Toronto District School Board
Toronto, Ontario
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is seeking an exceptional educational leader to serve as its inaugural Chief Education Officer.
This newly established executive position reflects the school board’s continued commitment to student achievement, success, and well-being. As the Chief Education Officer, the successful candidate will have a rare opportunity to shape the future educational leadership model of one of North America's largest public education systems so that every student can achieve, belong, and thrive.
About the School Board
The Toronto District School Board is dedicated to the achievement, success, and well-being of every student. Serving 235,000 students in 579 schools and more than 100,000 life-long learners in Adult and Continuing Education programs, the TDSB is one of the most diverse public education systems in North America and is recognized internationally for its scale, complexity, and commitment to student achievement and success.
The Board's mission is to ensure every student has the conditions and opportunities required to succeed in school and beyond. Through its strategic priorities and commitment to continuous improvement, the TDSB strives to create inclusive, responsive, and high-performing learning environments where students can achieve their full potential.
As Ontario's education system continues to evolve, improving literacy and numeracy outcomes, strengthening graduation rates, enhancing student well-being, and ensuring consistency in educational delivery have become increasingly important priorities for school boards across the province.
The Role
The Chief Education Officer will play a central role in advancing these objectives and shaping the future direction of learning within the TDSB. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Education Officer will collaboratively lead system-wide efforts to advance student achievement, success, and well-being, strengthen instructional excellence, and ensure exceptional learning experiences for approximately 235,000 students across the district together with the Chief Student Services Officer (CSSO) and the Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer (CFO/COO).
At a pivotal moment for public education, the Chief Education Officer will lead instructional strategy, curriculum implementation, assessment practices, and system improvement initiatives designed to improve outcomes for all learners. Working closely with superintendents, principals, educators, students, families, and community partners, the Chief Education Officer will champion excellence in teaching and learning while fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Success in this role will require an accomplished systems leader who can translate educational vision into practice at scale. Leading through multiple layers of leadership, the Chief Education Officer will build alignment, strengthen organizational capacity, and drive improvement across a large, complex and highly-visible public education system.
Key areas of oversight and responsibility are:
- Student Success and Well-Being – Ensures students are supported through responsive programs, services, and learning environments that promote engagement, belonging, achievement, and readiness for future pathways, with responsibility for student mental health and well-being and special education. The Chief Education Officer recognizes the connection between student well-being and academic success.
- Academic Achievement and Learning – Provides leadership for curriculum implementation, instructional excellence, assessment practices, and system-wide improvement strategies that support strong student outcomes. Working collaboratively across the organization, the Chief Education Officer champions a culture of high expectations, continuous learning, and academic achievement.
- Organizational Leadership and System Improvement – Builds cohesion across diverse portfolios, teams, and communities while leading change in a complex and evolving environment. The Chief Education Officer develops organizational capacity, aligns priorities, and ensures continuous improvement efforts translate into meaningful results for students.
- Development and Capacity-Building – Develops and supports high-performing senior leaders across the system, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, professional growth, and continuous learning.
- Community Partnerships and Public Confidence – Builds strong relationships with families, communities, post-secondary institutions, employers, and education partners. As a visible educational leader, the Chief Education Officer helps strengthen public confidence and promotes the value and impact of public education.
The Ideal Candidate
As the ideal candidate, you are a respected educational leader with a distinguished record of leading large complex organizations, developing leaders, and improving student outcomes through system-wide change. You are known for your credibility, integrity, and commitment to educational excellence. You possess deep expertise in curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and system improvement, coupled with the ability to build trust, inspire teams, and mobilize large organizations around a shared vision.
You bring a balance of strategic thinking and operational discipline, along with the political acuity and relationship-building skills required to succeed in a highly visible public-sector leadership role. You are energized by the opportunity to improve outcomes for students and committed to ensuring every learner has the opportunity to succeed.
Qualifications and Experience
While the Search Committee recognizes that no one candidate is likely to meet all qualifications in equal measure, those listed below are desirable and will be used to compare candidates.
- Ontario College of Teachers qualifications or equivalent professional standing.
- Supervisory Officer’s Qualifications[1], or a commitment to obtaining the qualification within the first two years of employment is essential.
- Master's degree in Education or a related field, with a PhD or EdD an asset.
- Significant senior leadership experience in a large school system or comparably complex public-sector organization in a student success portfolio.
- Demonstrated success leading and supervising leaders and developing high-performing teams.
- Demonstrated success improving student achievement and system performance.
- Deep expertise in curriculum development, instructional leadership, assessment, and school improvement.
- Experience driving system-wide change and improvement in a multi-layered organization.
- Strong understanding of educational accountability frameworks and performance measurement.
- Experience with media relations, government oversight, regulatory compliance, and public accountability.
- Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and public engagement skills.
- Understanding of special education, student well-being, and inclusive learning supports is essential.
Attributes
- Accomplished systems thinker with the ability to lead at scale.
- Exceptional relationship-builder, with the ability to inspire and motivate others.
- Strong educational credibility within K-12 environments and sound judgment.
- Tactful and authentic communicator who is comfortable in high-profile environments.
- Committed to improving outcomes for all students.
Application review will begin on November 9th.
Vacancy Type: Currently vacant
KBRS does not use artificial intelligence to screen candidate applications.
Support and accommodations will be provided to applicants with disabilities, upon request. Applicants in need of an accommodation in order to participate as a candidate in the recruitment process can contact accommodate@kbrs.ca or identify their needs to the recruitment professional named in the job description.
Candidates interested in this opportunity should contact Abbey MacLeod at amacleod@kbrs.ca, Kyle Steele at ksteele@kbrs.ca, or submit a full application package online at: Chief Education Officer | KBRS
[1] Candidates holding the position of Director or Superintendent in another Canadian jurisdiction should contact the Ontario College of Teachers regarding eligibility for the supervisory officer qualification under labour mobility legislation.
