Position Overview

Organization: Mackenzie Health Foundation

Title: Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Community Engagement

Reports to: President & CEO 

Team:  Two direct (Director of Marketing and Communications, Director of Community Engagement), subsequent direct reports with a team accountability of ten overall

Key Internal Relationships:

Hospital Public Affairs, Marketing and Communications Team

Chief Financial Officer

VP Operations

VP Philanthropy

Key External Relationships:

Agency, Vendors & Consultants

Community relationships as a senior leader and ambassador of the Foundation

Location: Hybrid work model, currently minimum 2 days in office. When in office: 955 Major Mackenzie Drive West, Vaughan, Ontario.

Compensation: $165,000 – $195,000plus HOOPP, and a comprehensive vacation and benefits plan.Salary will be determined commensurate with experience.

Is this you?

You are a seasoned marketing and communications professional, with a proven track record in brand transformations. You have been directly responsible for developing your organization’s marketing and communications strategy, across all channels – from digital and social media to print and events.   You are an excellent writer – particularly in persuasive communications – and you know how to effectively engage a philanthropic audience. You understand the nuances of hospital foundation marketing and communications and establishing a brand voice and guidelines that translate into funding, excites you! You recognize that community engagement is essential for building long-term relationships and strengthening the connection between the hospital, foundation, and its supporters.

You have had experience managing or overseeing a direct marketing program. You know how to weave the marketing and communications thread throughout all community engagement activities to amplify and strengthen the brand.

You are passionate about building and striving for excellence.  You thrive when going into an organization and using your skills to elevate both the organization and your team to the next level. You are an exceptional communicator, and you earn the trust of your peers, colleagues and teammates through your genuine and sincere approach and delivering on your commitments. Holding revenue accountability and overseeing community engagement would energize you.

You are approachable and inclusive, engaging with cross-functional teams through curiosity and a genuine care for their success. You understand that their success contributes to your own and, ultimately benefits the organization.

You would feel energized, motivated and excited to lead marketing, communications and community engagement for a vital community hospital foundation. If this sounds like you, read on.

The Organization

Mackenzie Health Foundation has experienced remarkable success with the historic completion of the $250M Ultimate Campaign. Today, Mackenzie Health Foundation continues to ride the momentum of success generated by the campaign while also retooling in response to post-campaign priority shifts. With the recent arrival of their President & CEO, Nicole McCahon (2023), Mackenzie Health Foundation is set up for continued growth and transformation.

Mackenzie Health Foundation raises vital funds to support Mackenzie Health’s two hospitals – Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. Each has a full-service emergency department, core services and specialized services to provide members of the community with the care they need. Woman and Child, Inpatient Mental Health and Inpatient Integrated Stroke programs are available at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. An extensive range of outpatient clinics, chronic kidney disease care, complex continuing care and rehabilitation are available at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital.

Mackenzie Health has faced unprecedented demands for patient care in recent years. One year after Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital opened its doors to the public, patient volumes surpassed projections – three years ahead of schedule. York Region is one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada, with more than 550,000 residents. Mackenzie Health is responding to the increasing needs by expanding operations, renovating Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and partnering with York University on a medical school, while concurrently planning for updates at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital as it reaches the typical 5–7-year lifecycle of its equipment. Mackenzie Health is preparing for significant funding needs over the next decade, and the Foundation will need to increase its financial support separate from, and in addition to, current revenues.

Having recently completed the Strategic Plan for 2025 – 2029, the Foundation will focus on four key areas, which are: Elevate their culture of philanthropy, build capacity, maximize fundraising and boldly tell their story.

Their purpose statement is to be a leader in health care philanthropy to inspire community support of patient care excellence at Mackenzie Health.

This is where you come in.

The Position

Reporting to and working closely with the Foundation’s President & CEO, the Vice President Marketing, Communications and Community Engagement will serve as a key member of the Foundation Executive Team and oversee a team of 10 (two direct).  

This is a newly created role, and the Vice President’s overall mandate is to enhance the brand and grow community engagement and overall public commitment. The Vice President will foster an inspirational and engaged culture, that fuels revenue generation and demands data-driven analytics and decision-making.

As a key liaison with the hospital marketing and communications team, the Vice President will develop the strategy for, and oversee the execution of, all marketing, communications and community engagement activity. Community Engagement is comprised of third party, direct marketing, signature events (currently, two), lotteries, and tribute giving. Marketing and Communications oversee all brand and content development for the Foundation including fundraising communications (donor impact reports, proposal writing, annual report, patient stories, etc.), social media (shared with the hospital), signature event support and or collateral development, and digital marketing.

Our successful candidate will have expertise in integrated brand strategy development and implementation, campaign planning and execution, event conceptualization, omni-channel marketing, and corporate communications with a focus on compelling storytelling.  Further, they are skillful in direct and digital marketing and have a strong understanding of how data informs marketing and communications decisions.

The opportunity will appeal to an accomplished, approachable marketing executive who possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills and who will bring strategy and creativity to the Foundation along with excellent relationship skills and experience successfully leading and inspiring a broad functional team. Our successful candidate will display rigorous business acumen that can inform fresh and perhaps unconventional approaches – someone grounded but inquisitive, a leader with humility, and a listener with big ideas that get executed.

