Development Communications Manager

**Department**: OVC Advancement
This position is represented by the agreement between the Professional Staff Association and the University of Guelph

Temporary full-time from 07/07/2025 to 07/09/2027

**General Purpose**

In our work, we advance the mission of the University of Guelph by building lifelong relationships with our community: alumni, donors, and friends. Our vision is for the University of Guelph to be personally relevant in the lives of our community members. Through these relationships, we amplify the impact of philanthropy to create unique solutions for the challenges facing our world. As a member of this campus-wide team, the Development Communications Manager epitomizes the department’s shared values of respect, empowerment, integrity, appreciation, and forward focus.

The department of Alumni Affairs & Development (AA&D) is a central service at the University of Guelph and supports the University’s mission to Improve Life by building lifelong relationships with alumni, donors and champions. AA&D is accountable for raising money for the institution’s strategic priorities through the identification and alignment of donors and prospective donors. The department has a vision to attract $50 million in sustained annual philanthropic support and to be one of Canada’s most sought-after advancement organizations. As a member of Alumni Affairs and Development, the Development Communications Manager exemplifies the departmental values of respect, empowerment, integrity, appreciation and forward focus.

As the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), supported by the work of the OVC Advancement team, embarks on a $30-million capital project, the Development Communications Manager will be the internal liaison, creator, and project manager of high value OVC Advancement solicitations and stewardship communications.

**Duties and Responsibilities**

Reporting to the Stewardship and Engagement Manager, the Development Communication Manager will work collaboratively within the OVC External Relations team acting as a liaison between OVC Advancement and OVC Marketing and Communications. The Development Communications Manager will develop proposals and stewardship reports for OVC’s top donors and prospects. This will involve working closely with the front-line advancement team, college/department dean/faculty/staff, and senior administration, and as appropriate, the donor/prospect. The Development Communications Manager will create for each prospect bespoke, University-branded proposals and stewardship reports with key, strategic messaging throughout. The incumbent is expected to research all aspects of the fundraising proposal and work with impacted teams to create stewardship reports, ensuring all key components are accurate and have obtained proper University approvals. This will require the incumbent to review background materials which may involve researching complex information. The incumbent will be responsible for the entire phase of proposal and stewardship report development, from content to the implementation of design and distribution of the final document.

Further, the Development Communications Manager will lead the development of strategic fundraising collateral, such as case for support documents, in line with current fundraising priorities of the OVC. The purpose of these documents is to inspire and guide prospects to consider major philanthropic support for the OVC. The incumbent, working with relationship managers, will be required to interview scientists/administrators /senior leaders and research background materials to translate complex information into an inspiring narrative, easily understood by donors and prospects. Moreover, the incumbent will be required to navigate appropriate input and feedback from major stakeholders including OVC’s faculty; relationship managers; Stewardship and Engagement Manager; Director, Advancement; Director, Marketing and Communications; Dean; as well as the University of Guelph’s Central AA&D Communications, and Associate Vice President, AA&D.

Responsibilities include:

- Working closely with the OVC Advancement team to develop strategy and execute tailored communication vehicles for specific donors (with philanthropic asks ranging from $25K - $15M) i.e. presentations, briefs, pitch materials, and leave-behind collateral.
- Researching all aspects of priority projects to ensure continuity and accuracy.
- Conveying complex problems and opportunities - from those of the U of G to those of the greater global community - in a way that is inspiring and timely.
- Co-evolving a suite of branded fundraising collateral.
- Conducting interviews with faculty, staff, students, and senior leadership for the development of stewardship reports for OVC’s top donors.
- Requesting and interpreting the raw text and graphic/photo content from donor-supported program managers or faculty chairs for the development of annual or biennial stewardship reports, according to an establis