Job Description

Description

The

Advancement Administration

within

VP Development and Alumni

is currently seeking a Full-time Temporary

Specialist, Development and Alumni Operations

for approximately 5 months.


The Development and Alumni team serves as a bridge between the University of Calgary and its champions, including donors, alumni and community members. Supporting engagement, volunteerism and partnerships, it creates opportunities for impact in Calgary and beyond. The Development team is responsible for all private philanthropic fundraising, and alignment of investment to advance the strategic priorities of the University of Calgary and the communities it serves.


Reporting directly to the Executive Director, Development and Alumni Operations, the Associate Director, Advancement Operations involves managing a complex and evolving portfolio of responsibilities that require a high degree of coordination, strategic thinking, and adaptability. The work is project-based and deadline-driven, with peak periods aligned to key phases of the Philanthropic/Engagement Prioritization Project, including initiative assessment, stakeholder consultations, and review cycles. The role demands the ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks, synthesize input from diverse stakeholders, and respond to shifting priorities. While the position operates within standard business hours, occasional extended hours may be required to meet critical deadlines or accommodate stakeholder availability. The work environment is fast-paced and intellectually demanding, requiring strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to navigate complex institutional dynamics.

Primary Purpose of the Position:

(Key purpose, functions, roles):


he incumbent is responsible for leading and coordinating the Philanthropic/Engagement Prioritization Project. This includes managing a comprehensive project plan, supporting the evolution of philanthropic and engagement initiatives, and aligning them with institutional strategy. The role involves facilitating collaboration among Development and Alumni leadership, staff, and key stakeholders to assess and refine initiatives, conduct capacity analysis, and evolve the initiative review process. Additionally, the incumbent will coordinate stakeholder communications, organize and lead information and review sessions, and ensure timely reporting on project progress. This position plays a critical role in advancing strategic fundraising and engagement efforts through structured planning, analysis, and stakeholder engagement.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

(job functions include but are not limited to):

Provide strategic leadership and contribute to organizational development needs to support direction of the University; May be responsible to coach, mentor and advise others in a junior role May delegate less complex items to others; Solve complex problems; take a new perspective on existing solutions; Exercise judgment based on the analysis of multiple sources of information; Provide support in solving highly complex issues that may be outside scope of responsibility; Partner with various areas to resolve conflict or issues related to complex cases or service delivery; Explain difficult or sensitive information and work to build consensus; Responsible for developing and maintaining productive working relationships with other staff groups; Work closely with various functional leaders to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the larger team; May lead the development and maintenance of educational content and communication tools in a variety of mediums; and May be asked to provide support for additional deliverables for the Development and Alumni.

The incumbent will be directly responsible for:

Strategic Project Coordination and Initiative Development:

Lead Project Management - Oversee the comprehensive project plan for the Philanthropic and Engagement Prioritization initiative, ensuring milestones are met and progress is tracked effectively. Initiative Refinement - Collaborate with Development and Alumni leadership, staff, and institutional partners to review and refine philanthropic and engagement initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities. Gap and Overlap Analysis - Support teams in identifying gaps and overlaps across initiatives and assist in organizing them by thematic areas to strengthen the institutional narrative. Review Process Enhancement - Contribute to the evolution of the initiative review process, including team structure, intake procedures, operational planning and reporting for sustained assessment. Stakeholder Coordination - Facilitate meetings and communications with internal stakeholders to ensure inclusive and informed decision-making.

Professional Development Framework Coordination:

Needs Assessment - Coordinate assessments to identify professional growth opportunities, skill gaps, and training priorities across teams. Program Planning and Documentation - Support the planning, scheduling, and documentation of professional development activities, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and staff development needs. Framework Development - Work with the Executive Director, Development and Alumni Operations to design and implement a Professional Development framework tailored to the needs of Development and Alumni staff. Stakeholder Engagement - Collaborate with leadership and team members to ensure the framework is responsive, inclusive, and effectively communicated.

By fulfilling these responsibilities, the Specialist, Advancement Operations will play a vital role in refining and prioritizing philanthropic and engagement activities, ensuring alignment with the University's strategic goals, and fostering collaboration among Development and Alumni staff, internal stakeholders, and external consultants.

Qualifications / Requirements:

Post-secondary education required; Experience in a post-secondary environment and/or fund development office will be considered an asset; Knowledge of university governance, organizational and committee structures, including the decision-making process and areas of authority within universities, will be considered an asset; Strong organizational, analytical, problem-solving and research skills; Has knowledge of best practices and how own area integrates with others; Ability to identify areas of improvement in operational and functional practices within own department; Can contribute to the development and design of procedures and policies to meet with current and emerging needs; Ability to research, collect and interpret data for the purpose of developing effective and meaningful programs; Demonstrated ability to initiate and carry out new processes and programs, including project management, with ongoing evaluation; Ability to work well under pressure in a complex environment with competing deadlines; superior time management skills; Ability to work independently; ability to act decisively and to exercise a high degree of initiative and judgment; Highly creative, innovative, collaborative, and self-motivated; Proven ability to work collaboratively with senior executives/administrators and with team members from a variety of disciplines; Superior written and oral communication skills including the ability to prepare relevant documentation and correspondence with accuracy and thoroughness; Ability to produce time-sensitive documents/correspondence within tight deadlines; and Superior knowledge of Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, etc.); proven ability to acquire a high-level of understanding of business systems.

Application Deadline:

October 30, 2025.

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.


This position is classified in the

Professional Career Band, Level 3

of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework.


For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our

Management and Staff Careers website

.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.


The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments (

equity@ucalgary.ca

) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (

hrhire@ucalgary.ca

).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.