the CEO will have significant reach to influence public policy, strengthen system collaboration, and ensure that credit unions remain a competitive, innovative, and trusted alternative for Canadians.

 

The ideal candidate is a visionary and transformational executive with a graduate degree, MBA, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. They bring 10+ years of enterprise‑level executive leadership experience within financial services, a regulated sector, a trade association, or a cooperative organization—experience essential for building credibility with CEOs, Boards, regulators, and government officials. They demonstrate deep strategic clarity and the ability to understand and integrate the long‑ – and short-term implications of decisions, while navigating ambiguity and complex sector-wide transformation. With sophisticated stakeholder management skills, they build trust across a diverse national network, synthesize diverse perspectives, and leverage strong influence to drive alignment. Agile in leading change, they foster innovation, balance urgency with thoughtful execution, and provide sound rationale to guide others through transition. Personally resilient, they remain calm and optimistic in the face of uncertainty and demonstrate empathy while standing firm on key decisions. A compelling communicator, they articulate clear, diplomatic messages, inspire teams, cultivate a high‑performance culture, and confidently represent the sector locally, nationally, and internationally.

 

This is a publicly advertised job posting for an existing vacancy.

 

Odgers does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select applicants for a position.

 

Reason for Posting: Existing Vacancy

 

To Apply

 

To fill this position, the Canadian Credit Union Association (CCUA) has partnered with leadership advisory firm Odgers. Applications are encouraged immediately and should be submitted online by April 10th.

 

We would like to thank all applicants but regret that we are only able to personally contact those individuals whose backgrounds best match the requirements for the role.

 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

 

CCUA is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with the Accessible Canada Act, 2019 and all applicable provincial accessibility standards, upon request, accommodation will be provided by both Odgers and  CCUA throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.

 

Odgers is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all the work that we do. As part of our efforts to better understand our ability to reach as broad a pool of candidates as possible for our searches, our DEI team would like to encourage you to take a moment and access our Self-Declaration Form.