The Organization
CAREERS: The Next Generation (āCAREERSā) is Albertaās leading youth workforce development organization, partnering with industry, education, government and communities to provide career awareness, exploration and internship opportunities for youth. Through these partnerships, CAREERS connects young Albertans with opportunities to explore career pathways while supporting the development of Albertaās skilled workforce.
With approximately 70 employees and a growing impact across the province, CAREERS is expanding its reach and deepening its programs to support connected and empowered youth. Its work is enabled by relationships across government, industry, education, communities and philanthropy, making a diversified and sustainable funding model important to the organizationās continued growth.
Mandate
Reporting to the President & CEO, the Director of Fund Development (the Director) provides strategic leadership for the development and execution of a comprehensive, multi-channel fund development strategy that advances CAREERSā mission, financial sustainability and long-term growth. A member of the senior leadership team, the Director will establish an integrated approach to revenue generation spanning government partnerships, corporate and industry investment, campaigns, individual giving and foundation relations.
The Director will strengthen and diversify CAREERSā funding base by building relationships with government, industry, corporate and philanthropic partners and translating organizational priorities and impact into compelling investment opportunities. The role combines fund development strategy with active relationship building, solicitation and stewardship, requiring the Director to establish credibility with senior decision-makers and represent CAREERS effectively with external partners.
Key Accountabilities
Fund Development Strategy & Leadership
- Develop, implement and evaluate a comprehensive, multi-year fund development strategy aligned with CAREERS’ strategic direction and organizational priorities.
- Establish an integrated funding framework across government, industry, corporate, individual, foundation and campaign revenue streams, identifying opportunities to diversify revenue and strengthen long-term sustainability.
- Develop and manage the annual fundraising budget, establishing clear priorities, targets and performance measures across funding streams.
- Establish effective fund development systems, processes and reporting practices; monitor performance against targets and provide regular reporting to leadership and quarterly reporting to the Board.
Government & Institutional Funding
- Lead CAREERS’ government relations strategy to stabilize and grow provincial government funding, demonstrating clear alignment between CAREERS’ impact and government priorities and mandates.
- Build and maintain proactive relationships with provincial, federal and municipal government representatives through consistent communication, organizational updates and strategic engagement.
- Position CAREERS’ work within broader economic, workforce and skills-development priorities, developing compelling funding narratives and partnership opportunities for government audiences.
- Monitor government priorities and funding opportunities and advise organizational leadership on emerging opportunities, risks and implications.
Individual & Community Philanthropy
- Build and lead a robust individual giving program aligned with CAREERS’ fund development strategy.
- Develop compelling cases for support that connect CAREERS’ impact on youth career development with community economic competitiveness and Alberta’s skilled workforce needs.
- Identify, cultivate, solicit and steward individual donors, major gift prospects, legacy donors and family foundations.
- Develop thoughtful donor engagement and stewardship practices that support long-term relationships and recurring philanthropic investment.
Foundation Relations
- Identify and cultivate relationships with foundations whose priorities align with CAREERS’ mission and strategic direction.
- Develop compelling proposals, grant applications and funding requests that clearly demonstrate organizational impact and alignment with funder priorities.
- Manage foundation relationships throughout the funding cycle, including cultivation, reporting, stewardship and renewal.
- Strengthen and grow foundation support as part of CAREERS’ broader revenue diversification strategy.
Industry Investment & Partnership Growth
- Lead the strategy to grow industry investment, increasing both the number of corporate and employer partners and the value of their financial support.
- Develop a clear value proposition framework that demonstrates the benefits and return on investment associated with supporting CAREERS, including opportunities to engage industries beyond current sectors.
- Build a strong network of senior industry relationships and convert prospective partners into corporate investors and sponsors.
- Develop strategies to deepen existing relationships and transition one-time investors into annual and multi-year funding partners.
- Establish stewardship and recognition practices that appropriately acknowledge and celebrate industry investment and strengthen long-term relationships.
Campaigns, Communications & External Profile
- Lead fund development campaigns and other strategic funding initiatives in support of CAREERS’ organizational priorities.
- Work collaboratively with Marketing & Communications to develop investment proposals, marketing materials, public relations initiatives and recognition strategies that strengthen fund development and partner engagement.
- Translate CAREERS’ impact into clear and compelling narratives for government, corporate, industry and philanthropic audiences.
- Serve as a spokesperson and brand ambassador with government officials, corporate leaders, donors and philanthropic partners, representing CAREERS at industry events, meetings and other external forums.
People Leadership & Fund Development Capacity
- Provide leadership to the Fund Development team, establishing clear priorities, expectations and accountability for results.
- Build, mentor and develop a high-performing team while strengthening the capability of emerging fundraising professionals.
- Foster collaboration between Fund Development and other areas of CAREERS, ensuring funding strategies and external commitments are well aligned with organizational priorities and program impact.
Candidate Profile
The successful candidate will have the following:
Education:
- A post-secondary education in a relevant field.
- Equivalent combination of education and direct relevant leadership experience will be considered.
Experience:
- Progressive fund development experience with demonstrated success developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies across multiple revenue streams.
- A proven record of securing significant philanthropic support and driving revenue growth through relationships with donors, foundations, corporations, industry and/or institutional funders.
- Experience translating organizational priorities and demonstrated impact into compelling cases for support, proposals and investment opportunities for diverse funding audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to build, cultivate, solicit and steward relationships with senior decision-makers, donors, corporate partners and other external stakeholders.
- Experience developing or growing individual and major giving programs and cultivating high-value philanthropic prospects.
- Experience with foundation relations, including prospect identification, proposal development, grant applications, stewardship, reporting and renewals.
- Experience building corporate and industry partnerships and developing value propositions that convert organizational impact into meaningful investment opportunities.
- Experience leading and developing fundraising professionals, including coaching, mentoring and building team capability.
- Experience in government relations and developing relationships with public-sector funders, including strengthening existing partnerships and identifying opportunities to stabilize and grow government investment.
Competencies and Attributes:
- Strategic and commercially minded, with the ability to build an integrated fund development strategy while remaining personally engaged in relationship development and fundraising execution.
- An accomplished relationship builder who establishes credibility and trust with government officials, corporate and industry leaders, donors, foundations and community partners.
- A persuasive communicator and storyteller who can translate CAREERS’ impact and priorities into compelling funding narratives for different audiences.
- Collaborative and organizationally minded, with the ability to work effectively across leadership, program and communications teams and engage the President & CEO and Board appropriately in fundraising.
- Analytical and results-oriented, using targets, performance measures and funding data to evaluate progress and inform decisions.
- Adaptable and proactive, able to identify emerging funding opportunities, new industry sectors and changing philanthropic priorities while maintaining focus on long-term sustainability.
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
CAREERS: The Next Generation is committed to diversity, inclusion and belonging and recognizes that a diverse team strengthens the organization and its ability to serve youth, partners and communities across Alberta. CAREERS welcomes applications from all qualified individuals. In accordance with provincial legislation, accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment and assessment process.
Application Instructions
If this opportunity excites you, please send an application package, including your resume and cover letter, to [email protected]. In the subject line of your email, please include the organization’s name and the position title.
