Director, Prospect Research & Strategy
The Opportunity
The UHN Foundation is seeking an experienced development research program leader for the newly established role of Director, Prospect Research & Strategy.
Reporting to the Interim Vice President, Major Gifts, the Director will establish and maintain a responsive and proactive prospect research program in support of the fundraising goals of the Foundation. The role will be responsible for defining and executing the Development Research Strategy including directing the coordination and production of research information on the prospects and donors for tracking cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship progress, and for prospect identification. In the direction of the Research Development team, the role will be responsible for the oversight, training, annual evaluation, and professional growth of 4 research staff.
The Director, Prospect Research & Strategy will work closely with the Foundation’s senior fundraisers, including the CEO, Interim VP Major Gifts, AVP and their respective teams and senior volunteers. The Director will review the existing processes and output to improve proactive prospect identification, as well as reactive responsiveness. They will work in collaboration with the Research Development team as well as the Major Gift teams to modify systems, processes, outputs, and approaches. In essence, the Director will serve as the bridge between the fundraising teams and the Research Development team, helping each to identify opportunities to enhance one another’s work for the benefit of the Foundation, and ultimately the people we serve.
The successful candidate will bring a strong understanding of philanthropic giving and donor engagement principles, along with deep experience in traditional and emerging prospect identification and management processes. The new incumbent will have previous experience leading or contributing to an effective prospect identification and prospect management system within a complex charitable organization with a strong major gift program.
With a proven track record of experience turning data and information into actionable insights that inform donor strategy, the ideal candidate will have exceptional analytical abilities as well as project management skills and experience executing and/or contributing to organization-wide change-management initiatives.
The Director will be a strong communicator and an exceptional listener with effective interpersonal skills and an ability to build collaborative, trusting and respectful relationships. Possessing a high level of initiative and a sense of urgency, the ideal candidate will demonstrate adaptability, resourcefulness, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
This is an exciting time to be joining The UHN Foundation as we embark on an exciting major campaign to support a new Surgical Tower at the Toronto Western Hospital. The campaign will improve the patient journey and remarkably advance how we deliver care.
UHN is a major landmark in Canada´s healthcare system and a teaching hospital of the University of Toronto. Building on the strengths of this outstanding hospital network, the organization brings together the talent and resources that make it an international leader in healthcare. Toronto General Hospital is ranked #5 on the list of the World’s Best Hospitals, the only Canadian hospital to be included in the top 10. Additionally, for the 12th year in a row, UHN is ranked #1 in the list of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals in 2024.
Through our collective accomplishments to date, we have demonstrated that our community understands and values philanthropy. The commitment of our donors and volunteers has proved powerful. We look forward to welcoming a new colleague and Development Research program leader who will help us build on our past success as we move boldly toward our ambitious goals and exciting future.
The UHN Foundation offers a competitive compensation package for this position. The hiring range for this role is $145,000 – $158,000 with an overall performance bonus of up to 15% annually. A comprehensive suite of benefits is also provided, including a HOOPP Pension plan.
The Foundation currently offers a hybrid work environment (1 to 2 days at the Foundation office – at the discretion of the supervisor) subject to business needs.
About the UHN Foundation
UHN Foundation raises funds for research, education and excellence in patient care at Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute as well as their respective research arms (Krembil Research Institute, McEwen Stem Cell Institute, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute and KITE) and the Michener Institute of Education at UHN. The Hospitals and the Research Institutes are members of the University Health Network (UHN), including the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
The Foundation´s vision and mission is to enable global leadership and innovation in health by developing strong relationships with UHN stakeholders. We are committed to supporting UHN’s vision to create a healthier world by embodying our values.
UHNITED in our values: We are proud to uphold these values as an organization:
Accountability
We are clear in our expectations and honour our commitments to our team, our donors and all our partners. We take accountability for our actions, and results and use the resources entrusted to us wisely.
Inclusion
We value, respect and celebrate our different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives. We strive to create an equitable environment where everyone feels welcomed, supported and valued for who they are and their unique contributions.
Collaboration
We believe results are best achieved when we blend insights from all roles and departments. We work as one team, aligned to a common vision, appreciating one another’s ideas, and perspectives as critical to the overall success of our organization.
Integrity
We proudly maintain the trust and respect of each other, our donors and all our partners. We are ethical, transparent and honest in all our relationships and take personal responsibility for our actions.
2022-2023 Fundraising Highlights
Our donor community is UHNITED to help us change the status quo of healthcare – helping recruit and train the brightest medical minds from around the world, develop new treatments for disease, and advance bold medical research.
A New Major Campaign in support of Toronto Western Hospital’s New Surgical Tower
World-leading surgical teams within the Sprott Department of Surgery at Toronto Western perform many of the most technically complex surgeries — often unavailable elsewhere — relating to cancer, emergency and acute care, the abdomen and urology, the brain and nervous system, bones and muscles, the eyes, and much more.
As one of the highest-ranking hospitals across the country, with international-level expertise, Toronto Western is well-positioned to build a new surgical tower, equipped with the most advanced operating rooms, an exceptional patient-centred experience and a culture of surgical innovation, powered by the latest technology. More than bricks and mortar, the Surgical Tower will foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, where everyone, from physician to patient, is empowered to improve the patient journey and advance the way we deliver care.
The new Surgical Tower is a top priority for UHN and will positively impact every aspect of care at the hospital. UHN Foundation will be launching a $300 million major gift fundraising campaign in support of a 15-store surgical tower that will allow for a new era of technologically advance, integrated, patient-centred care.
About UHN
University Health Network is a health care and medical research hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. The scope of research and complexity of cases at UHN has made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care.
UHN is Canada’s #1 hospital.
