Head of Government and Foundation Grants

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY ASSOCIATION

Permanent Full-Time Excluded Position

**HEAD OF GOVERNMENT AND FOUNDATION GRANTS**

About Vancouver Art Gallery

The Vancouver Art Gallery Association (Gallery) believes creativity is fundamental to an open and engaged world. The Gallery strives for art experiences that create paths of shared perspectives leading to engaged and diverse communities supporting a collective future together. The Gallery operates a museum located in downtown Vancouver on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

One of the largest art museums in Canada, and the largest arts organization in Western Canada, is undergoing a multi-phase organizational transformation. With a permanent collection of over 12,000 works of art, the Gallery is implementing a campaign to build a new purpose-built gallery facility in downtown Vancouver, the Chan Centre for Visual Arts. This is a moment of growth, exploration, and innovation, as the Gallery re-articulates its relationship to community and audiences to re-imagine what an art museum in the 21st century can be.

As a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the BC Societies Act and a recognized charity, the Gallery’s funding is dependent on contributed and earned revenue and municipal, provincial, and federal grants, as well as foundation support and the generosity of its donors. The Association had over 150 employees pre-COVID and has put in place the foundation for post-COVID recovery and strategic development.

**SUMMARY**:
Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Head of Government and Foundation Grants will be responsible for the successful submission and reporting of government and foundation grants with the goal of meeting or exceeding the operating and capital revenue targets of the Gallery.

Provide CEO/Director and senior staff with timely information on relevant government policy decisions and activities that affect the Gallery.

Drive the Gallery’s government engagement efforts, in collaboration with the Office of the CEO and CAO.

Interpret and advance the Gallery’s Strategic Plan and business plans, works towards achieving the Gallery’s Mission, Vision and Values and foster an institutional culture of philanthropy.

Work collaboratively across departments and works in collaboration with the Office of the CEO and CAO to establish institutional funding priorities and timelines.

Develop and maintain relationships with government and communities; facilitate the effective inclusion of government and community representatives in the life of the Gallery and at special events.

Capture complex ideas and convey them in interesting, clear and engaging documents for external audiences.

**DUTIES**:

- Conceives, implements and evaluates grant development, communicates plan proactively with leadership team and with institutional stakeholders.
- Recruits, selects and supervises the Grant Writer.
- Ensures timely reporting and follow up as required by funders.
- Collaborate with the Gallery’s leadership, staff and volunteers across the organization about government and foundation funding opportunities and ensure that information is converted into appropriate communications and follow up.
- Actively update, analyse and develop content and materials relating to the Gallery and its departments (including relevant statistics such as admissions figures), programs, services, grant recipients and the like, for the Gallery’s use in proposal requests and stewardship reports.
- Track grant submission timelines and grant reporting timelines across the Gallery.
- Understand the timeline, content and design needs for government and foundation funders.
- Maintain productive relationships with the Gallery’s leadership in order to acquire information for proposals and reports.
- Work directly with the CAO and the office of the CEO to co-ordinate strong communication with elected officials, bureaucratic staff and stakeholders.
- Track all interactions in Raiser’s Edge.
- Participate in leadership strategy discussions with a focus on creative problem-solving and strategic priorities.
- Represents the Gallery at public events, committees, associations.
- Meet with Government and Foundation funders as appropriate.
- Work with internal or external document designers and/or printers to prepare and evaluate and make recommendations on proposals and ensure quality and content integrity.
- Develop, implement, track and evaluate an annual business plan to meet the financial goals of the Gallery within the Government and Foundations revenue line in the context of the Gallery’s Strategic Plan and business plans.
- These duties and responsibilities outlined above are representative, but not all inclusive, other related duties as assigned.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:

- Bachelor’s degree and 6-8 years’ experience in grant writing, philanthropy, government relation