Senior Director, Development and Partnerships

The Senior Director of Development and Partnerships (Senior Director) will be the driver of organizational revenue generation in partnership with the President & CEO and Board of Directors. Based primarily in the Toronto region, they will be a leader, motivator, and part of the senior management team working in collaboration with the artsvest Senior Director and the President & CEO on the overall strategic direction and management of Business / Arts. Supervising the Development Coordinator, they will lead by example, working in close proximity to their staff. Deeply knowledgeable about the arts sector and fundraising in Canada, the Senior Director will be comfortable stewarding current relationships with business partners, board members, and donors, as well as in developing new partnerships. They will be eager and adept at collaborating across teams on the management of the finances and operations of the organization.

Roles and Responsibilities

Relationship Building and Donor Relations

1. Generate relationship building and fundraising strategies, in collaboration with the Senior Leadership team, which leverages Business / Arts’ unique value proposition.
2. Lead and implement a plan for individual donor cultivation, including Board, Ambassadors, and Board Emeriti.
3. Direct and oversee activation and fulfillment of business partnerships, sponsorships, and the stewardship of donors.
4. Represent Business / Arts, in coordination with the President & CEO, to individuals, organizations, and the broader philanthropic community to increase awareness of the organization and expand on revenue generating opportunities.
5. Direct annual fundraising campaigns and requests for specific programs and initiatives.
6. Embrace other relationship building and donor relations tasks, as necessary.

Strategic Leadership and Prominence

1. Partner with the Senior Leadership team in advancing the overarching strategic themes for the organization and engage and enroll the business community to substantially raise the Business / Arts national profile.
2. Maximize the impact of artsvest Phase V (2022–2026); engage governments with its story; and help develop and encourage the participation of diverse and next generation donors, corporate supporters, arts leaders, board members, and influencers for Phase VI (2026–2030).
3. Reimagine the corporate membership structure to increase engagement and growth.
4. Collaborate with the Senior Leadership team on the Human Resources’ strategy, recruitment, hiring and team management, advancing professional growth opportunities of staff through mentorship and other supports.
5. Steward and support the Awards Committee and Development Committee.
6. Embrace other strategic leadership and external visibility tasks, as necessary.

Program Management and Operational Excellence

1. Direct partners’ activation, project logistics, and communications roll-out on key events, such as the annual Business / Arts Awards and the Canadian Arts Summit.
2. Recognize the needs and opportunities for programs and initiatives within the arts field and the corresponding public and private sector for funding sources.
3. Advance and manage organizational and individual program and operating budgets and forecasts for the Canadian Arts Summit, Business / Arts Awards, Emerging Leadership Program, Speaker Series, and other programs in collaboration with the Senior Leadership team.
4. Embrace other program management and operational excellence tasks, as necessary.

Traits and Characteristics

The Senior Director will be professional and personable with a strong aptitude for managing various stakeholder relationships, including donors, sponsors, funders, board members, advisors, and volunteers. A strong spokesperson and advocate for the arts, they will have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to nurture trusting, open relationships that encourage learning and participation. They will bring sound judgment, tact, and diplomacy to working with a diverse group of people.

Other key competencies include:

1. Time and Priority Management – The acumen for prioritizing and completing tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
2. Negotiation and Goal Orientation – The creativity to set, pursue, and attain goals and agreements regardless of obstacles, multiple points of view, or circumstances.
3. Flexibility – The dexterity to readily modify, respond, and adapt to change.
4. Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills – The ability to organize and motivate others while creating a sense of order, direction, and active participation among the internal and external stakeholders to achieve collective goals.
5. Personal Accountability – The sensitivity to take accountability for decisions, grow from mistakes, and possess a high degree of awareness of the impact of personal actions and decisions.

Qualifications

Post-secondary education in a relevant field or equivalent knowledge and experience of fundraising and sponsorship in the cultural or business sectors is required. Experience in leading and mentoring direct reports and working collaboratively is essential. Skills or acumen working with Google, MS Office, QuickBooks, Keela, and project management software applications are preferred. An ability to speak in both of Canada’s official languages, English and French, is an asset but not required.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time position offering an anticipated salary range of CAD $90,000 to $100,000. Business / Arts offers flextime and hybrid work options in Toronto, which includes a four-day workweek through the summer months of July and August. There is a health and dental plan and opportunities for annual performance bonuses.

Applications and Inquiries

Business / Arts is committed to equity in our policies, practices, and programs. Applications are welcomed from all qualified individuals. We encourage applications from equity-seeking communities, including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions. Please advise of any accommodation needed to ensure you have access to a fair and equitable process.

To submit your cover letter, which outlines your suitability for the position, and your CV/resume (electronic submissions preferred), please visit this link.

Organization

Celebrating 50 years in 2024, Business / Arts is a national charitable organization that shows the power of partnership between business and the arts. In 1974, Business leader Edmund C. Bovey responded to a call from the Canada Council for the Arts to mobilize business support for the arts. Bringing together 50+ Chief Executive Officers from across Canada, the Council for Business and the Arts in Canada (now known as Business / Arts) was established. For over 50 years, the mission has remained the same—to champion business investment in the arts and build strong, lasting partnerships between the arts, business, and government in Canada.