Vice-president, External Relations

NAIT is a leading polytechnic serving more than 34,000 students and has been a major contributor to industry and the economy within Alberta for the past 60 years.

**How to Apply**:
**Position Overview**:
Reporting to the President & CEO, the Vice-President, External Relations and Chief Development Officer is responsible for leading and overseeing NAIT’s fundraising and development efforts, as well as alumni engagement, marketing, and communications.

Planning for NAIT’s Advanced Skills Centre (ASC) is underway thanks to an investment of $43 million from the Government of Alberta. This state-of-the-art Centre on NAIT’s Main Campus will provide the diverse and workforce-ready graduates Alberta and industry require for the future. The Centre will expand NAIT’s capacity to deliver trades and technology programming in alignment with the future needs of Alberta’s economy. Our vision for the ASC is to deliver the most comprehensive, leading-edge apprenticeship, and technology-based education. A primary focus of this role is assisting NAIT in its fundraising and development activities related to this impactful initiative.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- **Strategic Planning**: The VP develops and implements strategic plans aligned with the organization's goals and objectives. They identify priorities, set targets, and establish strategies to achieve goals effectively. They develop marketing and communications strategies to continue to grow domestic and international enrolment.
- ** Fundraising and Revenue Generation**: The VP leads fundraising initiatives across multiple channels, including major gifts, individual donors, corporate sponsorships, grants, special events, and planned giving. They cultivate relationships with donors, prospects, and funding partners to secure financial support for the institution.
- ** Donor Relations and Stewardship**: The VP builds and maintains relationships with donors, stakeholders, and funding partners to ensure a positive donor experience and foster long-term engagement and support. They develop stewardship strategies to recognize, acknowledge, and celebrate donors' contributions effectively.
- ** Board Engagement**: The VP collaborates with the Board of Governors, providing guidance, support, and resources to engage Board members in fundraising activities. They work closely with Board committees, leveraging their networks and expertise to advance fundraising goals
- ** Team Leadership**: The VP oversees the development, communications, marketing, and special events teams providing leadership, mentorship, and support. They set performance expectations, establish metrics for success, and provide ongoing training and development opportunities to enhance team effectiveness.
- ** Strategic Partnerships**: The VP identifies and cultivates strategic partnerships with other organizations, institutions, and community stakeholders to expand fundraising opportunities and advance the institution's vision and impact.
- ** Financial Management**: The VP collaborates with finance and administrative teams to ensure effective financial management of activities, including budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. They monitor performance, analyze revenue trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimize strategies.
- ** Public Relations and Marketing**: The VP oversees the marketing and communications teams to develop messaging, materials, campaigns, crisis communications and issues management to promote NAIT as the world-leading polytechnic of choice

**The Person**:

- An experienced leader, you have mentored and developed a diverse team of professionals in the accomplishment of strategic goals and objectives. You are passionate, energetic, and productive, as well as creative in order to develop new ideas in fundraising, marketing and communications, government and media relations, and alumni relations.
- The VP oversees a division of approximately 80 team members and an operating budget of $15 million. The division includes advancement, marketing, communications, and a special events team.

**Competencies**:

- **Strategic Vision and Planning**:The VP must have a clear and forward-thinking vision for NAIT's growth, especially the ASC. This involves setting strategic goals, identifying opportunities for expansion, and developing comprehensive development plans that align with the organization's vision and long-term objectives.
- ** Fundraising Expertise**:Proficiency in various fundraising techniques is essential. This includes expertise in major gifts, grants, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, and capital campaigns. The VP should excel at identifying potential donors, cultivating relationships, and securing substantial contributions.
- ** Relationship Building and Networking**:Building and maintaining robust relationships with key stakeholders such as Board members, donors, volunteers, students, and community leaders is critical. The VP must be an effective networker and communica