Director, Development Volunteer Partnerships

Date Posted: 09/11/2023
Req ID: 33899
Faculty/Division: VP – Division of University Advancement
Department: Divisional Relations
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

About Us:

The Division of University Advancement (DUA) promotes and supports the University of Toronto by engaging a worldwide community of donors, alumni, volunteers, 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. The uniquely integrated structure of University Advancement encourages each division to bring its particular strengths and expertise to the common cause of advancing U of T’s relations with alumni, donors, and friends. 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.

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:

The Director, Development Volunteer Partnerships will help support and implement strategies to nurture Divisional and University-wide fundraising volunteer leadership and their meaningful service and engagement in advancing U of T’s fundraising objectives. Through these efforts, the Director will foster a culture of engaged volunteers that will be an essential driver in reaching ambitious fundraising goals in addition to increasing levels of volunteer satisfaction, involvement and effectiveness.

A volunteer management and fundraising professional with a track record of success in advancement leadership positions, the Director, will be able to demonstrate significant experience and success in building effective strategies for volunteer engagement, including a strong commitment to recruiting, developing, and empowering fundraising volunteer leadership, particularly those from equity-deserving groups and communities, in support of Divisional campaigns as a key part of a fundraising strategy to drive ambitious revenue goals.

The Director will engage with advancement leads to help support Principals, Deans, and other academic leaders in divisions to share best practices in creating, managing, engaging, and supporting effective fundraising volunteers and committees.

The position will closely partner with the Office of the VP Advancement as well as the University Development (Campaign Planning and Stewardship) to support recruitment, onboarding, retention, cultivation, stewardship and evaluation of senior development (fundraising) volunteers across the University. Working closely with the Alumni Relations team, the Director will support collaboration and coordination as part of the University’s strategy of deepening alumni and development volunteer engagement.

The incumbent will demonstrate proactive leadership and team building skills, outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, an ability to work collaboratively with other teams, and a commitment to set and achieve ambitious objectives. Building on the DUA’s leadership position in advancement internationally, the Director will embody a strong commitment to continue to evolve and define best practice in fundraising volunteer management to build an inspired and engaged culture for the University’s development volunteer network. By example and direction, the incumbent will help create an organization and culture that values excellence, initiative, effectiveness, and community, and offers opportunities for professional development and growth.

Key Results Areas Include:

1. Develop, lead, and implement annual and multi-year plans and strategies for the substantive engagement of a diverse spectrum of senior development volunteer leaders across the Divisions to support ambitious fundraising goals of Divisional campaign objectives and University-wide philanthropic goals.
2. Develop and implement strategies to diversify Divisional and University-wide volunteer engagement, to identify volunteer leaders from underrepresented and equity-deserving groups, to support their success, and to remove barriers to inclusion and belonging for such members of our community.
3. Build capacity for effective volunteer leadership across Divisions and increase the impact and effectiveness of staff in fundraising volunteer management roles. Share best practice  on managing volunteer fundraising committees, including roles and responsibilities, composition, strategies for meeting agendas and follow ups, issues management, and tracking and measuring success.
4. Work closely with Divisional academic and advancement leadership to build a laddered pipeline of development volunteer leadership with increased levels of responsibility and engagement in programs of varied institutional focus, resulting in enlisting influential volunteer leaders that affirm our advancement’s mission and directly help us raise significant fundraising goals and higher levels of engagement over time.
5. Represent the University’s priorities and mission to external constituents as an effective, credible institutional leader, persuasively projecting opportunities for engagement and maximizing opportunities for fundraising volunteerism.
6. Work closely with the leadership of University Advancement to ensure alignment with campaign volunteer management and alumni relations, in compliance with relevant University and Provostial guidelines and policies. Ensure collegial and collaborative engagement with Divisional advancement programs, supporting the operationalization of DUA and DVO services and supports for Divisional fundraising volunteer leadership.

Qualifications Required:

Education:

• University degree(s), graduate degree an asset; preference for CFRE or other similar professional designations.

Experience:

• 5-8+ years fundraising experience in positions with proven fundraising and major gift experience within the Advancement field.
• Proven track record of executive advancement responsibility and leadership in a large complex organization, preferably in an educational or medical institution.
• Excellent understanding of the funding community.
• Senior volunteer management experience, with proven success in establishing relationships with individuals of influence.
• Demonstrated experience and success managing, motivating, and mentoring volunteers and advancement professionals, bringing out the best in teams and individuals.
• Highly knowledgeable and experienced in both new and traditional methods of volunteer engagement.
• Capacity to excel at influencing and leading an organization towards positive growth.
• Experience in a management capacity and directing the work of others.

Skills:

• Proficient with and demonstrated experience working with Microsoft Office suite.
• Experience working with a constituent relationship management (CRM) database system, similar to U of T’s ‘ARBOR’ system. Demonstrated strategic conceptualization, analytical and planning skills.
• Knowledge of current trends as they relate to duties and responsibilities of the role.

Other:

• Vision, the ability to think and plan strategically, and a creative, entrepreneurial spirit.
• The ability to mentor, coach, motivate and inspire colleagues and volunteers.
• Ability to create an organizational culture that fosters a culture based on respect, humanity, and inclusion in all our relationships
• High level of initiative, maturity, tact and diplomacy; excellent judgement and discretion
• A deep understanding of and sympathy for the mission of an academic and research-intensive university.
• The ability to serve as an articulate, credible representative of the University with diverse constituencies and particularly with the sophisticated individuals who support the institution.
• An engaging personal style, a sincere interest in people, patience, a willingness to listen, and the capacity to engender trust and to establish lasting relationships.
• Reputation for integrity, openness, decisiveness and sound judgement.
• A high level of comfort interacting with academic leaders as well as donors and volunteers.
• The ability to navigate and be effective within a complex matrix organization that values collaboration and teamwork as well as individual initiative and creativity.
• Excellent attention to detail and superb organizational skills, including the ability to set ambitious goals and to establish an internal system for meeting deadlines, tracking, follow-up, monitoring, and reporting of progress.
• Ability to work in a hectic and results-oriented environment with a strong focus on results; ability to meet deadlines and budgets.
• A high energy level, an appropriate degree of sophistication and self-confidence, optimism (and the ability to engender optimism in others) and a sense of humour.
• Exceptional oral and written communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Strong research, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Cultural sensitivity and capacity to work with international students, donors, and volunteers.

Closing Date: 09/27/2023, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Salaried
Appointment Type: Budget – Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: 1AP — Broadband Salary Range: $78,597 – $181,380
Job Category: Administrative / Managerial