Request for Proposal – EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM
1. Summary and Background
The Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) is currently soliciting qualified
executive search firms to assist in the global recruitment and selection process for the position of Chief
Executive Officer (CEO). The selected firm will assist in identifying and securing an exceptional leader who will further CanWaCH’s mission to improve women’s and children’s health globally. Successful candidates must be Canadian citizens and/or have immediate eligibility to work in Canada.
CanWaCH, a leading organization in the international health and development sector, catalyzes collaboration among over 100 members focused on reducing maternal and child mortality, promoting gender equality, and supporting evidence-based health practices. The CEO oversees the organization’s key operations, managing relationships with CanWaCH’s Board of Directors, membership, and stakeholders, and leading the execution of CanWaCH’s strategic vision. The ideal candidate will possess a global perspective, strong leadership qualities, a deep understanding of nonprofit sector dynamics and government relations experience.
To be eligible, responding firms must demonstrate expertise in executive-level recruitment, particularly for nonprofit organizations of similar scope, size, and complexity to CanWaCH. The firm must also demonstrate success in conducting global searches and attracting diverse, high-caliber candidates for leadership roles. Firms must have an office in Canada and a Canadian team available to work directly with the CanWaCH Board of Directors
2. Project Description and Scope
CanWaCH is seeking an experienced executive search firm to:
- Conduct a comprehensive global search for a diverse pool of highly qualified candidates for the CEO position, regardless of their current country of residence. Candidates must be Canadian citizens or have immediate eligibility to work in Canada.
- Develop and implement a recruitment strategy that attracts a diverse range of exceptional candidates, ensuring equity and inclusion are central to the process.
- Collaborate with CanWaCH Board of Directors, to develop the criteria for candidate evaluation, including the creation of a compelling job description and the establishment of robust evaluation and assessment criteria.
- Screen and assess candidate applications against the established criteria to ensure alignment with the organization’s mission and needs.
- Support the interview and selection process, coordinating interviews with the CanWaCH Board of Directors and assisting in assessing candidates through a comprehensive and structured process.
- Provide guidance and ongoing support to the hiring committee and Board throughout the selection process, ensuring the final candidate aligns with CanWaCH’s values and leadership needs.
3. Bidder Qualifications
The selected firm will possess the following qualifications:
- A Canadian office and a Canadian team who will be the first point of contact to work with the CanWaCH Board of Directors.
- Extensive experience in executive search, particularly for nonprofit organizations, with a proven track record of recruiting senior executives for complex, mission-driven organizations.
- Global recruitment capabilities, with an ability to attract top-tier talent internationally and an understanding of global health and development priorities.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring the recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to candidates from diverse backgrounds, including Indigenous, Black, racialized, and LGBTQ2S+ individuals, among others.
- Proven ability to source candidates with expertise in international health, development, nonprofit management and government relations skills.
- Strong communication skills in English, with proficiency in French considered an asset.
- Established relationships with a broad network of professionals in international health and development, particularly those with experience in grassroots and community-based organizations, is a strong advantage.
4. Project Timeline
- Proposal Submission Deadline: April 16, 2025
- Notification of Shortlisted Firms: April 21, 2025
- Interviews: April 22 and 23, 2025
- Project Commencement: April 28, 2025
- Candidate Interviews: July and August, 2025
- Completion of Recruitment Process: October 1, 2025 (estimated)
5. Budget
5.1 All proposals must include proposed costs to complete the tasks described in Section 2. Project
Description and Scope.
5.2 All costs and fees must be clearly described in each proposal. If the organization submitting a proposal must outsource or contract any work to meet the requirements contained herein, this must be clearly stated in the proposal. Additionally, all costs included in the proposals must be all-inclusive to include any outsourced or contracted work. Any proposals which call for outsourcing or contracting work must include a name and description of the organizations being contracted.
6. Proposal Requirements
To ensure a comprehensive evaluation of all proposals, the following must be included:
- Company Information: Name, contact details (address, email, phone, website), and any relevant
company registration numbers.
- Project Oversight: Name and position of the person overseeing the project, and an outline of
the team members and their roles (including experience and qualifications).
- Relevant Experience: Detailed description of the firm’s experience in:
– Executive recruitment, especially for nonprofit organizations or those with an international development focus.
– Successfully leading CEO searches or similar high-level recruitment processes.
– Utilizing a variety of recruitment strategies, including online platforms and innovative techniques.
- Approach to the Project: Detailed description of the firm’s approach, including:
– Methodology and timeline for completing the work.
– Approach to centering diverse voices and ensuring equity and inclusion throughout the process.
– Risk management strategies and how potential challenges will be addressed.
- Work Plan: A brief work plan outlining the timeline, methodologies, and roles/responsibilities
for each phase of the recruitment process.
- Client References: A list of past and current clients, particularly those in the nonprofit or
international health sectors, with references or testimonials.
- Budget: A detailed, itemized budget including compensation and costs associated with each
phase of the project.
- Timeline Commitment: Confirmation of the firm’s ability to meet the project deadlines as
specified in Section 4.
7. Proposal Evaluation Criteria
CanWaCH will evaluate all proposals based on the following criteria. To ensure consideration for this Request for Proposals, your proposal should be complete and include all the following criteria:
- Overall proposal suitability: Alignment of proposed solutions with the scope and needs outlined in this RFP.
- Organizational Experience: Bidders will be evaluated on their experience as it pertains to the scope of this project;
- Past Performance and Impact: Bidders will be evaluated on examples of their work pertaining to the delivery of public engagement strategies and/or plans, as well as client testimonials and references;
- Value for Cost: Bidders will be evaluated on the cost of their solution(s) based on the work to be performed in accordance with the scope of this project;
- Expertise and Experience: Bidders will be evaluated based on descriptions and documentation of staff expertise and experience.
How to Apply:
8. Submitting a Proposal
8.1 All proposals in response to this RFP are due no later than April 16, 2025 11:59pm ET. Any proposals received after this date and time will be returned to the sender. All proposals must be signed by an official agent or representative of the company submitting the proposal. Proposals should be submitted electronically in PDF format. Please ensure that all required documentation is included and clearly organized.
8.2 Bidders should submit their proposal to:
9. Additional Information
Through our procurement processes, CanWaCH strives to create inclusive spaces that engage diverse voices and perspectives. We actively encourage proposals from organizations and businesses led by women (in all their diversity), Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of racialized groups, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, among others. While self-identification is not required, we encourage bidders to voluntarily self-identify in their proposals.
