Vice-President, Advancement

Carleton University; Ontario (CA); On-site; USD 106,000 - 141,000; Full time

Job summary

Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, invites applications for the inaugural Vice-President, Advancement, reporting to the President and Vice-Chancellor. This leadership role will drive growth, bold ideas, and meaningful impact, overseeing fundraising, alumni relations, donor engagement, campaigns, and external relationships.

As a strategic leader, you will build an ambitious advancement strategy, deepen alumni engagement, expand philanthropy, and position Carleton for transformational

Job description

A dynamic research and teaching institution, Carleton University is dedicated to achieving the highest standards of scholarship, innovation, and societal impact. Home to approximately 30,000 students and over 5,400 faculty and staff, Carleton's caring, inclusive, and connected community inspires individuals to become change leaders who drive positive impact while challenging conventional approaches to learning, research, and engagement. Rooted in the promise of its founding and guided by a vision of Inclusive Impact and Prominence, Together, Carleton aspires to be a transnational voice and exemplar of authentic inclusion, community wellbeing, and human flourishing. Through a steadfast commitment to mutual care, belonging, and collective success, the university seeks not only to advance knowledge and opportunity, but also to create lasting positive change for its communities, Canada, and the world.

Reporting to the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Vice-President, Advancement is an inaugural leadership role focused on driving growth, bold ideas, and meaningful impact. As the University’s chief advancement executive and a member of the President’s Executive Team, the Vice-President will oversee and provide support and strategic leadership for fundraising, alumni relations, donor engagement, advancement communications, campaign development, and external relationship-building. Building on Carleton’s ambitious vision and growing reputation, the Vice-President will work closely with the President, Board of Governors, Deans, academic leaders, campaign cabinet, faculty and staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners to strengthen Carleton’s culture of philanthropy and engagement while advancing its academic, research, and student success priorities.

Leading an accomplished team of advancement professionals, the Vice-President will develop and execute a comprehensive advancement strategy that deepens alumni engagement, expands philanthropic support, strengthens institutional partnerships, and positions Carleton for transformational fundraising success in support of its academic mission. The Vice-President will also contribute to university-wide strategy and decision-making and serve as a trusted advisor on external engagement, reputation-building, and long-term institutional sustainability.

As the ideal candidate, you are a respected advancement leader with a record of success securing major and transformational gifts, leading comprehensive fundraising campaigns, and building high-performing advancement teams. You will bring exceptional relationship-building abilities, emotional intelligence, and credibility with donors, volunteers, alumni, academic leaders, boards, and external partners. Your experience in higher education or similarly complex mission-driven environments will be considered an asset. A strategic and innovative thinker, you have outstanding communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to inspire confidence and commitment across diverse stakeholder groups. Equally important is your commitment to collaboration, inclusion, accountability, service excellence, and community engagement.

Carleton University is situated on unceded Algonquin territory and bordered by the Rideau River and the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in Ottawa, Ontario. The university is just minutes from the heart of our nation's government and G-7 organizations and this capital advantage provides opportunities for Carleton staff, faculty, and students to make a positive impact in the community and around the world.

Carleton is committed to fostering an innovative, equitable and welcoming work environment. It is a nationally certified Healthy Workplace and is a recipient of the Canada Awards for Excellence, Healthy Workplace Order of Excellence and Platinum Level Certification for Mental Health at Work.

Carleton University is strongly committed to fostering equity, diversity and inclusion within its community and in all its operations, as sources of excellence, cultural enrichment, and institutional strength. We welcome those who would contribute to further enrichment of our University including, but not limited to: women; visible minorities; First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples; persons with disabilities; and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expressions.