Senior Specialist, Faculty Development

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Posting Reason:

Replacement of a regular position

Job Type:

Employee

Anticipated Duration in Months (for contracts and temporary assignments):

N/A

Job Family:

Advancement and Alumni Relations

# of Open Positions:

1

Faculty/Service - Department:

Stakeholder Engagement

Campus:

Main Campus

Union Affiliation:

SSUO

Date Posted (YYYY/MM/DD):

2026/06/29

Applications must be received BEFORE (YYYY/MM/DD):

2026/07/10

Hours per week:

35

Salary Grade:

SSUO Grade 11

Salary Range:

$90 987,00 - $114 932,00University Advancement plays a pivotal role in fostering meaningful connections between the University and its alumni, donors, and partners. Our team is dedicated to advancing the University's mission by securing philanthropic support, engaging with our vibrant alumni community, and building partnerships that drive innovation and excellence. Through strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts, we help shape the future of the University, ensuring that it continues to thrive as a leading institution of higher education and research. Together, we empower our students, faculty and researchers to make a lasting impact on the world.

Position Purpose:

The Senior Specialist, Faculty Development plays an important role in building philanthropic relationships and managing a portfolio of donors and prospects for a dedicated university hub that serves multiple faculties/services. The incumbent is responsible for generating fundraising revenue, identifying potential sources of funding, developing and executing cultivation and solicitation strategies and driving the acquisition of Major Gifts in the $25,000 – $1 million range. Works closely with the members of the Development Leadership Team, to discuss prospective donor strategy and shared management of the university’s top potential and existing donors.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

• Strategic Planning: With the primary purpose to maximize revenue generation, the incumbent develops, implements and manages short and long-term action plans for identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major gift prospects and donors. In collaboration with senior management, establishes measurable goals to meet faculty/service’s objectives and priorities.
• Account Development: Personally manages a portfolio of up to 120 prospective and existing donors in the major gift range of $25,000 to $1 million through the cultivation, proposal, solicitation and stewardship phases. Meets expected revenue and activity targets annually. During all phases of the fundraising cycle, uses a person-centered approach with a view to fostering meaningful lifetime relationships with prospects and existing donors.
• Relationship Management: Develops and maintains collaborative working relationships with a wide variety of University faculty, alumni, prospects, donors, staff, and students to effectively implement a Major Gifts program, prepare appropriate communication materials, identify and nurture relationships with support strategies, and coordinate fundraising activities. Plays a key role in the identification, recruitment and management of volunteers; ensures systematic contact and follow-up with key volunteers and coordinates solicitation meetings and volunteer recognition activities.
• Operations Planning: Creates and manages a rigorous schedule of meetings and other fundraising related activities, ensuring to use the dean’s and other key partners’ time in the most strategic way. Develops high quality proposals for prospective donors and monitors all administrative aspects related to the receipt and use of donations. Maintains a sound working knowledge of the faculty/service’s main priorities in teaching, research, and other activities.
• Communications Support: Manages the development of communication materials to support the Major Gifts program and enhance the relationships between the faculty and its external stakeholders. Works in conjunction with the Communications team to ensure that impactful and cohesive messages are conveyed to existing and prospective donors, including through social media.

What you will bring:

• University degree
• Minimum of five (5) years of professional fundraising experience preferably in an educational or non-profit environment
• Bilingualism – French and English (spoken and written)
• Strong working knowledge of fundraising processes, best practices and current industry trends
• Strong donor focus and understanding of how to effectively manage ongoing donor relationships
• Self-motivated, goal oriented, and strategic thinker
• Strong interpersonal, organizational and analytical skills
• Ability to manage tight deadlines and changing priorities on multiple projects
• Ability to use persuasion, negotiation and influencing skills to develop relationships with stakeholders
• Team player, excels at working collaboratively as well as independently
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including public speaking, and solid relationship management skills at all levels in an organization
• Tact, diplomacy and confidentiality required at all times
• Strong computer skills including above average competency on Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Proficiency in Raiser’s Edge is an asset.
• Familiarity with and experience in the use of social media
• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and frequent travel.
• Valid driver’s license and passport required

Key Competencies at uOttawa:
Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa:

Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.
Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.
Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.

The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact hrtalentmanagement@uottawa.ca to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Note: if this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more.

If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.