THE OPPORTUNITY
The Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) is embarking on a goal of reaching 100 million people by 2030. To support this growth CAWST is hiring a new Director of Major Gifts. This exceptional fundraiser will develop and deliver strategies for engaging major donors, increase awareness of CAWST throughout Canada, and grow revenue.
Reporting to the Senior Director, Strategy and Market Development the new Director will collaborate internally to develop plans for donor acquisition, cultivation, and stewardship in priority markets across Canada. The incumbent will ensure donor engagement and impact reporting communications, as well as systems and process, are in place to support a robust major gifts program. This position will be responsible for building and managing a portfolio of major donors while supporting Senior Leadership and the Board of Directors in identifying and growing relationships with potential donors, who share a commitment to safe drinking water and sanitation around the world.
This portfolio will be evolving and expanding as the organization grows, making this an exciting opportunity for a major gift fundraiser who has a proven history of supporting leadership volunteers to successfully cultivate donors, and who is passionate about making a meaningful global impact. The successful candidate will be a highly skilled relationship manager who is committed to inclusivity, collaboration, and sustainability.
This position will work out of the office in Calgary and will collaborate closely with team members on a daily basis to understand programs, operations, and fundraising opportunities, and to leverage existing relationships to build new partnerships with donors.
ABOUT CAWST
CAWST is a Canadian charity and licensed engineering firm that addresses the global need for safe drinking water and sanitation by building local knowledge and skills for household solutions people can implement themselves.
At the heart of everything at CAWST is the belief that when people have their basic water and sanitation needs met, they have the opportunity to succeed. This is what drives the dedicated team to work with a global network of more than 1,500 clients and partners. CAWST, along with clients and partners has reached almost 35 million people since inception in 2001. Collectively, we are making a difference at a scale beyond what anyone could do individually.
FOUNDING BELIEFS
CAWST values equitable opportunities, sustainable solutions, and collaborative and inclusive processes.
CAWST recognizes and accepts differences in cultural, religious, and political processes.
CORE STRATEGIES
CAWST develops the capacity of local organizations to make their own decisions and meet their communities’ water, sanitation, and hygiene needs. There are five core strategies that help to achieve sustained impact at the scale needed to help reach 100 million people by 2030.
Make Water Knowledge Common Knowledge
With the right knowledge and skills anyone, anywhere can take ownership of their own water, sanitation and hygiene. CAWST empowers people to take action in their homes and neighbourhoods, builds resiliency, and ensures appropriate solutions for the local water context.
Build The Capacity Of Public Sector Organizations
There are thousands of local organizations and governments who are best suited to provide quality water and sanitation services over the long term. CAWST builds the skills and knowledge of water and health practitioners to start, strengthen and grow their water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
Start With Household Water Treatment
Treating water in the home protects people from water-borne diseases immediately; is within most people’s capability to operate and maintain; and is affordable to reach the large number of people currently unserved. Household water treatment provides a good entry point to educate on health, hygiene and sanitation.
Lead With Education And Training
Relevant and effective training sparks independent action. When people know that simple solutions exist for their water, sanitation, and hygiene needs, and how to implement them, they improve their practices. CAWST’s trainings focus on practical options for people to determine how best to move forward.
Identify Barriers To Implementation And Ways To Overcome Them
As people apply what they learn from training to their local context, they often need help to adapt and respond to issues as they arise. CAWST helps people find solutions, improve quality, scale-up, and increase effectiveness of their programs.
SERVICES
Consulting
Expert advisors start, develop and improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs. Our free services are available in English, French and Spanish.
Training Workshops
Practical workshops and training sessions to provide the skills and knowledge to bring sustainable solutions to communities.
Online Resources
Resources anytime, anywhere: Education and Training resources, technical knowledge bases, webinars.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Three steps that will help bring safe water, sanitation and hygiene to 100 million people by 2030.
KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
FUNDRAISING LEADERSHIP
- Develop short and long-range fundraising strategies aligned to organizational goals, including developing, monitoring, and evaluating multi-year plans and targets for major gifts.
- Develop and execute donor identification and cultivation strategies for target markets across Canada.
- Analyze resource requirements for major gift fundraising including staffing, and work with Senior Leadership to develop plans and strategies for ensuring adequate resources are in place for success.
- Work with Senior Leadership to ensure donor communication and stewardship requirements are incorporated into organizational plans.
- Provide leadership and support to staff and the Board of Directors around trends and new developments in philanthropy and major gifts fundraising.
- Hire, train and provide inspiring leadership for new team members that support the fundraising portfolio, ensuring clear accountabilities, ongoing work quality, and effective project management.
- Leverage data and program information for planning, benchmarking, evaluation, and reporting.
- Strengthen fundraising processes, policies, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements.
- Analyze and ensure administrative systems are effective and manage the day-to-day operations of the major gifts program, including a robust donor information management system.
DONOR RELATIONS
- Lead donor acquisition strategies that are geographically targeted.
- Manage a personal portfolio of high-value major gift prospects and execute on identification, cultivation, and solicitation of prospective donors.
- Support organizational leadership and the Board of Directors to develop strategies for cultivation and solicitation of major gifts.
- Create effective stewardship strategies centred around highly personalized donor communication and ensure donors are appropriately recognized.
- Prepare donor communications, including proposals, gift agreements and stewardship materials.
- Collaborate internally to curate accurate information and highlights of programs and impacts for donor impact and stewardship reports, and ensure communications are donor centred.
- Work collaboratively with Marketing and Communications to create content that reaches specific donor target audiences.
QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- A proven track record as an exceptional fundraiser with experience in major gift fundraising.
- Team leadership experience that includes hiring, coaching and managing performance of direct reports.
- Demonstrated strategic thinking and leadership skills, with ability to take initiative and thrive in an entrepreneurial culture.
- Superior relationship building skills and experience working with diverse groups of donors, senior volunteers, and partners.
- Demonstrated experience working with Board volunteers to drive fundraising strategies and support cultivation and solicitation.
- Experience building a donor pipeline with a focus on major gifts and establishing a portfolio of new donors.
- Commitment to values-based relationship management, inclusivity, and accepting cultural, political, and religious differences.
- Highly developed interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively.
- Excellent problem solving, research, and analytical skills, with a drive to exceed expectations.
- Commitment to ethical standards, acting with integrity and maintaining confidentiality.
- Demonstrated project management experience with ability to multi-task effectively and meet competing deadlines.
- Strong understanding of the Canadian philanthropic landscape.
- Willingness to work outside of regular business hours and to travel.
- Understanding of water sanitation and hygiene work is considered and asset.
- Previous experience working with an organization with international scope or ability to navigate complex and geographically dispersed environment an asset.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
KCI Search + Talent has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of the Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST). For more information about this opportunity, please contact Mia Gardiner, KCI Search + Talent at CAWST@kcitalent.com.
Interested candidates are invited to send a resume and letter of interest to the email address listed above by April 22, 2024. All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence.
To view full position brief, visit www.kcitalent.com
