Current Opportunities

Chief Development Officer | Spirit North

The Organization

Since 2009 Spirit North has used the transformative power of sport and play to spark inspiration and create opportunity for Indigenous children and youth across Canada – empowering them for life. As one of Canada’s leading sport for social development organizations, Spirit North helps youth find the courage to take on any challenge, develop leadership skills, improve their health and wellness, discover new talents, and unlock their limitless potential.

Currently working in over 60 Indigenous communities across Canada, Spirit North reaches over 6,000 Indigenous children and youth annually with year-round school and community-based sport and play programs designed to achieve specific development goals such as improved health, education, and community outcomes.

Based in Canmore (Alberta), Spirit North has strong partnerships provincially and nationally, and is a dynamic team – friendly, flexible, and deeply committed to reconciliation and social justice. Spirit North is proving that sport and play can be a powerful catalyst for social change.

For further information about Spirit North, please visit their website at: https://www.spiritnorthxc.ca/

 

The Opportunity

Reports to:	Chief Executive Officer
Direct Reports:	One (1)
Location:	Canmore, Alberta / Remote in Alberta

 

Mandate

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) serves as a key leadership team member and an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting Spirit North. In partnership with the CEO, this position is responsible for revenue generation and for establishing and implementing the infrastructure needed to increase revenue. Additionally, the CDO is responsible for all fundraising and development activities in the areas of major gifts, annual planned giving, capital campaigns, strategic partnerships, donor engagement, and special events.

The CDO builds partnerships with multiple stakeholders including individual donors, private industry, multiple levels of government and other external partners to seek investment to advance the program reach of Spirit North. Revenues may come in the form of individual donations, industry investment, foundations, corporate sponsorship, and government grants.

The CDO leads the philanthropy team and will oversee a robust fundraising strategy through the development and implementation of fund development plans, goals, and measurements that align with Spirit North’s mission and vision and help to meet strategic priorities and current/future funding needs.

 

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the successful development and implementation of a fund development strategy;
• Provide advice and counsel on the organizations’ methods for fundraising through utilizing data and innovative thinking while building a balanced portfolio of prospects, donors, programs etc;
• Identify and address fund development challenges and areas for improvement;
• Tell Spirit North’s story and how philanthropy supports the organization’s mission and vision, and supports new initiatives;
• Curate and implement innovative strategic funding opportunities for short and long-term fund development plans and programs;
• Develop strategies to solicit and secure major gifts;
• Communicate the organizations’ objectives in a persuasive and inspiring manner with all stakeholders;
• Build and increase support for the organization through active participation in identifying, cultivating and stewarding relationships and connections focusing on creating long-term relationships which lead to recurring giving from donors;
• Establish performance metrics, drive the team to results and regularly report progress to the leadership team and Board Fund Development Committee;
• Build out team capacity through investing time into coaching and mentorship; and
• Successfully manage the fundraising budget, allocating resources appropriately and identifying opportunities for diversification of revenue streams.

 

First Year Deliverables / Measures of Success

Success in the first year will be determined by the candidate’s ability to:

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to reconciliation together with cultural awareness and sensitivity toward Indigenous peoples;
• Thoughtfully integrate into the organization by learning and understanding Spirt North’s history, culture and offerings with the ability to share the organizations compelling story with stakeholders;
• Recognize and understand the changing donor landscape, identifying alternative methods to reach and engage with various donor demographics;
• Work with the CEO and the Board Fund Development Committee to determine the short- and long-term strategy for fund development, conduct an audit/assessment of what is currently in place and develop the business plan to address the identified gaps and secure the required resources to meet the strategic initiatives; and
• Maintain and increase the existing levels of charitable giving.

 

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will have the following:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Seasoned fund development professional with a proven track record of success in building and activating a fund development strategy;
• Proven people and organizational leadership skills and abilities;
• Solid knowledge of ethical principles and best practices related to fundraising, prospect research, donor relations, and communications;
• Strong understanding of budgeting processes and data management;
• CFRE certification is considered an asset; and
• Previous experience and familiarity with donor management software is considered an asset.

Competencies and Attributes:

• A demonstrated personal and professional connection and commitment to the vision, mission, and values of Spirit North;
• Empowering leadership skills, able to build and manage teams, inspire others, as well as interact effectively with peers and senior leaders;
• Strong communication skills with the ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner both internally and externally;
• Hold oneself and others ethically accountable as to how to behave and act in the best interest of donors, colleagues, and the organization;
• Ability to work cooperatively and effectively with others to realize the mission, vision, and strategic priorities of the organization;
• Cultural sensitivity and awareness – the ability to recognize, value, and effectively respond to cultural differences and needs in individuals and communities;
• Effectively plan and organize one’s work and activities to meet program and organization demands;
• Use a systematic approach to effectively solve problems and make sound decisions;
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills;
• Strong problem solving, organizing, planning, and analytical skills; and
• Supportive team player and team builder.

 

The Compensation

An excellent compensation package awaits the successful candidate.

 

Additional Requirements

Spirit North is committed to the safety and protection of the children in their programs, therefore the successful candidate will be required to provide a satisfactory police record check as a condition of employment.

 

Equal Opportunity

Spirit North is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes that a diverse team benefits and is essential to service excellence. Spirit North welcomes applications from all qualified individuals and encourage women, members of racialized communities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity to confidentially self-identify at time of application. In accordance with the provincial legislation, accommodation will be provided by Gallagher and Spirit North throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. Spirit North is a family-friendly organization that allows for flexible work arrangements to support staff diversity and ensure a healthy work-life balance. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

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How to Apply:

Please send your resume in Word or PDF format to: HRCCCanada.GBS.EdmontonPIES@ajg.com. Copy and Paste the following job title and code and place it in the subject line of your email so we can identify the job and confirm receipt of your application:
AJOD-833251 Chief Development Officer | Spirit North - AB (OTIAPPLY)

Please note that only those candidates meeting the selection criteria, established by our client, will be contacted further. Although we may not contact you directly for this particular role, all applications will be reviewed as we would like to consider you for future opportunities that may be appropriate. We encourage you to continue to visit our website at optimumtalent.com as our opportunities are updated on a regular basis.