Director of Development, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Office of Advancement

Position Overview

The Office of Advancement is currently seeking a Full-time Temporary Relief Director of Development, Corporate and Foundation Relations for approximately 10 months.

The University of Calgary is Canada's leading next-generation university, a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. The university has a burgeoning new strategic direction, Framework for Growth. We will be Canada's most entrepreneurial university in the country's most enterprising city by ensuring a transdisciplinary focus for our scholarship; deeper partnerships and integration with businesses, governments and purpose organizations in our community; and future-focused program delivery that sees us offer more modes of instruction, modularization and micro-credentials.

The Advancement Office exists for the mutual benefit of the University of Calgary and its stakeholders and coordinates development, alumni relations, communications and community partnerships. The development area in particular is an active, collaborative team that enhances University fundraising efforts in support of designated University priorities.

The Director of Development, Corporate and Foundation Relations reports to the Senior Director of Development. This position is responsible for leading the University-wide development activities with corporations and foundations of institutional importance and impact. In conjunction with the Advancement colleagues, the Director works to establish long-term partnerships with the corporate and foundation sector with the goal of maximizing private funding for institutional and faculty-specific priorities, driving a significant portion of the University's annual fundraising goal.

This position requires an ability to work under pressure, juggle multiple timelines, manage professional staff, negotiate with donors, and interact with a diverse client base including other members of the fundraising team. The impact of the decisions of the incumbent will have a significant effect on the Advancement Office and the University.

The Director of Development, Corporate and Foundation Relations is accountable and responsible to the Senior Director, Institutional Development, for advancing the department's strategy and achieving annual goals and objectives. The incumbent will provide coaching and mentoring, direction, structure, expertise, priorities and procedures to the Corporate and Foundation Relations team.

Position Description

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

• Lead and execute the strategy and management for assigned corporate and foundation relations
• Design, implement, and manage a comprehensive proactive development plan focused on expanding and enhancing corporate and foundation relationships
• Advise the University executive team in regard to corporate and foundation development strategy
• Manage and/or advise on corporation and foundation relationships across all faculties and units
• Personally manage an initial portfolio of approximately 50 institutional corporate and foundation relationships
• Coordinate a complex set of university relationships with corporate and foundation donors
• Maintain a rigorous schedule of contacts with corporations and foundations, creating prospect management plans related to them, compelling presentations and comprehensive fundraising proposals
• Monitor proposal deadlines, prepare and edit proposals, and manage proposal submissions
• Maintain high quality stewardship process for active corporate and foundation prospects and donors and ensure that stewardship and reporting requirements are met to sustain successful partnerships by maintaining detailed records of solicitation activities
• Enhance the reputation of the University of Calgary among corporate and foundation constituencies
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of a broad range of university wide and faculty-based priorities in order to clearly communicate priorities to potential and existing donors
• Work closely with directors of development, deans and other university representatives to create engagement opportunities
• Lead and coach a team of three professional staff
• Advise and collaborate with other university units that work with corporations on non-advancement related initiatives such as: Provost, Vice-President (Research), Faculties, Principal Gifts and the Institutional team, units and student groups (on sponsorship)
• Plan and lead learning opportunities (conferences, lectures, skills development sessions) for internal and external stakeholders to strengthen relationships and build knowledge
• Participate actively in the pan-university Industry Engagement Working Group
• Advise faculty, administrators, and staff on corporate and foundation areas of interest, cultivation of corporate and foundations special requirements in the development and presentation of proposals

Qualifications / Requirements:

• 7 to 10 years of experience in major gift fundraising with a track record of closing gifts of $1,000,000 and greater, preferably in higher education
• Expertise in managing complex relationships with corporate and foundation donors
• Ability to coach and brief senior staff for fundraising activities including planning, objective setting and establishment of fundraising priorities
• Knowledge of a variety of fundraising tools and strategies, and demonstrated experience with activities throughout the giving cycle, including identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship
• Ability to understand and communicate the needs and interests of corporate and foundation donors in order to develop relationships between them and the University of Calgary
• Interest in all aspects of education and a dedication to promoting the university's fundraising priorities through developing excellent relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Demonstrated project management skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and comfort with making public presentations
• Ability to meet deadlines and juggle competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Regular travel to visit donors and prospective donors is required
• Undergraduate university degree or equivalent experience required
• Fundraising expertise in a large, complex environment
• Accomplished leadership skills, strategic vision and successful change implementations in a large/complex organization
• High level of knowledge about relational database systems and technology applications to enhance business workflow and scalability
• Capacity to analyze, translate and report financial and statistical data
• Sound judgment and ethical decision-making capabilities and the ability to work collaboratively. -Strong customer-focused attitude
• Excellent organizational skills
• Excellent problem solving, and critical thinking skills
• Sound facilitation, strategic planning, project and resource management

Application Deadline:  February 26, 2023

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

Additional Information

This position is classified in the Professional Career Band, Level 4 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework. Management and Professional Staff (MaPS) Positions are currently under review as part of the Alberta Labour Relations Board exclusion review process. Visit the HR website for more information.

To find out more about management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary and all we have to offer, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

The University strongly recommends all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

About the University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is Canada’s leading next-generation university – a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. Located in the nation’s most enterprising city, the university is making tremendous progress on its Eyes High journey to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, grounded in innovative learning and teaching and fully integrated with the community it both serves and leads. The University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy in line with the foundational goals of Eyes High, committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.