Status:

Ongoing Position

Location:

Slave Lake

Competition #:

NLC-2235

Open To:

All Applicants

Date Posted:

September 12, 2025

Closing Date:

October 10, 2025 - 11:59pm

Job Start Date:

November 15, 2025

Compensation Rate:

$100,024 to $129,026 per year

Hours Per Week:

36.25

Additional Information:

For over 50 years, the Northern Lakes College vision has been to increase accessibility to educational opportunities. With 24 locations across northern Alberta, program sites throughout Alberta, and a unique Supported Distance Learning model, students can access quality educational opportunities without leaving their community. Students can study from the comfort of home, work on the road, or from one of many College locations. Northern Lakes College offers a variety of university transfer, diploma, and certificate programs, including Academic Upgrading, Business & Administrative Studies, Health & Human Service Careers, Pre-Employment & Apprenticeship Trades, Resource Technology, University Studies, and Continuing Education & Corporate Training certificates and courses. We support and promote professional development and wellness opportunities, and provide our employees with an attractive benefits plan and competitive salaries. The College service region offers numerous recreational activities for the entire family to enjoy!

Northern Lakes College has the following ongoing position available:

Director, External Relations, Marketing, and Advancement
Salary: $100,024 to $129,026 per year
Location: Slave Lake
November 17, 2025 to Ongoing

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in communications, marketing, public relations, nonprofit management or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in advancement, marketing, external relations or fundraising, preferably in a community college or nonprofit environment.
• Ability to establish and cultivate strong relationships with peers, across different levels of the organization, with the public, industry, government, and others
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively connect with diverse audiences.
• Experience managing teams, budgets, and complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
• A high level of integrity, confidentiality and accountability.
• Ability to travel (Class 5 license), work flexible hours, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred:

• Masters in a related field
• Extensive knowledge and experience with budgeting, staffing, grant procurement, business planning, and day-to-day operations management.
• A combination of work experience, training, and education may be considered.

Nature and Scope of Work:

Reporting to the President and CEO, the Director is responsible for the administration and management of the External Relations portfolio, including oversight for a team, up to six, within the department. The Director holds primary responsibility for advancing the mission and visibility of the College through strategic communication, community engagement, marketing, merchandising, fundraising, alumni relations, and grant procurement. The College’s Mission and Vision statements guide the direction of the External Relations portfolio.

The Director is connected to the wider college community and will be skilled in strengthening existing relationships and fostering new ones, to the benefit of the College. The Director will consult and work with all College departments, including academics and other groups within the wider college community to strengthen collaboration and community engagement locally, regionally, and provincially.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Community External Relations:

• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships for the purpose of College advancement.
• Represent the College at civic, educational, and industry events, when necessary, to build awareness and support for programs, initiatives, and institutional goals.
• As required, serve as a public ambassador for the college to enhance its reputation, promote student success, and support regional, economic, and social development.

Marketing and Communications:

• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy to increase student enrollment, program awareness, and community engagement.
• Oversee and support content creation for digital platforms, print materials, social media, advertising and external communication.
• Ensure consistent branding and messaging that reflects the college’s mission, values, and diverse student population.
• Manage media relations and press releases.

Advancement and Fundraising:

• Plan, direct, and implement fundraising initiatives including annual giving, major gifts, corporate sponsorships, grant procurement, and planned giving to support scholarships, academic programs, and capital improvements.
• Collaborate with academic departments and college leadership to identify funding priorities aligned with the college’s strategic plan.
• Build and maintain meaningful relationships with alumni, donors, and community leaders to cultivate ongoing support.
• Oversee stewardship and donor recognition programs to strengthen donor engagement and retention.

Alumni and Donor Engagement:

• Lead outreach efforts to grow alumni engagement, volunteerism, and giving.
• Develop targeted strategies for alumni communications, networking events, and mentoring opportunities.
• Maintain and leverage alumni and donor databases to inform relationship-building and fundraising efforts.

Leadership and Operational Management:

• Supervise department staff.
• Develop and manage department budgets, goals, and performance metrics.
• Monitor the effectiveness of strategies and initiatives through data analysis and reporting.
• Collaborate closely with admissions, academics, and student services to align messaging and outreach efforts.
• Provide strategic counsel to senior leadership on issues related to external relations, public affairs, advancement, stewardship, community engagement, marketing, and communications.
• Lead and support various groups and committees as required.

In addition to other duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills, and will be a relationship builder.
• Self-directed, tactful, and diplomatic.
• Strong strategic development skills and ability to implement a strategic plan linked to institutional priorities.
• Effective leadership skills recognized within the institution.
• The ability to create and sustain institutional advocacy.
• Advanced skills in the use of software applications.

Contacts (Internal and External)

• Entire College community
• External, Internal -staff, students, and departments.

Successful candidate must provide College or University transcripts and a Criminal Record Check to Human Resources prior to commencement.

Please submit a resume quoting the reference number NLC-2235 to: Northern Lakes College, Human Resources, 1201 Main Street SE, Slave Lake, AB. T0G 2A3 or alternatively Fax: 780-849-5881

Closing Date: October 10, 2025

Note: Northern Lakes College thanks all applicants for their interest in employment; however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.