ABOUT US: Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (AARCS) is a registered non-profit charity located in Calgary, Alberta helping over 4,000 animals find loving adoptive homes each year. We also facilitate numerous community support programs helping people and pets in our community. Our mission is Changing Lives Through Kindness.
The Role: The Fund Development and Communications Manager is a dedicated and experienced fundraising professional with a passion for animal welfare looking to advance AARCS’ mission by developing strategies that foster a culture of philanthropy and enhance revenue generation. This role collaborates closely with the Executive Director and team to deliver strategic long-term and short-term fundraising priorities through a comprehensive annual work plan, managing diverse fund development initiatives, including donor-giving programs, digital campaigns, sponsorships, and grants, while overseeing communications that drive successful appeals and campaigns.
Key responsibilities include
strengthening donor engagement, expanding community support, and cultivating meaningful relationships with stakeholders. The manager will bring vision and leadership to elevate AARCS’ brand as a trusted leader in animal welfare and raise the funds needed to meet long-term strategic goals while building a sustainable and thriving funding base for our life-saving operations and community support programs.
This position seeks a dynamic, creative, and strategic leader capable of driving initiatives that expand programs and enhance support for animals in need. Key skills required include expertise in fundraising, strong communication abilities, relationship building, and negotiation skills, all achieved through effective collaboration with staff, stakeholders, and the broader community.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
- Genuine interest in animal welfare.
- Proven experience in development, communications, or a similar role, preferably in a nonprofit environment.
- Ability to develop and implement effective fundraising strategies aligned with organizational goals.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for engaging with donors and supporters., with a strong storytelling ability.
- Ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with donors, stakeholders, and community members.
- Proficiency in analyzing donor data and fundraising metrics to inform strategy and optimize efforts.
- Creative and innovative thinking to develop unique fundraising campaigns and initiatives that resonate with diverse audiences.
- Ability to effectively persuade and negotiate with potential donors and partners.
- Understanding of budgeting, financial management, and reporting related to fundraising activities.
- Ability to identify challenges and develop effective solutions.
- Familiarity with fundraising software, social media platforms, and online fundraising tools to enhance outreach and engagement.
- Flexibility to adjust strategies in response to changing circumstances.
- Technical experience with CRM’s
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Work collaboratively with the Executive Director and department staff to develop an annual work plan to execute fundraising and communication strategic priorities.
- Manage and oversee the development and implementation of AARCS’ fund development plans, encompassing various fundraising avenues such as annual, monthly, and planned giving, lotteries, direct appeals, grant writing, events, sponsorship, etc.
- Manage and oversee the development of fundraising communications, including funding appeals, grant proposals, donor correspondence, digital campaigns, website and annual reports.
- Establish meaningful relationships with donors to foster engagement, trust, and long-term support for the organization.
- Guide the creation of engaging content and advertising initiatives, including articles, newsletters, media opportunities, radio segments, social media content, and public speaking engagements.
- Develop and implement comprehensive communication strategies to highlight the impact of our work.
- Maintain cohesive messaging and branding that connects meaningfully with donors and supporters.
- Conduct research to identify new donor prospects and cultivate relationships with individuals, corporations, and foundations.
- Coordinates a fund development committee composed of board members, staff, and key stakeholders to develop and lead fundraising initiatives.
- Collaborates with the Executive Director to establish and track key performance indicators related to fundraising goals, donor engagement, and revenue generation, regularly evaluating the effectiveness of fund development strategies and adjusting tactics as needed to optimize results.
- Assist with database management by ensuring accurate data entry, maintaining up-to-date donor records, generating reports, and supporting data analysis for fundraising and outreach efforts.
- Oversee the day-to-day operations of the department, ensuring all processes run efficiently and effectively.
- Lead and manage department staff, providing mentorship, performance evaluations and support.
- Demonstrates expertise in strategic planning, relationship building, and persuasion and negotiation, alongside strong financial acumen.
- Work closely with team members to maximize fundraising efforts at all events.
Education/Training:
- Nonprofit Management, Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification, Marketing, Communications degree, or a related field is considered an asset.
- Minimum five years of management or supervisory experience, preferably in a nonprofit environment.
Other requirements:
- Valid Driver’s license.
Working Conditions:
- Office environment within a busy animal shelter with a moderate to loud noise level.
- The position may involve exposure to dangerous and/or diseased animals.
- Ability to walk, reach overhead and lift up to 50lbs.
- Ability to stand/sit/type for prolonged periods of time
Details:
Shifts: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week, Flexible schedule to accommodate operational needs. Some evenings and weekends as required.
Start Date: Immediately
Location: 5060 74 Ave SE Calgary AB T2C 3C9
Benefits:
- Paid vacation, statutory holidays and wellness time
- Health, Dental and Life and Disability Benefits
- Continuing education and professional development opportunities
- Discounted pet food, services and supplies
- Free parking
- Public transit accessible
Apply Now: Qualified applicants should apply online at aarcs.ca/careers/ and click the APPLY ONLINE link below to complete the application. The posting will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. We appreciate the time and effort it takes to apply and thank you in advance for your interest.
AARCS is an equal opportunity employer. If you require accommodation measures during any phase of the hiring process, please notify us at careers@aarcs.ca as soon as possible. All information received in relation to accommodation requests will be kept confidential