Key Responsibilities

Marketing and Communications

• Lead the development and implementation of Foundation-wide marketing and communication strategy
• Develop Foundation brand guidelines
• Oversee the development and execution of effective brand and communication strategies using a variety of modalities to reach the Foundation’s key market audiences to achieve fundraising strategic objectives
• Provide expert communications advice to the Foundation Leadership Team about internal and external issues that may impact the Foundation’s profile and reputation, and fundraising success
• Work with the President & CEO to develop their social presence
• Develop compelling key messages, materials, and content
• Ensure the values and strategies of the Hospital and Foundation are reflected in all communication plans and collateral and communication engagement strategies
• Ensure an ongoing, proactive external media engagement strategy that supports the Foundation’s achievement of its goals, increases the affinity to the hospital and bolsters its public reputation
• Develop and implement an extensive, integrated digital marketing strategy that leverages all digital channels to drive fundraising success and increase awareness of the Mackenzie Health Foundation brand
• Oversee donor and community experience through various earned and paid communication channels; ensure enhancement of donor and community experience through exceptional storytelling and relevant, timely and accessible content
• Manage, develop, and maintain the Foundation’s brand and architecture, ensuring quality and consistency across the organization
• Promote and ensure alignment with Hospital brand and communication positioning, working in partnership with hospital colleagues to ensure ongoing alignment
• Prepare annual and multi-year plans and budgets and manage the updating of forecasts and variances

Philanthropic Communications

• Create specialized marketing and communications strategies for major gift fundraising campaigns focused on attracting high net worth donors; ensure further engagement and stewarding of existing donors
• Collaborate with Foundation and Hospital leadership for the development and implementation of marketing plans to support key fundraising areas
• Lead the development of highly personalized donor proposals, stewardship reports and other collateral/content guiding your team to impactful materials that drive fundraising efforts.
• Oversee the development of the community report in collaboration with Hospital leadership.

Community Engagement

• Oversee community engagement programs, including direct mail, digital fundraising, community partnerships, tribute, staff giving, leadership giving, cause-related marketing, third-party events and signature events
• Utilize analytics and data insights, apply innovative integrated marketing strategies and best practices to keep cost per dollar low
• Establish long-term programmatic strategic plans that align with and support Foundation’s strategic plan and goals
• Prepare periodic and annual reports to the CEO and Board, contributors, and other funding sources reporting on the effectiveness and achievements of fundraising programs
• Actively contribute to the development and implementation of Foundation-wide campaign strategies
• Engage regularly with Hospital leadership, physicians, and staff to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors

Team Leadership

• Provide leadership, priority setting and direction to members of the Marketing, Communication and Community Engagement teams
• Sustain a strong team, keeping staff motivated and engaged with team input at regular meetings to further empower and develop their self-confidence
• Empower the team through strategic planning, information sharing and collaboration to meet the goals of the team and Foundation
• Manage a team of direct reports, including recruiting, orientation, training, objective setting, coaching, monitoring performance, and encouraging professional development for these staff
• Motivate team members by creating an environment that promotes positive communication and encourages bonding of members from various departments/teams
• Monitor and track staff activity; provide feedback and guidance on performance, projects, and other initiatives impacting staff
• Provide appropriate and meaningful staff recognition

• Work as a team player, promoting a positive and professional work environment and conduct role with integrity and respect
• Be a contributing and dedicated member of the Foundation Leadership team
• Act as an ambassador throughout the community, positively representing the Hospital and the Foundation

The Ideal Candidate

• 12+ years within a charitable/not-for-profit organization and the desire to contribute and grow a successful Community Engagement capability. Experience in a large, complex not-for-profit health care organization is a definite asset
• A proven track record for implementing innovative and best-in-class communication within an organization with multiple stakeholders, including external and internal
• Ability to attain financial and program goals within prescribed timelines
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and to meet deadlines
• Strong analytical skills including the ability to analyze trends from quantitative and qualitative data
• Strong communication, interpersonal, public speaking, and leadership skills
• An innovative and motivational mentality
• Excellent management, decision-making, and problem-solving skills
• Proven experience working with business analytics and using them to support fundraising initiatives
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects, work successfully unsupervised to meet deadlines
• Excellent written (specifically to a donor audience) and oral communication skills are a must
• Excellent interpersonal / customer service skills AND highly collaborative – enjoys helping team members succeed; a great listener; someone who can manage velocity and is a positive contributor

Application Instructions

Mackenzie Health is an inclusive and equal opportunity employer committed to providing accommodations for applicants upon request at any stage of the recruitment process in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Preston Human Capital Group is conducting this search on behalf of Mackenzie Health Foundation. If you are looking for an outstanding challenge and meet the qualification criteria, we look forward to hearing from you. Please include a cover letter and CV addressed to Lindsay Preston at lindsay@phcap.ca. The posting closes on March 21, 2025, at 5pm ET.  Please note that only qualified respondents will be contacted. Thank you for your interest.