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Job Requisition ID:

2025-00437

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Group:

Staff

Job Category:

Advancement and Alumni Engagement

Employment Type:

Permanent

Department:

Faculty of Environment - Dean of Environment Office

Hiring Range:

$110,414.84 - $138,018.55

Posting Information:

Internal Posting deadline September 5, 2025

This position is a career path, and the salary range is from $110,414 - $150,659/a year

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

Reporting directly to the Dean of the Faculty of Environment, the Director of Advancement is responsible for development and oversight of fundraising, donor relations, and alumni relations activities within the Faculty of Environment (Environment). The Director works within the framework of the Office of Advancement, and the Office of the Vice-President Advancement, to ensure that Waterloo has a coordinated overall strategic advancement plan. The Director is also responsible for overseeing Faculty contributions to and compliance with Waterloo initiatives.

Using professional expertise in fundraising, alumni relations, marketing and communications, proactive

leadership skills and outstanding communications and interpersonal skills, the Director of Advancement is

directly accountable for the annual fundraising plan, overseeing major gifts fundraising activity, managing a personal portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and donors, and for Environments’ overall donor,alumni relations and campaign strategy.

Other responsibilities include oversight and leadership of a team that supports the fundraising function

within the Faculty of Environment and the Office of Advancement, and developing and maintaining

relationships with external and internal stakeholders including alumni, industry, foundation, faculty, staff, retirees, and students relative to Advancement’s objectives. The Director will manage a personal portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and donors. Political acumen is critical as the Director must be sensitive to the needs and interests of all academic units in the Faculty and elsewhere on campus and have the ability to successfully manage competing development objectives.

Key Accountabilities

Oversees, creates and implements an effective, ongoing Advancement program for the Faculty of

Environment, aligned with the strategic goals of the Faculty.

Strategic Planning

• Establishes and implements coordinated short- and long-range goals and objectives including the development of strategic plans, annual Environment Advancement business plans, management and implementation of special projects, campaign planning and priorities.
• Meets challenges in the development and execution of multi-Faculty donor strategies, requiring a high degree of coordination and consultation.
• Establishes internal policies and operating procedures necessary to achieve objectives, while ensuring Faculty Development programs are in-line with overall university goals, policies and objectives.
• Monitors and evaluates the development program effectiveness against priorities and performance targets; effects changes required for improvement.
• Provides input to capital and other university-wide fundraising campaigns and project themes.
• Oversees and directs the strategic development of cultivation and solicitation plans and gift proposals for specific projects and campaign priorities, including written proposals, oral presentations, and volunteer management.
• Develops and implements fundraising strategies for Faculty funding priorities in consultation with Faculty leadership and the Office of Advancement, for example increasing the average gift, for renewing and upgrading donors and for building the major gifts pipeline.
• Provides strategic advice and oversight for the Faculty’s Annual Fund and the Leadership giving

activities in the Faculty.

• Provides strategic advice and oversight for the Donor Relations program which includes development of customized stewardship plans for the Faculty’s top donors.
• Directs Faculty’s prospect management and the volunteer recruitment and management process.
• Initiates and directs research on prospects identified as having significant donor potential.
• Accountable for oversight of the Environment Advancement operating budget which includes development, alumni relations, and donor relations.

Team Leadership and Management

• Provides leadership, priority setting and management direction to a high-performing group of professional staff.
• Directs proactive training, mentorship, and management of staff, empowering them to strive and achieve agreed-upon goals while ensuring they have the necessary knowledge and tools for success.
• Assesses and develops a workplan that maximizes the team’s potential through assignment of responsibilities and formal training opportunities.
• Directs priorities and sets individual and team objectives for program staff. Collates these priorities and goals into an annual plan and objectives for the Faculty, providing this annual plan to the Dean and Office of Advancement and regular reports on progress to goal

Fundraising and Donor Relations

• The Director, Advancement has responsibility for identifying cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major donors at the highest possible level ($250,000 to $1M+).
• Serves as a front-line fundraiser with individual metrics and manages, plans, develops, implements, and evaluates fundraising strategies for a significant pool of assigned major and principal gift prospects, consisting of individuals, alumni, corporations, foundations.
• The Director plans, creates, organizes and executes the Faculty’s Major Gift Program; oversees the prospect review program that evaluates the giving potential of individual, corporate, and foundation prospects across Canada and internationally.
• Works collaboratively with the Office of Advancement to transition donors along the pipeline through to leadership, major gift, and principal giving levels.
• Builds/reinforces base and pipeline for major and principal gifts prospects and donors – collaboratively with the Office of Advancement in multi-track and principal gifts prospects (clearance, strategy, stewardship).
• Initiates relationships with prospects to develop and cultivate commitment and work towards its translation into financial and volunteer support.
• Works collaboratively with the Office of Advancement and other university units to match donors’ interest with university priorities.
• Consults with and obtains support and endorsement of senior University officials in the definition of program plans, projects, and goals.
• Provides strategic service support and assistance as required to members of the Faculty of Environment involved in program implementation.
• Promotes the needs of the Faculty at fundraising and other special events through public speaking engagements and personal contact.
• Collaborates to plan and host campus visits for major donors and potential major donors.
• Establishes and monitors donor recognition and acknowledgement programs.
• Develops Terms of Reference for endowment and trust donations.
• Works with the Dean, academic unit heads, and other team members assigned to solicit, support, and manage volunteer involvement with Advancement activities.
• Makes face-to-face calls both with and without key volunteers and University faculty and staff.
• Prepares notes for prospect tracking and clearance system.

