Development Officer
Join the hardworking and dedicated team delivering exciting arts and culture programs and activities to our community – and beyond. Reporting to the Executive Director, the successful candidate will be accountable for inspiring philanthropy to realize the mission of the Aurora Cultural Centre (ACC). The Development Officer builds and implements audience and revenue development strategies for the ACC programs to strengthen the social fabric of our community through the transformative power of the arts and culture.
At the Aurora Cultural Centre, we believe that arts, culture, and heritage can play a role in changing our world and our community. This is the fabric that deepens our understanding of our shared experience and creates a more compassionate society. Since 2010, the Centre has welcomed the community to create and participate in diverse experiences for all ages. We proudly program four vibrant gallery exhibition spaces, a range of instructional classes for children, teens and adults, an eclectic live music series, special family events and summer arts camps.
This full-time position requires the successful candidate to be available for Monday – Friday 8:30am-4:30pm with flexibility for evenings and weekends to support stewardship, audience building activities and fund development events. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, have proven fundraising skills and be a generous and compassionate team member. The Development Officer will orchestrate and contribute to the collective revenue goals of the organization and seek to maximize our revenue growth, audience reach, and ensure the overall sustainability of the organization. They will work closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors Development Committee, external partners, and engage with the broader arts community of advocates, ambassadors, industry partners and volunteers. The Development Officer will serve as a spokesperson for the organization, contribute to a positive workplace, and foster a culture of philanthropy.
At ACC, we embrace everyone’s uniqueness and recognize the strength that lies in differences. We believe in the power of our collective potential and strive to achieve a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace to empower and create opportunities for all. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their gender, age, religion, race, ethnicity, and nationality. Particularly equity deserving groups, such as members of the Persons with Disabilities, Black, Indigenous, other racialized candidates and/or candidates from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and anyone who may contribute to the further diversification of the Aurora Cultural Centre. Together we unite and inspire all Canadians to influence and affect the future of our community through the arts.
Context and Summary
We are currently operating offsite due to a Town of Aurora’s cultural infrastructure project ‘Aurora Town Square’. For the past 12 years, the Executive Director has worked with the Board to build out philanthropic programs and with the internal team to build audiences. New opportunities present themselves with the new cultural infrastructure at Aurora Town Square however a new organizational structure is required to maintain and build audience and donor relationships, capitalize on revenue opportunities, and to create operational efficiencies.
The opportunity to be offsite for the next year as the Aurora Town Square project is being completed means the organization’s programming happens throughout the community. This new department is essential to build strong relationships as we move into the new space, including maintaining and growing our programming based on community feedback. A significant community survey will take place in concert with the Communications department and the Board Outreach Committee in Spring 2023.
Current portfolio includes many loyal and deeply committed donors, enthusiastic and supportive community sponsors, and funding from government at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. A new program, Kaleidoscope in the Schools is a particular opportunity that requires community fundraising and support to continue. Please see www.kits4kids.ca to familiarize yourself with this program and fundraising requirements.
The successful candidate would be responsible for the following:
Strategy
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- Develop and oversee strategy for a diversified fundraising portfolio, including philanthropy (individual and corporate), planned giving, campaign and stewardship events, peer to peer fundraising, direct mail and email/online fundraising, grants and foundation proposals, and annual giving
- Develop specific and measurable short-, mid- and long-term plans and programs to achieve the ACC’s strategic plan and objectives, in collaboration with the Executive Director and Board of Directors
- Develop, in concert with the Communications Manager, audience development strategies for programs through training of staff, relationship building, data mining, event support, etc
- Lead and contribute to the management and growth of a pipeline of new and active donors, sponsors, and partners at a scale commensurate with current and future revenue targets, including a robust cultivation and stewardship program
- Set KPIs and monitor performance of all Fund Development activities and recommend improvements accordingly
- Oversee activities relating to the CRM databases, including record keeping, donation processing, financial reconciliation, and recommending improvements as required, championing a data-driven culture within the organization
- In collaboration with and supported by the communications department, set the organization’s digital objectives, ensuring that the lead and revenue generation from online channels is optimized and leverage emerging technologies to support revenue goals
- Provide vision and direction to the creation of fundraising and impact messages aligned with the organization’s brand positioning to reinforce the organization’s case for support with key audiences
- Identify key strategic issues, social or political developments, and emerging trends that may be opportunities or threats, provincially and nationally, and recommend and implement responses
Governance and Support
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- As part of the Senior Management Team, provide information to Board of Directors about the Fund Development portfolio through reports and presentations, and attend meetings as required
- Work with the Board of Directors and ED to leverage their networks to identify and cultivate donors, sponsors, and partners
- Ensure organizational compliance with policies and legislation relating to fundraising, governance, human resources, health and safety, privacy, gift acceptance, as well as best practices for fundraising and data integrity
Leadership
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- Act as primary relationship manager for the organization’s top donors; and act as subject matter expert for all fundraising streams and advise growth strategy
- Provide vision and model and implement approaches that embed and maintain a culture of philanthropy with staff and volunteers
- Support data management to maintain CRM databases and efficient, accurate and up-to-date integrations between ticketing, registrations, and audience development
- Contribute to the growth of the audience and fund development through mentorship, coaching, sharing of fundraising best practices, event excellence
- Support the Audience Services team in community development by providing mentorship and guidance, and helping to identify opportunities to increase giving and volunteerism
- Contribute as a member of the Senior Management Team
- Contribute to a positive work culture based on the values of the organization
- Represent ACC on Development Governance Committee
- Represent ACC at conferences and events to increase the visibility of the organization
Finance
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- Develop and manage revenue and expense budgets
- Plan annual revenue and expense budgets for Development, and support Board approval for fundraising plans
- Oversee and approve the review of monthly expense forms
- Support Finance with the forecasts of the budget
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Miscellaneous
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- Attend events on behalf of the organization as a senior executive and as a spokesperson
- Other duties as assigned
As with all roles at the Centre, the successful candidate needs to be flexible, punctual and possess excellent customer service skills. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, proven artistic programming skills in live performance, be flexible in their ability to shift from one task to another, and be a generous team member.
Education, Skills and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and a minimum of ten years of progressive fundraising experience.
- Experience developing and writing public sector grant applications and managing public sector stakeholders relationships.
- Proven track record of identifying, researching, cultivating, soliciting, securing and renewing gifts with senior level volunteers and staff.
- Successful experience in training and coaching staff and volunteers in relationship fundraising and foster a culture of philanthropy.
- Strong relationship management skills. Interacts comfortably and successfully with a variety of stakeholders (staff, volunteers, donors, general public), individually and in a group.
- Strong interpersonal skills, able to nurture trusting, open relationships that encourage learning and participation; brings sound judgment, tact and diplomacy in working with others.
- Demonstrated understanding of and proven commitment to the values of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.
- Developed communication and presentation skills, polished, professional and demonstrates a high degree of integrity and discretion.
- Proficient with MS Office, MS Teams, ZOOM and experience using donor database management tools.
- CFRE designation is an asset.
- Must have access to a vehicle.