Director, Major Gifts
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Salary range: $97,007 – $144,059
Application deadline: Open until filled
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus – artists, leaders, and thinkers – to unleash their creative potential.
We acknowledge, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as Minhrpa (translated in Stoney Nakoda as the waterfalls) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Rockyview District 4. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place.
The Opportunity
The position serves as part of development’s senior management team in support of the executive director, development. It works collaboratively with the executive director, development, and other key Senior Management Team members within Development to help define program philosophy and strategic objectives.
It is critical that the director, major gifts leadership style encourages collaboration and positive relations between departments and that they clearly communicate with department representatives, understand their delivery mechanisms, and work as an inter-departmental team leader to achieve strategic objectives. The director, major gifts requires superior professional and collaboration skills, including sound judgement, tact and diplomacy.
General responsibilities of this leadership position also include supporting the stewardship of the organization, its values, and principles, and playing a lead role in nurturing a healthy, positive culture, including continuous learning and improvement of the Development team.
Roles and Responsibilities
Reporting to the Executive Director, Development below are some key accountabilities:
Revenue Generation
This position is responsible for creating and implementing strategies for the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, recognition and stewardship of supporters (donors and sponsors) /prospects with the goal of primarily securing commitments at the 5, 6, and 7+ figure level ($25,000+) for Banff Centre’s identified fundraising priorities (programmatic and operational). This type of support is typically pledged over a period of time but sometimes it takes the form of ongoing annual gifts, and one-time gifts.
In carrying out this role, the position:
- Contributes as a senior manager to the overall success of the development division.
- Works to set fundraising priorities and design fundraising campaigns with the executive director, development and keeps frontline senior fundraising staff supporting this vision.
- Creates an annual major gift plan with supporting gift charts and strategy development with senior development officers.
- Manages senior development officers, and development officers in major gifts to manage performance related to stated goals and objectives.
- Provides monthly progress reports to the executive director, development.
- Ensures stewardship of the stakeholder group is maintained at a level of excellence Banff Centre donors expect.
- Oversees moves management and prospect pipeline overview with the pipeline officer and researcher.
- Maintains a personal portfolio of prospects with the capacity to reach or exceed $1.5 million annually (approximately 75 prospects).
Human Resource Management, Team Building and Interdivisional Cooperation:
- Enables the employees to function as a high performing team at all times, maintaining open communication, clear objectives and priorities, and a culture of positive behavioral intent that is consistent and in alignment with Banff Centre values and is welcoming and inclusive, supporting a diverse workforce.
- Fosters an internal culture that maintains the highest standards for customer service, excellence of employee, participant and guest experience, and fiscal, operational, and organizational integrity.
- Ensures a positive and safe work environment for all Banff employees, aligned with Banff Centre’s policies including but not limited to code of ethics, anti-harassment policies, contractual obligations, and strategic directions.
- Maintains effective working relationships with employees, internal partners, customers, the union and other stakeholders.
- As a key role with external connections, this position guides teams to ensure that Banff Centre is represented to any stakeholders and constituents in an informed, helpful, and positive way, striving to increase the organization’s public value in each interaction.
Other: Represents the development office as required on appropriate committees and task forces, at appropriate meetings and functions.
Qualifications and Educational Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as fundraising management, business or arts/education administration or event management.
- Minimum seven years of successful fundraising experience with a proven track record in campaigns and portfolio specific areas of fundraising (including planning for material revenue generation).
- Experience working in the arts is preferred.
- Strong technical skills (MS Office Suite, fundraising databases and other tools).
- Excellent customer service skills with proven ability to develop and maintain positive and productive relationships with supporters, volunteers, Board members, vendors and staff members.
- Commercial acumen — can grasp the big picture within a fundraising context; politically and financially savvy, demonstrated experience and success in building, leading and executing fundraising plans and strategies to deliver on (or exceed) set goals.
- Savvy at understanding supporter needs and perceptions and ability to adapt to them accordingly to align with organization’s fundraising priorities.
- Outstanding interpersonal and written communication skills and an ability to work cooperatively with, motivate and influence, a broad range of individuals.
- Demonstrated tact, diplomacy and creativity. Ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality at all times.
- High ethical skills in the context of a development office including conduct at events and representing an organization.
- Meticulous attention to detail, strong organizational and analytical skills.
- Driven and results orientated; embraces achieving and exceeding goals.
- Strong leadership skills that motivate and engage teams including being a strong team player.
- Superb time management skills and able to work under pressure.
- Experienced at multitasking with strong project management skills and a proven ability to manage and balance large workloads, projects and portfolios.
- Demonstrated strength in planning, coordinating and executing on projects efficiently and effectively in an environment which is fast paced, with competing demands and changing priorities.
- Demonstrated initiative, autonomy and strategic thinking; adaptable to change, and take on new tasks willingly.
- Regardless of the time constraints and demands on time, the incumbent must be professional and convey an attitude of helpfulness and concern.
Employment Terms and Benefits:
- In accordance with the terms of employment governing management/PSP employees, this is a salaried, fulltime position, subject to a 6 month probationary period.
- The salary range for this position is $97,007 – $144,059 based on experience.
- The successful candidate will enjoy twenty paid vacation days and four personal days annually, extended medical and dental benefits, and participation in an employer-matched pension plan.
Benefits of working at Banff Centre are:
- Transitional Staff housing options (based on availability).
- This position could be remote with some travel to Banff.
- Professional development.
- Staff cafeteria and restaurant discounts.
- Onsite fitness facility at a discounted rate – first month free for new staff!
Application Process:
- We are accepting applications for the director, major gifts position until a suitable candidate is found.
- Candidates offered a position with Banff Centre, in this capacity, will be required to obtain a criminal record check verifying a clear record before a final job offer can be finalized.
For more information and to apply visit banffcentre.ca.
Visa Requirements: Candidates must be legally eligible to work in Canada. Banff Centre is unable to assist candidates in obtaining Canadian work authorization.