UHN is the top research hospital in the country and home to one of the top five hospitals in the world, making it the world’s number-one publicly funded hospital. The expertise held across UHN’s sites makes it a referral centre for the entire country – helping patients who were otherwise deemed helpless. And the size and scope of its network means that UHN is a driving force in medical research and innovation.
The annual rankings compare research hospitals across Canada according to their research spending data. UHN research spending totaled $474 million in the 2022 fiscal year. Major focuses of research include cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine.
In 2021-2022, UHN employed 1,192 physicians and 4,565 nurses. It offered 1,323 beds, and received over 108,500 emergency patient visits.
Additional Information
- About UHN Foundation
- Why Give
- Ways To Give
- Our Programs
- University Health Network
- Events
- Stories
- Annual Report & Financials
Key Responsibilities
In this exciting leadership role, the Director, Prospect Research & Strategy will:
Research and Prospect Identification
- Develop and implement new prospect research strategies for the Foundation that leverage best practices, innovative research and business plans with Key Performance Indicators, data and analytics.
- Lead prospect and volunteer research, identification and qualification activities as well as prospect clearance.
- Develop innovative strategies and engage in proactive research to support the Major Gifts team in its donor renewal and new prospecting efforts and in order to build a new and more diversified pipeline of major gift prospects.
- Research and assess major gift prospects by analyzing individuals and corporate entities for connections to UHN, the Foundation or other organizations; giving potential, and propensity to donate in order to establish priorities and strategies for the successful solicitation of donors.
- Lead the design and implementation of workflows and reporting strategies to meet the needs of fundraising teams concerning prospect management and prospect identification.
- Lead the preparation of detailed and up-to-date research briefings on prospects and/or groups of prospects for the CEO, Major Gifts staff, senior leaders and volunteers, in advance of donor calls/meetings and events to obtain optimal outcomes.
- Lead the development and implementation of accurate, accountable and timely reporting for all prospect development and research activities.
- Ensure information capture and management protocols are relevant and in accordance with legal privacy requirements and ethical standards.
- Work in partnership with the Major Gifts team to assign prospects that are appropriate matches for key priorities of UHN and collaborate on prospect strategy and engagement.
- Devise strategies for obtaining new prospects in order to ensure the ongoing development, expansion and renewal of the prospect base, including new pipeline development.
- Discover and evaluate prospective donors and their interests, relationships, inclination to give and philanthropic capacity to inform and support the Foundation’s fundraising strategies and outreach efforts.
- Complete any special projects related to Research including requests from CEO, senior leaders or other Major Gifts staff. These requests may relate to business intelligence, fundraising, donor engagement, or other research as required.
- Develop “best practice” prospect research by keeping abreast of developments and trends in prospect research through a variety of means including professional associations, social media, printed material, and internal and external meetings and training sessions.
- Manage Operations information resources, including identifying and selecting sources of information and information vendors in consultation with the research team.
Data Analytics and Reporting
- Support an information-driven culture by deriving conclusions and identifying trends through statistical analysis of internal and external data.
- Prepare data reports and analyze various requests from internal or external teams, such as prospect reports/analysis, metrics for measuring engagement, data modelling, or other requests from stakeholders for insights on prospect and/or donor data.
- Optimize data storage and reporting, work to ensure an efficient and responsive customer-service approach to prospect requests.
Team Management
- Manage the financial and operational objectives of the Development Research team, including annual budgeting and strategic planning.
- Manage and develop team members through effective performance management including the development of individual work plans and motivating the achievement of results consistent with agreed objectives.
- Produce and maintain guidelines and process documents as required to support and streamline team workload.
Qualifications & Competencies
Required skills and qualifications
- Significant experience in prospect research in a philanthropic environment and a strong understanding of traditional and emerging sources of information for identifying and qualifying major giving prospects.
- Proven experience turning data and information into actionable insights that inform donor strategy
- Excellent knowledge of the prospective fundraising cycle.
- Demonstrated independence and resourcefulness, while working within the framework of a team-oriented environment, all while being curious and inquisitive with an appetite to learn.
- Adaptability, resourcefulness, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
- Proven track record in the area of customer service.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Able to work autonomously, while driving the overarching team objectives.
- Ability to deal with confidential matters with tact and sensitivity.
- Experience with due diligence assessment and/or duty of care risk assessment.
Preferred skills and qualifications
- A relevant 4-year degree or, a relevant 3-year degree/diploma combined with a professional certification or, an equivalent combination of formal education and relevant experience. Specialization in Library and Information Science is considered an asset.
- 7 to 10 years of experience within a charitable/not-for-profit organization, in major gift prospect research and management.
- 5 years of experience as a people leader.
- Proficiency in the full suite of Microsoft Office products and internet tools. Familiarity with CRMs and aptitude for Raiser’s Edge are required.
- Experience in a large, complex not-for-profit healthcare organization is a definite asset.
Work Environment
- Fast-paced, service- and results-oriented environment.
- May have some activity outside of the office to support meetings with staff, volunteers and donors.
- The Foundation has a hybrid work model. Staff will be required to have a safe home office set up 3-4 days per week and will be in the office for 1-2 days per week, (specifics to be planned with your manager).
- Ability to work cooperatively with colleagues in all positions throughout the Foundation.
- Shared commitment and support of the overall Foundation goals.
Application Process and Deadline
KCI Search + Talent has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of the UHN Foundation. For more information about this exciting opportunity, contact Sylvie Battisti, Senior Vice President, KCI Search + Talent by email at: UHN-DPRS@kcitalent.com
To view full position brief, please visit www.kcitalent.com
All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence. To apply, please send a resume and letter of interest to the email address listed above by April 22, 2024.
Salary range for this position is $145,000 – $158,000, plus benefits and a potential bonus of up to 15%.