Vice President, Digital & Information Technology

Isarta; Calgary; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Alberta Cancer Foundation seeks a visionary VP, Digital & IT to shape the organization’s technology roadmap and data strategy. You will lead the Data & Systems and IT Operations teams, drive integration of Salesforce, Sage Intacct, and Microsoft 365, and champion AI-driven fundraising insights.

You will report to the President & CEO, participate in Executive Leadership Team, and collaborate with finance, philanthropy, and operations to advance transformation and governance.

Qualifications

• Requires university degree/diploma with 10+ years of senior leadership overseeing digital tech, data management and analytics.
• Experience in fundraising and donor management is strongly preferred for credibility in philanthropy organizations.
• Proven change-management leadership in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Operates with a business-partner mindset across functional areas; hands-on with data and systems.
• Hands-on familiarity with Salesforce (NPSP) CRM and governance for fundraising performance.
• Strong executive presence and communication skills; able to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the enterprise digital strategy and technology roadmap aligned with fundraising goals and operational needs.
• Lead the integrated enterprise environment and coordinate with Health Shared Services for recommendations.
• Assess current IT infrastructure and design actionable improvement plans.
• Unlock value of Salesforce and Sage Intacct through integration, governance, and analytics with finance and philanthropy teams.
• Provide strategic and hands-on leadership to Data & Systems and IT Operations teams; mentor staff.
• Build and execute an AI and digital innovation strategy focused on fundraising effectiveness and donor intelligence.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Change management

Education

Bachelor's or higher in relevant field

Tools

Salesforce (NPSP)

Microsoft 365

Sage Intacct

Data governance tools

Job description

About Alberta Cancer Foundation

For over 40 years, the Alberta Cancer Foundation (the Foundation) has acted as a beacon of hope by empowering and uniting Albertans around a common purpose, investing in the future of cancer research and care, and ensuring no Albertan facing cancer walks alone.

As the fundraising partner for every cancer centre in the province, the Foundation is the largest provincially based health care foundation and the largest non-government investor in cancer research in Alberta. To date, we have invested more than $500 million into the health care system.

Fueled by the generosity of donors across the province, these investments are driving innovation, transforming care and improving outcomes for generations to come.

With a team of over 70 employees, the Foundation fosters high engagement through a purpose-driven culture that values compassion, innovation and diversity. The collective actions of the team play a pivotal role in improving the cancer journeys and outcomes for thousands of people every day and a recent engagement survey showed that 100% of employees are proud to work at the organization.

The Opportunity

The Foundation's technology environment is at an inflection point having been shaped by a long-standing provides foundational IT infrastructure including network services, devices, identity management, and the Microsoft 365 environment. An early mandate for the incoming VP will be to assess the current infrastructure through the lens of being able to fully leverage modern tools to drive the organization forward.

The Foundation has made significant deliberate and forward-looking investments in its core systems (Salesforce CRM and Sage Intacct for financial management) both running as cloud-based platforms. These systems hold the Foundation's donor, campaign, and financial data and place the the full activation of that investment.

At the same time, the Foundation's fundraising ambitions are growing, and the pace of philanthropy is accelerating. The organization is generating data and insights through Salesforce and Sage Intacct but needs to connect that intelligence effectively with donor-facing areas of the organization. From donor cultivation and one-to-many digital fundraising to prospect research and AI-enabled insights for frontline fundraisers in the field, the potential upside is significant.

There is also important work already in motion across the organization including technology projects, platform configurations, vendor relationships, and data initiatives that belong within a comprehensive digital strategy. A key early contribution of this VP will be to take stock of what exists, build on what is working, and weave those efforts into a unified roadmap.

Reporting to the President & CEO (with an initial transitional period reporting to the CFO), the newly created VP, Digital & Information Technology will join the Foundation's already high-functioning Executive Leadership Team. Reporting to the VP Digital and IT will be the Director, Data & Systems (with a team of 6) and the Senior Manager, Information Management and IT Operations.

This is a role for a leader who is as comfortable presenting to the Board as they are rolling up their sleeves to support the team (i.e. someone who can complement a seasoned executive team, earn the trust and champion a talented and dedicated technology team, and build a digital roadmap that is both ambitious and grounded in an understanding of where the organization actually is today).

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the Foundation's enterprise digital strategy and technology roadmap, aligned to fundraising goals, operational needs, and the Foundation's mission.
• Lead the build and development of an integrated enterprise environment including conversations with Health Shared Services and implement the resulting recommendations.
• Lead the strategic assessment of the current IT infrastructure and own the design and execution of the resulting action plan.
• Unlock the full value of Salesforce and Sage Intacct investments through integration, optimization, data governance, and close collaboration with the philanthropy and finance teams.
• Provide strategic and hands-on leadership to the Data & Systems and Information Management & IT Operations teams; coach, mentor, and develop team members to support career progression and succession planning.
• Build and execute an AI and digital innovation strategy, with an initial focus on fundraising effectiveness, donor intelligence, and operational efficiency.
• Lead integration of the technology ecosystem, effectively connecting Salesforce, Sage Intacct, Microsoft 365, digital media platforms, and third-party tools into a cohesive, well-governed environment.
• Advance data governance, data quality, and analytics capabilities to improve decision-making and donor insight across the organization.
• Oversee cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and compliance with relevant legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Oversight on budgets, vendor relationships, and technology resources in support of transformation priorities.
• Report to the Board of Trustees on technology strategy, risk, and performance.
• Contribute to the overall strategy and performance as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
• Promote and champion a digital and data-driven culture across the organization, with a view toward innovation and continuous improvement.
• Monitor and measure outcomes and impact of digital transformation initiatives, sharing results with the leadership team and the Board.
• Ensure compliance with legislation and adherence to the requirements of applicable regulatory bodies.

The Person

• A university degree or diploma from a relevant program, combined with a minimum of 10 years of progressive senior leadership experience overseeing digital technology, IT, data management, and/or analytics.
• Experience in fundraising and donor management is strongly preferred; understanding the language, culture, and priorities of a philanthropy organization will accelerate credibility and impact. Other highly customer-centric and/or consumer insights experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated experience in change management including leading digital initiatives in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment with a track record of building strategies, earning alignment, and delivering outcomes.
• Operates with a business partner mindset engaging with all functional areas across the organization; comfortable being a working executive: willing to roll up their sleeves, engage directly with data and systems, and lead by example alongside their team.
• Hands-on familiarity with Salesforce (preferably NPSP) CRM, understanding its potential, governance requirements, and how to drive adoption and performance across a fundraising team is an asset.
• Strong executive presence and communication skills, able to translate complex technical concepts for non-technical audiences, hold their own in a room of strong voices, and build trust with peers, CEO and the Board.
• A collaborative, relationship-centered leadership style, someone who listens before they act, builds bridges rather than silos, and knows how to mentor a team that has experienced significant change and is ready to be inspired.
• Genuine comfort with ambiguity and organizational change. The Foundation is a high-growth, mission-driven environment where priorities evolve; resilience, adaptability, and self-awareness are essential.
• Strong appreciation for and alignment with the Foundation's mission is vital.