Job Description

This position is an opportunity to join a high-performing team of passionate fundraising professionals in Alumni Affairs and Development at one of Canada's leading comprehensive research-intensive universities.

In our work, we advance the mission of the University of Guelph by building lifelong relationships with our community: alumni, donors, and friends. Our vision is for the University of Guelph to be personally relevant in the lives of our community members. Through these relationships, we amplify the impact of philanthropy to create unique solutions for the challenges facing our world. As a member of this campus-wide team, the Senior Advancement Manager epitomizes the department's shared values of respect, empowerment, integrity, appreciation, and forward focus.

The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) of the University of Guelph is internationally renowned for its research, teaching and knowledge extension in the broad areas of food, agriculture, communities, and the environment. Established in 1874, OAC is a founding college of the University of Guelph. Today, it includes two campuses located in Guelph, and Ridgetown Ontario, as well as a province-wide network of campuses, field stations and research facilities.

Reporting to the Director, Advancement (OAC), the Senior Advancement Manager is responsible for annual fund activities (contributions of $1 - $24,999) in support of the Ontario Agricultural College. The Senior Advancement Manager is expected to lead fundraising and all associated activities to generate a minimum of $800K in annual fund gifts annually, and works to advance priorities with alumni, corporations, and other friends of the University.

The Senior Advancement Manager (OAC) must possess proven ability, outstanding knowledge, and successful record of accomplishment, demonstrating their ability to oversee a diversified and complex pipeline of Annual Giving donors and potential donors. This role is primarily responsible for raising financial support annually for identified OAC priorities from key constituencies, including alumni, faculty, staff, retirees, parents, students, friends, corporations, foundations, and associations. Further, this role is tasked with developing sustainable giving behaviours to support OAC fundraising priorities, with a special effort to increase alumni participation and giving.

A unique skillset is required including experience in growing Annual and Major Giving pipelines, a strong background in fundraising marketing, and a strategic mindset from planning to implementation. This role requires a strategic leader, and the expectations include strong acquisition of new donors, growth of current donors, and a significant increase in retention of existing donors.

We believe that fundraising is a team sport, and this role will require high levels of collaboration, including working with other members of the OAC advancement team and the broader Alumni Affairs & Development department.

Responsibilities include

• Leading, managing, and implementing a diverse program that results in achieving annual fund success for the college.
• Ensures all Annual Fund activities and programs are managed successfully to generate a minimum of $800K in annual fund gifts annually.

• Establishes overall strategies and goals for donor acquisition, renewals, and upgrades, based on analytics and identified donor trends.

• Collaboration with the Alumni and Annual Giving team to support all mass fundraising activity.
• Effectively cultivate, solicit, and steward the OAC Annual Giving pipeline. Manage between 80-100 prospects and fundraising plans. Pipeline growth surrounding discovery and cultivation activity is required.
• Working in collaboration with the Director, Advancement (OAC) and Associate Dean, External Relations, this role oversees campaign activity for the annual fund in the college
• Overall program management for group giving for OAC. Responsibility for managing a minimum of 10 group fundraising projects, including all solicitation and stewardship planning. Discovery and cultivation of new groups is required.
• Management of senior volunteers, including the creation of solicitation and stewardship plans for this group is required.
• Attend and participate in university fundraising and donor recognition events including gift announcements, college and university-wide awards events, and President's annual reception for donors giving $1,000 or more annually.

Position Number 641-006
Classification P05

At the University of Guelph, fostering a is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.