Executive Director Development

University of British Columbia; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Canadian university is seeking an Executive Director of Development to lead a complex fundraising program with a target of $50-75 million. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in fundraising, superb leadership skills, and a commitment to equity and diversity. This role involves strategic planning and collaboration with senior leaders, driving major gift initiatives, and fostering an inclusive work culture. Join a team dedicated to impactful alumni engagement and development efforts.

Qualifications

• Minimum of eighteen years of relevant experience, with ten years leading teams.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Ability to develop strong relationships with diverse groups.

Responsibilities

• Lead a complex development program with a fundraising target of $50 to $75 million.
• Develop strategies linked to DAE's vision and UBC's values.
• Ensure alignment among various fundraising units.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising expertise

Interpersonal skills

Budgeting knowledge

Negotiation

Education

University degree in relevant discipline

Job description

Staff - Non Union Job Category M&P - AAPS Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Development & Alumni Engagement, Level H Job Title Executive Director, Development Department AVP Leadership | Development | Development & Alumni Engagement Compensation Range $13,899.25 - $21,693.33 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date March 1, 2026

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date Ongoing

UBC Development and Alumni Engagement (DAE) is one of the leading advancement teams in Canada, with over 350 employees, raising $300 million and engaging over 120,000 alumni annually. As UBC advances its most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement campaign to date, this is an exciting time to join the team and build partnerships to advance the vision and purpose of the university. FORWARD, the campaign for UBC, will raise $3 billion and activate the power of our global alumni by doubling alumni engagement.

In support of an annual goal of $300 million, DAE is seeking a strategic and inclusive Executive Director of Development to lead a complex development program that includes several diverse fundraising units, with an overall annual target of $50 to $75 million or more. The Executive Director will work collaboratively with peers to ensure cohesiveness in program strategy and team culture in support of DAE and Development strategies, goals and priorities. Reporting to the Associate Vice-President, Development, and as part of the Development Senior Management and Leadership Team, the Executive Director will inspire fundraising excellence and lead major and transformational gift strategies, while implementing UBC and DAE plans into business practice and fostering a culture of belonging.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Description Summary

In support of DAE’s $300 million annual goal, the Executive Director of Development will provide leadership to a moderate to highly complex Development program, including several diverse specialized fundraising units and/or faculty/campus-based units with an overall annual fundraising target of $50 to $75 million or more. The Executive Director will also ensure cohesiveness in strategic advice across the division and alignment with DAE’s goals, priorities and overall strategic direction.

Organizational Status

Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Development, this position has primary accountability for various Development units and as such is responsible for developing strong and influential working relationships with:

• Senior leadership across the university (e.g., UBC President, VPs and AVPs, Deans, senior university academics and administrators, etc.)
• Members of the Board of Governors
• Major donors, key alumni, strategic and volunteer partners, individual and community group leaders and corporate executives
• DAE peers, direct reports and DAE team members
• UBC faculty and staff involved in DAE activities

Work Performed

To provide leadership of a moderate to a highly complex Development program with significant strategic and financial impact (overall annual fundraising target of $50 to $75 million+) and to ensure UBC meets its strategic objectives.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develops and implements strategies for a moderate to significantly complex Development program; ensures strategies are concretely linked to DAE's vision, purpose and values, as well as UBC's vision, purpose, values and strategic plan;
• Provides fundraising advice and strategy to senior university administration and faculties/units;
• Accountable for overall performance of the designated program, including maintaining positive public relations and protecting the university's reputation;
• Leads the achievement of human, financial and operational objectives of the programs including:
  • contributing to DAE's objective to maximize private and public sector support for the university;
  • development and execution of major gift strategies with key donors for the most complex donations;
  • developing proposals for key fundraising initiatives and priority projects as appropriate;
  • coaching and motivating staff and volunteers to achieve program fundraising objectives;
  • understanding and successfully navigating the philanthropic industry and the high-net-worth sector.
• Ensures strategies are aligned amongst specialized units and faculty and campus-based units within division and DAE goals and priorities;
• Creates annual operating budgets for designated programs consistent with UBC's established financial guidelines and business planning process;
• Develops systems and measures that appropriately assess performance and reviews progress to ensure achievement of DAE targets; is accountable for the results;
• Ensures the successful closing of major gifts with specific responsibility as the executive development lead for gifts at the $5 million plus level;
• May be personally responsible for a limited major gift portfolio of prospects and donors in the $25 million to $50 million level and/or supporting the Vice-President and Associate Vice-President with a focused number of principal gift accounts.

