The Opportunity: 

McMaster University is seeking a results-driven, visionary leader for the position of Managing Director, Advancement Operations and Strategy. Applicants have an opportunity to lead a growing advancement department of McMaster, delivering its first transformative campaign, and to build a team that will be the foundation of the institution’s advancement function onward. We seek a combination of strategic thinking, operational expertise, and strong leadership – to guide the development and execution of key strategies, and a solution-oriented culture within Advancement.

Overview of role:  

The Managing Director, Advancement Operations and Strategy, reports to the Vice President and, as a member of the Advancement Executive Team, drives strategy and business planning, oversees growth and expansion, manages change, and ensures governance, risk, and fiduciary responsibilities. The role also focuses on optimizing operational efficiency and pioneering organizational excellence. With extensive experience managing large foundations, the successful candidate will bring a wealth of relevant understanding of CRA legislation and industry best practice knowledge to the role. The role requires significant financial acumen, proficiency in prospect research, and a deep understanding of advancement fiduciary responsibility and governance.

The postholder will be responsible for establishing the infrastructure that will enable fundraising to thrive across the institutional, and in other business units including the President’s Office. You will be responsible for the operations that enable high-performing functions to deliver increased alumni engagement and philanthropic funding for University priorities. This will include aligning goals and performance indicators with our overall mission and that all programmes, teams and individuals have clear objectives and targets and play a leading role in developing and planning the next institutional campaign, working closely with the Campaign Director, the Leadership Team, and senior leaders across McMaster.

The postholder will also oversee essential global advancement strategies and ensure compliance with all gift acceptance policies, CRA charitable guidelines and compliance with legislation, and best practices as we seek to deliver on ambitious international fundraising and outreach goals. By leveraging data-driven insights and best practices, the successful candidate will ensure the seamless integration of advancement operations with the organization’s overall mission and goals, propelling our institution’s sustainable growth strategies and significant impact.

Campaign Leadership:  

McMaster University is launching a major campaign, and the Managing Director will ensure that McMaster can capitalize on sustainable growth strategies in a fast-paced environment mobilizing advancement operations and strategy with resources, technology, people, and processes to enable success. The Managing Director will play a central role in developing and planning this next institutional campaign, working as part of the University Advancement senior leadership team, and with senior University officers from across the institution and leadership teams. The postholder will also be required to build and maintain relationships with partners and stakeholders outside the institution and to act as a representative of Advancement and the University.

The role will support the Vice-President at all university governance activities including all committee of the Board preparation, presentations, and related updates, and in some cases act on behalf of the Vice-President in these governance meetings. The role has decision-making authority to maintain and enhance the profile and reputation of Advancement (on behalf of the VP, Advancement) within the McMaster community, with donors and alumni, and among peer institutions.

This position is ultimately responsible for the development and execution of guidelines and procedures including, but not limited to, finance and budgeting, due diligence, gift acceptance, counting and reporting standards, data, and prospect management, and generating strategic data insights to help inform planning. The postholder will be ultimately responsible for managing and mitigating significant risks associated with prospect clearance, major gift acceptance and stewardship increasingly so in a campaign context.

The Managing Director will execute innovative strategies to enhance fundraising capabilities, foster donor engagement, and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders. The role is accountable for planning and supporting relevant governance bodies, including the anticipated campaign steering group and committee, composed of senior external and internal volunteers and key stakeholders. Responsibilities include steering the creation of a comprehensive strategy to increase philanthropic funding and alumni engagement, developing a business plan, budget, and resources plan to achieve the strategy, and ensuring all programs, teams, and individuals have clear objectives and targets to drive and enable a high-performance culture.

Minimum Qualifications:  

Bachelor’s or master’s degree and 12+ years of relevant experience with at least 5+ years of leadership experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Foundation experience will be a strong asset. CPA or CFA designation strong asset. Progressive executive-level experience and expertise, preferably gained through experience in For-Profit, Not-for-Profit, and Government organizations, complemented by a relevant degree and training.

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Successful leadership in complex Advancement operations, preferably within a Higher Education or research institution setting.

• Proficiency with CRM and other tech platforms.

• Understanding of/background in building data governance systems.

• Experience in building and refining complex, system-wide processes.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interface with internal and external key stakeholders.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for building and maintaining executive-level relationships.

• Demonstrated ability to drive successful operational strategies and achieve measurable outcomes.

• : Proven experience as a senior leader in procurement management, ideally within advancement and foundation contexts. Strong understanding of procurement best practices, contract negotiation, and supplier relationship management

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation abilities.

Knowledge and Skills:  

• Familiarity with best practices in building a strong collaborative team and leading people.

• This position demands a visionary leader with a proven track record in strategic planning and operational optimization, ideally with significant experience in a Foundation environment. In-depth knowledge of project management tools and resources

• In-depth knowledge of best practices related to data analytics in a development context.

• Ability to collaborate across internal and external boundaries to meet common objectives, improve outcomes and support work beyond one’s own unit.

• Ability to make decisions and recommendations that are clearly linked to the organization’s strategy and goals.

• Ability to communicate with technical staff, non-technical staff and demonstrate expertise related to data analysis.

• Critical thinking and analytical skills to assess complex higher education issues of concern to stakeholders, including the media, the public, and prospective donors.

• Ability to draw on diversity of skills, backgrounds, and knowledge of people to achieve highly effective results.

• Openness to recognize when change is necessary, and to develop, implement and lead effective change management strategies.

• Ability to mentor and train others along with leadership skills to develop a shared vision to lead a team to excellence.

• Competency to maintain confidentiality and treat sensitive information with discretion.

• A desire to grow and advance skills, which is demonstrated by attending conferences, workshops, and other professional developmental opportunities to enhance performance.

• Ambitious with the ability to identify and analyze opportunities, develop action plans, and participate in setting goals in order to achieve desired outcomes.

• Advanced computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite and other software as required to achieve the objectives of the role.

• Familiarity in the higher education sector preferred.