Manager, Advancement (Stewardship & Gift Documentation)

McMaster University; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

McMaster University is seeking a Manager, Advancement to lead engagement and events across faculties. You will build and maintain relationships with funders, alumni, influencers, government officials, and volunteers while guiding strategic planning and execution to support the university’s priorities.

The role requires coordinating high-profile engagement activities, budgets, and cross-campus collaboration to enhance reputation and resources for University Advancement.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and team-building skills.
• Experience in fundraising and donor relations.
• Proven ability to plan and execute large-scale events.

Responsibilities

• Lead advancement engagement and events for the University and its faculties.
• Develop strategic engagement plans and manage senior stakeholder relationships.
• Oversee budgets, vendors, and outcome evaluations for major events.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to align engagement with university priorities.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Fundraising

Stakeholder engagement

Budget management

Event planning

Education

A University degree

A McMaster degree is an asset

Job description

At McMaster University, we are driven by a shared purpose: advancing human and societal health and wellbeing. Through world-class research, transformative education, and meaningful community impact, we are addressing some of the world's most complex challenges and creating positive change locally and globally. Consistently ranked among Canada’s top universities and recognized internationally for research excellence, innovation, and student success, McMaster is home to more than 37,000 students, over 200,000 alumni worldwide, and a vibrant community of scholars, researchers, learners, and partners. From pioneering discoveries in health sciences and engineering to advancing social innovation and community wellbeing, McMaster’s impact extends far beyond our campus.

About University Advancement:

University Advancement serves as the bridge between McMaster’s mission and the philanthropic community that helps bring that mission to life. Through fundraising, alumni engagement, stewardship, advancement services, and strategic partnerships, University Advancement fosters meaningful relationships that create lasting impact for the University and the communities it serves.

About the role:

The Manager, Advancement is the leader of advancement engagement and events for the University and its Faculties and/or units. The Manager, Advancement plays a collaborative role in strategic development of events, as well as leading the operational implementation in support of their objectives and the overall institutional mission. The Manager, Advancement is a leader in advancement priorities designed to build and maintain positive relationships with key University funders, influencers, alumni, government officials and friends. The Manager, Advancement, in collaboration with their Director and other senior University leaders as required, and is accountable for supporting the strategic planning, and leading the organizing and executing of a variety of engagement priorities and events in support of the University and University Advancement strategic goals, to build and enhance relationships, reputation and resources. The Manager, Advancement works in collaboration with their Director and University leaders (e.g. President, Vice-Presidents, Deans, etc.) to develop a consistent philosophy and practices around advancement priorities and events of significant size and scope (e.g. recognition, stewardship, alumni, etc.) across the University that are funder-stakeholder centered and informed by best practice, ensure strategic and coordinated engagement of the President, Chancellor and Vice-President, University Advancement and act as a community of practice for others doing similar advancement work across the University.

Accountabilities:

