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Executive Director, Divisional Relations
Division of University Advancement
University of Toronto
THE OPPORTUNITY
We are seeking an Executive Director, Divisional Relations to lead the development, management and
evaluation of divisional programs, business plans and campaigns that contribute to the growth of
fundraising performance across the University. This will include oversight of and support for fundraising
and campaigns for 14 of our divisions who have dotted-line reports to the Division of University
Advancement.
The Executive Director, Divisional Relations will collaborate with divisional advancement teams to consult
and instill best practices in the development and execution of divisional campaigns. This will include
sharing campaign best practices, disciplines and methods; helping to establish campaign goals; providing
advice and assistance regarding working with cabinets and volunteers; providing campaign
troubleshooting; and supporting and delivering training and mentoring of advancement and academic
staff. Where appropriate, the Executive Director and his/her team will participate in the cultivation and
solicitation of prospects for specific divisions.
Reporting to and working closely with our Assistant Vice-President, Gillian Morrison, the Executive
Director, Divisional Relations will be a member of the senior management team within the Division of
University Advancement. The Executive Director will also contribute to the development of plans, policies,
timetables and strategy for the University’s institution-wide campaign, particularly as it relates to the
participation of the divisions.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
The University of Toronto is widely recognized as a global leader in research and education, consistently
ranked as one of the top 20 universities in the world and the top university in Canada placing 20th in both
the 2014 annual Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings and the 2014 QS World University
Rankings. The University of Toronto is also first in Canada in the research-focused Academic Ranking of
World Universities.
As Canada’s largest university, the University of Toronto has more than 84,500 students in 700
undergraduate programs, 222 master’s and doctoral level programs, including 59 professional graduate
programs and 45 combined programs that include professional master’s components on three separate
campuses. Recognized as a global leader in research and teaching, U of T has an operating budget of $2
billion, research grants and contract support of $1.3 billion, and more than 22 million holdings in a
research library that is ranked one of the top three research libraries in North America.
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Established in 1827, the University has an estimated economic impact on the GTA economy of $6.58
billion and on the Canadian economy the impact is $15.7 billion. U of T has also been listed as one of
Canada’s Top 100 employers for 2015, a distinction held for the past nine years.
The University of Toronto’s distinguished faculty, its institutional record of groundbreaking scholarship and
research, and its wealth of innovative academic opportunities continually attract outstanding students and
academics from around the world. U of T is committed to providing a learning experience that benefits
from a scale almost unparalleled in North America, from the close-knit learning communities made
possible through our college system and academic divisions, and from the unique degree of cultural
diversity in our city and on our campuses.
ADVANCEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
The Division of University Advancement (DUA) promotes and supports the University of Toronto by
engaging a worldwide community of more than 537,000 alumni, plus many donors and friends. DUA
encompasses a highly skilled team of staff focused in the areas of development, alumni and volunteer
engagement, advancement services, and advancement marketing and communications. The uniquely
integrated structure of University Advancement encourages each division to bring its particular strengths
and expertise to the common cause of advancing U of T’s relations with alumni, donors, and friends.
The Division of University Advancement at the University of Toronto is engaged in a transformative
agenda deeply rooted in the University’s vision for growth and innovation. We are focused on doubling
fundraising performance on a sustainable basis; enhancing the effectiveness and satisfaction of alumni
participation and programs; building advancement capacity within and across divisions; creating an
organization and culture that fosters leadership, initiative, effectiveness, and community; and contributing
to the creation of an external relations strategy for a transforming image, reputation and standing of U of T
along an axis of differentiation and excellence.
BOUNDLESS – THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
Boundless: The Campaign for the University of Toronto has a vision for U of T’s future, built on two central
pillars: Meeting Global Challenges and Preparing Global Citizens. The Campaign seeks to capture the
boundless potential of the University’s community by:
Supporting groundbreaking research and teaching that generate solutions for healthy, sustainable
and successful societies, while also strengthening the essential foundation of basic research. Funds
raised will support the University’s world-class minds, attract a new generation of “rising star” faculty
and make critical enhancements to programs and infrastructure.
Fostering international fluency and leadership skills among the University’s almost 80,000
undergraduate and graduate students – by raising funds to support student awards and build learning
environments that nurture creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, disciplinary excellence,
interdisciplinary inquiry and global perspectives.
With a $2 billion goal, the largest fundraising campaign in Canadian university history, the campaign will
help expand U of T’s global leadership capacity across critical areas of knowledge and help develop the
talent, ideas and solutions for the defining challenges of our time. Thus far, over $1.67 billion (as of
February 2015) has been raised for the campaign.
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KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
The Executive Director, Divisional Relations will focus on the following Key Results Areas and Major
Activities:
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Develop, lead and implement campaign procedures, policies and plans, encompassing campaign
strategy, operation, schedules, prospect analysis, financial reporting, budgets, project and case
development, in order to ensure highest professional standards for, and enhance the quality and
effectiveness of the University’s institution-wide campaigns.
