Chief Executive Officer

Autism Nova Scotia (ANS) is a community-based organization dedicated to building understanding, acceptance, and inclusion for Autistic people and their families through leadership, advocacy, education, training, and programming across the lifespan. Since its establishment in 2002, ANS has become a leading voice in advancing the rights, inclusion, accessibility, and well-being of Autistic people across Nova Scotia. Guided by its values of inclusion, collaboration, acceptance, respect, and courage, ANS envisions a world where autism is understood and accepted, and everyone can live their lives fully.

Accountable to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) provides strategic direction, operational leadership and long-term stewardship to Autism NS. Working alongside a dedicated team of employees, volunteers, community members and partners, the CEO advances ANS' mission and ensures the organization continues to respond to the evolving needs and priorities of the communities it serves across Nova Scotia.

• Strategic thinking and sound judgment to anticipate opportunities and challenges, navigate complexity, and turn vision into action.
• Empathy, emotional intelligence and self-awareness, valuing diverse perspectives, lived experiences and communication styles.
• An approachable and engaging communication style, with the ability to build genuine connections across diverse neurodivergent and neurotypical communities and stakeholder groups.
• Strong financial literacy and experience managing budgets, resources and competing priorities, with an understanding of government funding, grants, philanthropy and fund development.
• A calm, fair and transparent approach to change, with a commitment to transparency, compassion and accountability.
• A strong understanding of neuroaffirming practices, disability rights, accessibility, self-advocacy and meaningful autistic participation in organizational decision-making.
• Philanthropic or fundraising experience considered an asset.

Strong understanding of autism, neurodiversity, and the diverse experiences and support needs of Autistic people across the lifespan are key qualifications for this role. You bring demonstrated experience working with Autistic people and the autism community.

This is an opportunity to provide meaningful leadership to an organization dedicated to advancing the rights, inclusion, accessibility, opportunities and well-being of Autistic people and their families across Nova Scotia.

Autism Nova Scotia values diversity in perspectives, identities and lived experiences and welcomes applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, including Autistic and other neurodivergent candidates. Please advise us on what will help you best participate in this recruitment process.

Autism Nova Scotia and KBRS will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation in order to participate as a candidate in the recruitment process, please contact  or communicate your needs to the recruitment professionals named in the job description.