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Director of Advancement

Calgary, AB
Senior Level

About the role

Posting Notice

Coming January 2026

Imagine,

living on the doorstep of the Rocky Mountains, working at a top-
ranked independent school in one of the most livable cities in the

world.

  • Are you inspired to help young people flourish - to help them be the next

generation of leaders?

  • Do you have an unwavering commitment to nurturing and growing donor and

alumni relationships?

  • Do you think strategically and act deliberately?

  • Are you ready for the next step in your career?

If so, take a few moments and check out:

West Island College (WIC), a leading co-educational and bilingual day school with exceptional

teachers, staff, faculty, alumni, donors and a close-knit community of enthusiastic students. You

might be the right person to keep building our culture of giving, building on the exceptional work

of your predecessor.

OWN your future

At West Island College (link https://www.westislandcollege.ab.ca/), students in Grades 7 to 12

are empowered to pursue their passions through a dynamic combination of academic rigour and

experiential learning. As one of Calgary’s leading independent schools, WIC offers a tight-knit

community that fosters a deep sense of belonging and paves the way for a transformative

educational journey.

Belonging at WIC – The Heart of our Culture

At the heart of our work is ensuring that every member of our WIC family feels valued and that

they belong.

To support this, the Director of Advancement provides the inspired leadership and strategy that

results in the realization of WIC’s relationship-building and giving goals which, in turn, support

the College’s commitment to exceptional student experience.

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The Director works directly with the Head of School & CEO, the Board of Directors/

Advancement Committee and leads the Advancement team (including the Advancement

Officer) to expand and celebrate the role of donors at WIC, to ensure a sense of belonging,

gratitude, and appreciation.

Exceptional experiences for students and donors, alike.

At WIC, we are committed to providing the very best at every turn – for students, families, staff,

faculty, volunteers, alumni, and donors.

WIC is a leading provider of rigorous academic programs, complemented by offerings in fine

arts, business, athletics, leadership, engineering, health sciences, international travel, and

outdoor education.

Just as our student offerings are built upon a tradition of excellence, of high performance, and

strong relationships, so is our Advancement program.

In the last year, we completed fundraising for the new multi-purpose field and have tripled the

size of our annual fund. Now, we are seeking the next extraordinary Advancement leader to join

us, to be a part of the next chapter of innovation, expansion, and exceptional student and donor

experiences at WIC.

We are looking for:

  • An enthusiastic, results-driven, and highly motivated fund development leader with more

than 7 years of progressive and impressive achievements, reflecting integrity, loyalty,

impact, and optimism

  • Extensive fundraising and alumni relations experience, preferably in an independent

school environment, in developing and sustaining strong relationships, with colleagues,

parents, grandparents, and volunteers, in addition to donors and alumni

  • A comprehensive understanding of philanthropic literacy, and how to further develop

culture within an organization

  • A proactive, innovative, and entrepreneurial approach to fundraising and alumni

engagement

  • Experience as a frontline fundraiser with demonstrated success in personally cultivating,

soliciting and securing significant gifts

  • The ability to work alongside a dedicated campaign cabinet and Advancement

Committee to secure transformational gifts in support of the upcoming capital campaign

and special projects

  • Undergraduate degree required plus CFRE designation is preferable

If you want to be added to our outreach list in January, or to learn more about this

opportunity, receive the complete profile or discuss your qualifications, please contact Jolayne

Davidson Gardner at 403-601-9029 or via email at search@avistaphilanthropy.com.The full and

complete job description will be posted in January at:

https://www.avistaphilanthropy.com/opportunities

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About West Island College

Education
11-50

The West Island Colleges (WIC) is a set of private Canadian junior high and high schools, one of which is located in Montreal's West Island, and the other in the south-east of Calgary. The school briefly opened a branch in Ottawa but it was later closed. The school offers a program known as Class Afloat that provides students with an educational experience while sailing around the world.