Work closely with senior advancement and academic leadership to develop and execute divisional
campaigns that successfully attract support at six and seven-figure gift levels, and frame the divisions’
unique strengths and opportunities within an overall institutional campaign that seeks to maximize the
perception, awareness, interest, and support of the University as a major priority for philanthropic
investment.
Acting as a collaborative resource, advisor, mentor and occasional manager, build fundraising
capacity in small and mid-size divisions, helping instill best fundraising practices as they pertain to
campaign programs.
Recruit, train and manage a high-performance team, and provide sophisticated management and
mentorship to this team and to advancement leaders throughout the University, in order to increase
the impact and effectiveness of major gift staff advancing divisional goals.
Provide leadership and direction to divisions in the creation of advancement business plans and
strategies that enable divisions to foster growth in fundraising capacity and become more effective
fundraising organizations.
Provide leadership and mentorship to large and small divisions on the development, planning and
execution of fundraising campaigns, in accordance with a sequence and time frame that builds and
sustains fundraising momentum and capacity, and achieves specified campaign objectives.
Build capacity and sophistication of advancement staff and academics throughout the university,
marshaling DUA systems and resources to ensure necessary support, provide guidance on best
practices, disciplines and methods, training and mentoring that can be applied.
Mediate differences and competing priorities between divisions.
In collaboration with the Assistant Vice President, Divisional Relations and Campaigns, develop and
implement campaign procedures, policies, and operating plans, encompassing campaign operations,
budgets, events, in order to ensure highest professional standards for, and enhance the quality and
effectiveness of the University’s campaigns.
Create a fundraising culture among staff and volunteers that fosters growth, effectiveness, personal
and professional development, community, satisfaction and alignment with the mission and values of
a University of the first rank.
In collaboration with the Assistant Vice President, Divisional Relations and Campaigns, work with
senior academic leadership to develop advancement priorities and resulting fundraising plans,
integrally aligned with and arising directly from academic priorities, fostering the articulation of
persuasive academic visions and cases for support that enable the pursuit of transformational goals.
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EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES
The Executive Director, Divisional Relations must possess a strong desire to define the leading edge of
fundraising practice in Canada, to attract and develop outstanding future advancement leaders, and to
enhance the University’s reputation for advancement excellence.
The Executive Director will be an expert who possesses specialized experience in institutional fundraising,
preferably within a University, or within similarly complex environment such as an internationally-focused
NGO, government agency, or corporation. The ideal candidate will possess demonstrated significant and
successful responsibility in major campaigns, ideally of $100 million or more. Experience within the
context of a multi-year, comprehensive campaign is essential. In addition, the successful candidate will
have a successful track record in developing relationships with high profile donors and volunteers.
The ideal candidate will possess the following qualities, skills, and abilities:
• Vision, the ability to think and plan strategically, and a creative, entrepreneurial spirit.
• Demonstrated experience and success managing, motivating, and mentoring volunteers and
advancement professionals, bringing out the best in teams and individuals.
• The ability to mentor, coach, motivate and inspire colleagues and volunteers.
• Maturity, tact and diplomacy; excellent judgment and discretion; political astuteness.
• A deep understanding of and sympathy for the mission of a research-intensive university.
• The ability to serve as an articulate, credible representative of the University with diverse
constituencies and particularly with the sophisticated individuals who support the institution.
• The ability to understand the research and teaching dimensions of a proposed project, to
conceptualize them in an integrated proposal, and to make a compelling case to a donor for
philanthropic support.
• An engaging personal style and a sincere interest in people.
• Patience, openness, and a willingness to listen.
• A reputation for integrity, and the capacity to engender trust and to establish lasting relationships.
• A high level of comfort interacting with academic leaders as well as donors and volunteers.
• The ability to navigate and be effective within a complex matrix organization that values collaboration
and teamwork as well as individual initiative and creativity.
• Structured and highly organized; excellent attention to detail; decisive.
• Ability to set campaign fundraising goals and timelines and to establish an internal system for meeting
deadlines, tracking, follow-up, monitoring, and reporting of progress.
• Able to work in a hectic and results-oriented environment with a relentless focus on results; ability to
meet deadlines and budgets.
• A high energy level and a high level of initiative.
• A sense of humour and an ability to see things in perspective.
• An appropriate degree of sophistication and self-confidence.
• Optimism, and the ability to engender optimism in others.
• Exceptional oral and written communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Strong research, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• A university degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about this unique fundraising leadership opportunity, interested individuals are
invited to contact Tara George at KCI (Ketchum Canada Inc.) via email at [email protected].
Please send resume and letter of interest to the email address listed above by May 19, 2015. All inquiries
and applications will be held in strict confidence.
The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes
applications from visible minority group members, women, aboriginal persons, and persons with disabilities,
members of sexual minority groups, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.
Canada’s leading teaching and research university, the University of Toronto is ranked one of the Greater Toronto’s
Top 100 Employers 2015 and one of Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers for 2015. Committed to enhancing
the diversity and experience of both staff and students, U of T offers employees challenging work, flexible familyfriendly programs and opportunities for professional and personal development.
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