Alumni Relations

• Provides strategic advice and oversight of the alumni plan and integrates alumni events and strategies into the overall Advancement plan.
• Participates in strategy development and promotion of campus-wide alumni outreach.
• Working closely with the Student Engagement Officer and the Student Success Office, maximizes opportunities for relationship building and student engagement.

Relationship Management

• Develops the infrastructure and linkage to departments, schools, teaching units, and Research Institutes and Centres for fundraising strategies across the faculty.
• Works with academic unit heads and their faculty members in advancing individual, corporate, and foundation donors in support of their funding priorities.
• Advises Chairs/Directors of established Advancement plans and policies with an aim toward providing consultation for developing appropriate effective programs at the departmental level.
• Plans and develops strategies and advises on pilot projects for Chairs/Directors and unit heads to test the effectiveness of new strategies and techniques, recommends new programs.
• Working in a decentralized environment, the Director, Advancement will serve as a liaison with other Faculties and the Office of Advancement to share and coordinate prospect strategies where applicable.
• Develops effective relationships with senior academic administrators, faculty and volunteers and representatives of the philanthropic community. Through cultivation and solicitation efforts, establishes and maintains relationships with appropriate senior officers, board members, and donations officers in corporate, foundation, association, and individual sectors.
• Develops and maintains contact with influential prospects and volunteers to develop and cultivate financial commitments, prospects, and volunteers; will include senior members of the corporate sectors, faculty, alumni, community members, students, staff, retirees and faculty.
• Maintains frequent contact with the Dean, Associate Deans, unit heads, Executive Officer, Vice-President, Advancement, Advancement Associate Vice-Presidents and advancement staff in the other Faculties, University Vice-Presidents, President, and other senior faculty members.
• Communicates regularly with alumni, development, marketing and communications staff, student engagement staff and with individuals who have made or might make major gifts to the Faculty.
• As appropriate, supports the Dean and Vice-President, Advancement and other members of the senior administration to ensure that strong and meaningful relationships are developed and maintained with all levels of government.

Complexity, Judgement and Planning

• Ensures that all campaigns and development programs are kept on a deadline-driven timetable and that donor recognition and acknowledgement programs are in place to maintain, grow and evolve good relations with the Faculty’s supporters.
• Tracks the progress of proposals and intermediate strategies for moves between submission and decision to ensure timely closure.
• Tracks and reports on gifts to the Faculty and facilitates campaign/team strategic plan updates for Environment Advancement.
• Provides advice to senior university staff and faculty within the Faculty on the feasibility of fundraising goals; utilizing the Faculty’s strategic plan to generate fundraising priorities.
• Assumes responsibility for contact with alumni, volunteers and individual, corporate and foundation donors.
• The Director may be assigned projects that cross multiple Faculties, and will ensure that proposals are developed to meet the interests of the prospect and represent all relevant Faculties across campus, while ensuring that the most appropriate volunteers and faculty/staff are well briefed and involved when appropriate in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of the donors.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Undergraduate university degree required, Master’s degree preferred.
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification preferred.

Experience

• 10+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience with a proven track record of success, including volunteer management, demonstrated major and principal gift solicitations and campaign experience with a proven track record of achievement and success with raising funds at a level in the top 5% for their sector, with a minimum of $1M annually for the team they have led, or $250K individually.
• Experience producing strategic plans which consist of measurable objectives.
• Experience monitoring and revising strategic plans.
• Management experience demonstrating the ability to deal with diverse Human Resource related issues.
• Experience with complex giving vehicles and planned giving.
• Demonstrated experience using planning/project management tools to manage projects, timelines and communications.
• Experience dealing with budget-setting.
• Working knowledge of the university environment and in particular, the Faculty of Environment, is a definite asset.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Adept at learning and using a CRM database in support of Advancement activities (ie. Raiser’s Edge).
• Understanding and appreciation of the key role of a university education and in particular Environment, and the crucial importance of attracting and retaining the very best talent available (students, faculty, staff).
• Willingness to travel and work extended hours as required (some weekends and evenings), and the ability to travel internationally.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently and effectively as part of a team with a broad mandate in a fast-paced, highly computerized, and challenging environment.
• Demonstrated relationship building skills, excellent time management, and proven ability to meet competing deadlines in an organized manner.
• Proven skills leading a team of high-performing, self-motivated professionals.
• Demonstrated understanding of not-for-profit climate in North America and internationally.
• Understanding of international alumni programs and fundraising.
• Ability to build relationships with Faculty members, staff members, and students.
• Understanding and appreciation of the key role of a university education.
• History of relationship building with volunteers, prospects, and organizational staff.
• Creative and effective communication skills (including electronic medium).
• Proven ability to share information and to cooperate with numerous stakeholders.
• Sound judgment, tact, diplomacy.
• Ability to take initiative where minimal direction is provided.

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.