• Model a culture of collaboration, integration and service to support the University’s core research and academic missions
• In collaboration with their Director and other senior leaders, support the strategic development and lead the execution and evaluation of engagement priorities and events for a diverse group of stakeholders
• Provides operational leadership to the overall implementation of University-wide alumni, community, funder, influencer, government and volunteer engagement and funder engagement priorities and events
• Work with University and University Advancement senior leadership (e.g. President and other Vice Presidents, Deans, etc.) to support and facilitate the development of strategic engagement and stewardship plans aligned with and stemming directly from the area’s strategic priorities, and provide subject matter expertise and consultation for advancement events
• Engage with and support volunteer’s leadership (e.g. high-profile influencers), in collaboration with other senior advancement leaders, that aligns with University Advancement’s volunteer engagement strategy
• Work closely with other areas of University Advancement to support the success of the operation’s annual goals as well as Advancement’s mission and strategic goals, through the delivery of engagement events and activities
• Build a high-performance team that is committed to fulfilling the vision, goals and priorities necessary to achieve the short and long-term goals of the Faculty or unit
• Support ongoing stewardship plans (e.g. strategy and events) for McMaster’s principal-level funders
• Provide leadership and direction in collaboration with their Director and other senior leaders on creation, coordination and implementation of a diverse range of priorities and events for the University’s most significant funders, alumni and influencers, to ensure a consistency in practice across the University
• Act as a subject matter expert during all decision-making processes that impact operationalizing key engagement priorities and stewardship activities.
• Develop and implement University-wide engagement, stewardship, documentation and events standards and protocols expected of a world-class University
• Consult, advise, and direct on best practices and is positioned as an expert across campus of how to execute and ensure an "outstanding stakeholder experience"
• Develop, implement and evaluate a comprehensive annual operating plan and budget for engagement priorities and events
• Provide support to the strategic engagement of the President, Vice-Presidents and senior university leaders, as well as volunteers as required, in strategic engagement priorities and events
• Plan, organize and execute a variety of high-profile local, national and international advancement and university events, in support of the University and University Advancement strategic goals, to build reputation, increase revenue or deep engagement with the University
• Execute strategies that create awareness for university priorities and to help promote McMaster as a world-class university through local, national and international celebrations, events, and programs
• Collaborate on idea generation and consultation for all University Advancement events; support the strategic and creative vision for signature events with the desired outcome to further the goals and strategies of the initiative
• Ensure all key stakeholders are appropriately briefed and that relevant follow-up action is taken following the priority or event
• Proactive in keeping current and having a significant depth of knowledge of Faculty or unit priorities in both research and teaching, and apply this knowledge in aligning the engagement interests and needs of key stakeholders (e.g. funders, alumni, influencers)
• Represent the Faculty or unit and University, with the team, at all relevant community and University events, nationally and sometimes internationally
• Collaborate with various stakeholders across campus, in all Faculties and units, as well with the President’s Office
• Develop and manage project budgets, stakeholder expectations and vendor relationships
• Design and implement tools to evaluate events and programs, internally and externally; review findings and prepares recommendations for future delivery
• Maintain accurate alumni, funder and friend’s profiles and program information in the University’s database in a timely, accurate and appropriate manner
• Work with colleagues across campus to help develop engagement communications including invitations, web presence and content, social media content, and general communications
• Work in conjunction with University Advancement’s senior leaders to establish goals and objectives including annual professional development plans for team members to support a culture of continuous improvement and readiness for change

Qualifications

Education

• A University degree
• A McMaster degree is an asset

Experience

• Minimum 6 years relevant experience
• Proven track record of success in engaging and recognizing senior-level individuals, preferably within the post-secondary system

Knowledge/Skills

Must have the following skills and abilities:

• Vision, and the ability to think strategically with a creative and entrepreneurial mindset
• Superior skills in critical analysis, judgement, decision-making, building effective relationships, and communications (oral, facilitation and written);
• High level of initiative, tact and diplomacy
• Excellent judgement and discretion
• Ability to work in fast-paced, stressful situations
• Deep understanding of the mission of a research-intensive university
• Superior skills in volunteer and budget management, event planning, human resources, with strong project management abilities
• High level of comfort and credibility working with senior academic leaders, as well as donors/funders, government and volunteers
• Ability to work at the highest strategic levels of a faculty/department/unit, to gain and maintain the trust of senior academic leadership and supporters and also take strategy and move it through to tactics and action
• Experience staffing senior leaders
• Ability to navigate and be effective within a complex organization that values collaboration in addition to individuality and creativity
• Superior interpersonal skills;
• Stakeholder-centred and goal-oriented with a reputation for integrity and transparency
• Competencies to understanding the philanthropic landscape
• Strong skills with computers and relational donor databases (Advance)

Pay Transparency Statement

The posted hiring range represents McMaster's typical hiring range for this position. Actual starting salary will depend on factors such as relevant experience, qualifications, internal equity, and market conditions. Individuals with extensive experience, deep specialized expertise, and/or those who can demonstrate exceptional past performance, as applicable, may be hired at a higher rate within the full range, in accordance with the University compensation policies.