About Us:

The Division of University Advancement (DUA) promotes and supports the University of Toronto by engaging a worldwide community of donors, alumni, students, faculty and staff on U of T’s ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement goals. DUA encompasses a highly skilled team of staff focused in the areas of development, alumni and volunteer engagement, advancement services, and advancement marketing and communications.

Through our current Defy Gravity campaign, the team supports U of T’s commitment to inclusive excellence – the idea that every member of our community should thrive in an environment of belonging – and helps the University bring together top minds from every conceivable background to create a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable world. In this ecosystem, there is an emphasis on the collaboration, diplomacy, teamwork and mission focus as the Division of University Advancement supports our Faculties, Campuses and Divisions as a shared service.

The Division of University Advancement at the University of Toronto is committed to a transformative

agenda deeply rooted in the University’s vision for growth and innovation. We are focused on growing fundraising efforts; doubling the number of newly engaged alumni by 2023; achieving Advancement goals through the foundational integration of Alumni Relations and Development both centrally and through collaborations with divisional colleagues; creating an organization and culture that fosters diversity and inclusiveness.

Your Opportunity:

Reporting to the Director, Alumni and Donor Services, the Associate Director, Donations Management will be responsible for all donations management, tax receipting, financial reporting, and audit related issues for all donations received by the University of Toronto. In this capacity, the Associate Director will work with the Director to determine and implement opportunities for process improvements and modernization. The incumbent will also be responsible for assigning, developing, maintaining and managing the activities carried out by staff members within the unit..

The incumbent will bring financial accounting and reporting, donations management, tax receipting, and systems expertise and a high degree of professionalism and customer service to facilitate the achievement of the Division’s goals. In addition, the incumbent will bring strong continuous improvement skills and demonstrated experience in system and business process modernization with a focus to drive efficiencies.

The incumbent works closely with DUA senior management, deans, chairs, central and divisional development officers, Financial Services Office, Internal Audit, external auditors, business officers, Department of Administrative Management Systems (AMS), and the federated universities on the financial management and reporting of donations.

Financial Administration

• Ensures a timely response to inquiries regarding donations management, tax receipting, financial reporting, and audit related issues for all donations received
• Liaises with DUA senior management, deans, chairs, and central and divisional development officers regarding major gifts and the identification, recording and maintenance of the University of Toronto’s anonymous donor files
• Reviews Summary Sheets, Administrative Digests, and Award Records before they are finalized and released.
• Ensures that Funds and Designations are created in a timely manner in FIS and ARBOR in accordance with University Guide to Financial Management and gift agreements.
• Responsible for reviewing and verifying the financial data in donor profiles that may be required for meetings between the President, Vice-President of University Advancement and donor prospects as well as prospect cultivation and solicitation by DUA and divisions
• Maintains highly sensitive anonymous bequest donor files in liaison with the department of Gift Planning
• Provides a monthly reconciliation of all donations received on behalf of all federated universities and ensures that cheques and accounting reports are sent on a timely basis
• Represents Alumni and Donor Services (Donations Management) with stakeholders across the university
• Monitors system processes and procedures to determine if system changes or enhancements are required to meet Divisional needs
• Responsible for testing and supervising system testing

Policies and Procedures

• Develops and/or identifies procedures to facilitate the office workflow with a view to enhancing efficiency and recommend policies, establish standards, and develop procedures and strategies for all aspects of donations management.
• Implements and maintains a system of donations management and financial administration to ensure high level of stewardship that adhere to the University`s Guide to Financial Management, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Canada Revenue Agency tax guidelines, and CASE fundraising and reporting guidelines

Tax Receipting and Reporting To Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)

• Provides interpretation of CRA guidelines related to donations
• Ensures that gifts are receipted as per CRA guidelines. Donations Management is the central UofT office responsible for all tax receipting at the University of Toronto.
• Prepares reports to CRA as per CRA requirements
• Reviews tax policies prepared by the divisions for special events and provide guidance on receipting policies
• Ensures that ARBOR meets current CRA guidelines for tax receipting and reporting and work with the ARBOR team on the implementation of new CRA guidelines

Financial Reporting

• Prepares regular and timely reports for DUA senior management, Financial Services,  and other stakeholders that include major donor pledge status, matching programs donation activity with statistical analysis, regular and ad-hoc reports requiring complex analysis, reports on status of tax receipts, reports to review and analyze the integrity of the information that is entered into the system and ensure the integrity/completeness of donation related information in accordance with Donations Management policy and procedure
• Provides reports to external parties that are accurate and issued on a timely basis

Audit

• Reviews internal audit findings and ensure that recommendations are implemented
• Addresses future internal audit questions and prepare responses to their queries
• Leads government funding program audits and year-end financial statement audits by preparing working papers and addressing audit queries
• Implements consulting recommendations and reports related to business process improvements and appropriate staff complement in Donations Management

Qualifications Required:

1. EDUCATION:

University Degree in accounting, finance, or business; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

2. EXPERIENCE:

5-10 years’ experience of senior advancement services role.  Experience in higher education, development operations and gift processing database systems including an understanding of advancement processes. Experience in financial administration and compliance within higher education or other nonprofit organization an asset.  Strong knowledge and understanding of accounting standards and principles as they relate to fund and endowment accounting gift and endowment accounting and ability to proactively identify, research, and resolve any related issues. Strong analytical abilities, including solid research skills, and the ability to evaluate and summarize financial data and recommend solutions from that analysis. Experience in evaluating programs and processes, creating efficiencies, streamlining processes, and implementing modernization.

Experience in managing and leading staff, preferably in a unionized environment.

3. SKILLS

Advanced computer skills required, including a working knowledge of the University`s financial and advancement resource software systems such as SAP (FIS, DIS, RIS) or comparable applications, Expert knowledge in Microsoft 365 applications including, Excel, Word, Access, and PowerPoint.

4.OTHER

Strong leadership capabilities: excellent judgement and decision-making abilities, ability to interpret and evaluate policy and procedural requirements and produce and analyze data; effective written and oral communication skills, organizational and interpersonal skills. Excellent presentation skills and ability to translate complex information to stakeholders.  Ability to successfully interact and collaborate with varied constituencies. Ability to use tact and diplomacy while maintaining high level of confidentiality.  Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion and judgment on matters of significance. Proven ability to build team support and develop collaborative working relationships with a broad range of University stakeholders.