The School:
Calgary French & International School (CFIS) is a full French language immersion co-educational independent school, serving over 780 students from junior preschool
through to Grade 12. For over 50 years, families have chosen CFIS because of our immersive French language learning environment that inspires children’s unique
curiosity and exploration of the world around them.
Our dedicated faculty, staff and administration team partner with CFIS families to provide an extraordinary learning experience. Our students benefit from innovative
teaching and learning approaches to address global challenges, and are empowered to take responsibility as open-minded, curious citizens who are prepared for the ever-changing world around them.
The Position:
The Director of Development is a highly motivated and experienced fundraising professional with a passion for building relationships with donors. They should have a
proven track record of galvanizing a community-wide culture of giving at every level and securing six-figure gifts. The ideal candidate will be an authentic and personable communicator, demonstrate highly professional interpersonal skills, and be a gifted leader who can guide their team to meet their shared goals.
The Director of Development is responsible for the leadership and strategic management of CFIS’ Giving and Engagement programs including Major, Annual, and Planned Giving, Stewardship, Parent and Alumni Engagement, and Corporate Sponsorship.
The Director of Development reports to the Head of School and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The Director works closely with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders, including the school’s Society Board, parents, alumni, faculty and staff, and external community members.
Managing a team of two, the Director will be responsible for setting annual fundraising and engagement goals and developing a Case for Support and programming to achieve these goals. The role of Annual Fund and Sponsorship Manager is currently vacant and consulting services have been engaged to manage this work.
Key Areas of Responsibility:
The position’s key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:
- In partnership with the Head of School and the Development team create Annual Program Plans for Major, Annual and Planned Giving, Stewardship, Alumni and
- Parent Engagement, and Corporate Sponsorship that foster and grow a community-wide Culture of Giving.
- In consultation with the Head of School and Advancement Committee, build a campaign strategy in preparation for the launch of a Capital Campaign within
the next two years. - Create and implement terms of reference and processes to guide gift agreements, processing, acknowledgment, and recognition.
- Set annual fundraising and engagement targets.
- Develop a prospect list of Major Gift donors ($10,000+) and personally manage these donor relationships throughout their entire donor cycle.
- Draft and present quarterly Development reports to The Society Board tracking targets and achievements.
- Coach, mentor, and hold accountable the members of the Development Team in their work to achieve their individual goals.
- Provide direction and work collaboratively with all internal stakeholders to build effective relationships that help the development team to meet its goals.
Essential Qualifications:
- A Bachelor’s degree in partnership with development experience, preferably in a private-independent school or other non-profit organization.
- CFRE designation an asset
- Demonstrated ability to understand institutional strengths, challenges, and capacities.
- Experience developing and implementing strategies to achieve institutional goals.
- Experience managing a personal portfolio of major gift donors with a record of securing gifts of $100,000+.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with a flair for juggling multiple projects with shifting priorities and competing deadlines.
- Outstanding speaking, writing, and editing skills.
- Ability to develop, monitor, and adhere to budgets and production schedules.
- History of successfully coaching, mentoring and inspiring a team.
The successful candidate will need to provide, or have on file, an updated Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening prior to commencing work.
Key Success Skills:
- An astute listener and strategist; comfortable receiving input from many sources, and able to analyze and formulate disparate information into a sound, well-organized plan.
- Intrepid yet tactful; determined yet respectful of others’ concerns; someone with the flexibility and creativity needed to find alternative ways to reach objectives
when barriers arise. - A hard worker with a high energy level and a willingness to work hands-on in developing and executing a variety of activities.
- Emotionally mature with a good sense of humor and the flexibility and sensitivity to work with diverse personalities and situations.
- Maintains confidentiality and protects sensitive information.
- Has a high “EQ” (emotional quotient); is naturally graceful in treating community members with courtesy and tact.
- Highly organized and detail-oriented with superior communication skills.
- Interpersonal skills that foster collegiality and further the common goals of CFIS’s mission, vision, and values.
Salary:
CFIS offers a competitive total compensation package including an RSP plan that does not require matching, generous vacation time, and benefits. Salary is to be determined based on skills and qualifications.
Application Process:
The position will remain open until the position is filled.
If this position sounds like the perfect fit for you, please submit your resume to Apply Now. Please note that we are a multilingual school, but that you do not need to speak another language to thrive in this role. At CFIS we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role, we encourage you to apply anyway with a cover letter and resume describing why you are a great fit and to help us learn more about you. You may be just the right candidate! We thank all applicants in advance for their submission