To develop and oversee the execution of business practices within designated Development programs and to ensure alignment with UBC standards.

• Oversees implementation of processes, policies and practices that maximize operational efficiencies and competitive advantage;
• Prioritizes key change management initiatives; assesses readiness to engage in change efforts and facilitates the design and execution of the change effort including mitigating risks;
• Acts as a project sponsor for key initiatives and builds cross-functional alignment; models UBC values, and sets the cultural tone within department.

To lead and manage a team responsible for executing the Development strategy across designated programs.

• Identifies strategies and key performance goals and acts as an advisor to direct reports; works to overcome challenges and barriers and minimize risk among diverse campus-wide partners;
• Sets performance targets and measures and monitors and manages overall performance of designated programs direct reports;
• Builds the capabilities of the team to enhance DAE's ability to achieve fundraising and operating strategy; hires appropriately, leverages the talents of the group and takes corrective action where necessary;
• Ensures there is a comprehensive and effective succession management strategy in place for designated programs; identifies succession role requirements and high potential talent and actively develops key talent;
• Other duties as required, within the classification of this position.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

As a key member of Development’s leadership team, the role is considered high profile and is a critical point of contact for donors, alumni, community leaders, corporate executives, staff, volunteers and strategic partners as well as for UBC senior executives and management, and key university administration as it relates to Development and alumni activities;

• Decisions and recommendations have a direct and significant impact such as fiscally, legally as well as reputationally on the success of the Development activities across designated programs as well as the department as a whole and the reputation of the university;
• Work is of significant complexity and requires industry expertise, business acumen and organizational knowledge;
• Work involves non-routine situations where established procedures do not always apply and problem resolution requires making modifications to existing processes, approaches or methodologies;
• Incorrect interpretation or communication of university policy and procedures or lack of tact, diplomacy or sensitivity when dealing with donors, alumni, the external community or senior administrators will negatively impact working relationships and may lead to the loss of a donation and / harm to the university's reputation.

Supervision Received

• Reports to the Associate Vice-President, Development;
• Work at this level is performed with general authority and individuals primarily achieve results through subordinate managers (such as Assistant Deans, Senior Directors, Director level) and senior professionals;
• Works independently with discretion relating to donor negotiations, policy administration and interpretation, and administrative responsibilities;
• Work is reviewed for attainment of objectives and effectiveness of results.

Supervision Given

• Positions at this level have direct responsibility for the performance of senior level employees such as Assistant Deans, Senior Directors, Directors and employees through subordinate supervision;
• Indirect responsibility for the performance of 20 + staff across the department on a project basis;
• Provides general direction to staff with an emphasis on the execution of plans and delivery of objectives.

Minimum Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of eighteen years of relevant experience, of which ten years of experience leading and developing career and professional-level employees or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own;
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in a senior fundraising position and developing and successfully executing a major gift fundraising program of moderate complexity. Advanced interpersonal skills to support the building of strong relationships with diverse groups of people (internally as well as externally). Advanced negotiations skills with the ability to influence decisions at senior levels to achieve objectives while maintaining policy, positive public relations and the university’s reputation. Diplomatic and innovative problem-solving skills with a proven ability to be able to successfully resolve issues within own area, across functional areas or with an external party (e.g., donor, strategic partner, community leader, etc.). Contributed to the development of a strategic plan and / or change initiative that positioned an organization or institution for growth and success. Created and communicated the vision for a program or functional area that inspired and aligned employees. Acted as spokesperson, internally and externally, for a sensitive / political issues or change initiatives. Advanced conceptual abilities and proven ability to implement high standards. Built a fully competent team of direct reports with a successor developed to fill own role. Strong business acumen and understanding of industry best practices as well as practices within other large / complex institutions (public and private sector). Excellent knowledge of UBC procedure and policy. Models the university’s values and culture. Experience managing multiple projects with multiple deadlines. Strong understanding of accounting and budgeting principles. Strong understanding of legislation and regulations as they apply to own area. Superior communication skills, verbally and written.