Classification & Regular Hours
Hours per Week: 35
Salary Grade: 17
Hiring Range: $85,000 – $110,000, salary commensurate with experience
About Western
Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the “Western Experience” – an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference.
About Us
The Western Advancement division plays a leading role in strengthening awareness of and support for the University’s mission and goals by leading alumni relations and fundraising efforts across campus and beyond. All departments within the Division build enduring alumni and public trust through understanding and support for Western University in a coordinated campus-wide effort that results in the engagement and funding needed to make an impact. There are 3 departments within the Division – Departments of Development, Alumni Relations and Advancement Operations.
Western Law educates students in the core areas of Canadian law, in analytical skills and in effective legal research, writing and advocacy. We will also provide students with opportunities to apply their legal knowledge and to gain experience in group work, dispute resolution, and leadership skills development. Western Law’s goal is to be the pre-eminent law school in Canada focusing on business law in the global environment.
Western Law has an academic community of more than 500 students and an alumni base of over 6,000. The generous funding support we have received from our alumni over the years has been critically important to our continued success. However, equally important is the support we receive from our alumni in helping us shape our strategic objectives, as well as in the classroom, in hosting events and in supporting our advocacy and clinical programs.
Responsibilities
The Director of Development, Faculty of Law, serves as the Deans’ strategic partner in advancement. In addition to donor cultivation and solicitation, the Director will help shape fundraising strategy and translate Faculty priorities into fundable initiatives with clear budgets. The Director will partner with Western Communications to develop high-quality communications (including cases for support, proposals and Dean-level outreach), advise on pricing of initiatives, and ensure fundraising activity is focused, realistic, and effective. The Director will manage a small development team, fostering collaboration, humility, and shared credit. The role will be responsible for significantly increasing and diversifying revenue to the university and will design, develop, implement, evaluate and manage fundraising strategies as part of an overall development process which matches the Faculty’s and the University’s objectives and financial needs with the highest philanthropic aspirations of donors who have the capacity to make significant gifts. Reporting to the Managing Director, Faculty Development, the Director will work closely with the Dean, Faculty of Law, in a dotted-line reporting relationship and interacts and works closely with faculty and administrative offices to develop and implement cultivation and solicitation strategies to support their programs.
Qualifications
Education:
University degree; Honours Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications or Public Relations is preferred
Accreditation through Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation an asset
Experience:
8 years’ experience securing six and seven-figure financial agreements within the private sector or similar levels of major gifts in the charitable sector
Demonstrated experience leading a team towards revenue targets
Experience leading a fundraising, or revenue generating, portfolio towards multi-million dollar targets
Experience with donor strategy development, implementation and evaluation
Experience successfully managing multiple projects from conception to completion within tight prescribed deadlines
Experience fundraising with a university or other complex non-profit environment preferred
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Understanding of (or ability to quickly learn) legal education, including clinics, research, experiential learning, and professional training
Ability to effectively collaborate in the achievement of a fundraising or revenue- generating campaign and realize targets, preferably in an academic setting
Demonstrated oral and written communication skills with an emphasis on proposal development and presentation to internal and external contacts
Superior persuasive writing skills, including ghost-writing for senior leaders (emails, proposals, remarks)
Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects at once from conception to completion with tightly prescribed timelines
Financial literacy to develop initiative budgets and pricing models for donor consideration
Ability to establish and build healthy working relations and partnerships with clients, peers and external stakeholders
Demonstrated team orientation; prioritizes shared success over individual credit
Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage activities both for self and others effectively
A well-defined sense of diplomacy, including solid negotiation, conflict resolution and people management skills
Flexible, resourceful, creative and pro-active work style with a can-do, enthusiastic attitude
Emotional Intelligence (to ensure own work-life balance and good collegial relationships are maintained)
Demonstrated commitment to ongoing learning and professional development to stay informed about fundraising initiatives and the unit’s missions and objectives
Results-oriented with an ability to handle many tasks and maintain a high level of individual and team performance
Flexibility to work outside of regular business hours and travel frequently
Advanced computer skills in Microsoft Office and a client/donor relations management software
Western Values Diversity
The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.
Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.
Please Note:
This position is an existing vacancy. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.
