Job ID

77933

Job Title

Manager, Advancement (Stewardship & Gift Documentation)

Regular/Temporary

Regular

Location

Central Campus

Open Date

2026/08/19

Job Type

Continuing

Close Date

2026/09/07

Employee Group

TMG

Favorite Job

Department

UA Stewardship

Full/Part Time

Full-Time

Salary Grade/Band

Band K

Salary Range

$80819.00 - $121229.00 (annual)

Job Code

006228

Hiring Range

$80819.00 - $105974.00

Existing Vacancy

Yes - Newly Created Position

Target Number of Openings

1

Hours per Week

35

Posting Details

Schedule

8:30 - 4:30 Monday to Friday

Education Level

University Degree

Career Level

Minimum 6 years relevant experience

About McMaster

At McMaster University, we are driven by a shared purpose: advancing human and societal health and wellbeing. Through world-class research, transformative education, and meaningful community impact, we are addressing some of the world's most complex challenges and creating positive change locally and globally.

Consistently ranked among Canada's top universities and recognized internationally for research excellence, innovation, and student success, McMaster is home to more than 37,000 students, over 200,000 alumni worldwide, and a vibrant community of scholars, researchers, learners, and partners. From pioneering discoveries in health sciences and engineering to advancing social innovation and community wellbeing, McMaster's impact extends far beyond our campus.

As we look toward the future, philanthropy will play an increasingly important role in enabling the University's aspirations. Through strategic partnerships with donors, alumni, foundations, corporations, and community leaders, McMaster is creating opportunities to accelerate discovery, enhance student experiences, support breakthrough research, and strengthen its impact on society.

About University Advancement

University Advancement serves as the bridge between McMaster's mission and the philanthropic community that helps bring that mission to life. Through fundraising, alumni engagement, stewardship, advancement services, and strategic partnerships, University Advancement fosters meaningful relationships that create lasting impact for the University and the communities it serves.

Guided by a commitment to excellence, collaboration, and innovation, University Advancement is building a culture of philanthropy that supports McMaster's strategic priorities and future ambitions. The division is entering an exciting period of growth and prospect as it continues to strengthen fundraising capacity, deepen donor engagement, and position the University for future campaign success.

About the role:

The Manager, Advancement is the leader of advancement engagement and events for the University and its Faculties and/or units. The Manager, Advancement plays a collaborative role in strategic development of events, as well as leading the operational implementation in support of their objectives and the overall institutional mission.

The Manager, Advancement is a leader in advancement priorities designed to build and maintain positive relationships with key University funders, influencers, alumni, government officials and friends. The Manager, Advancement, in collaboration with their Director and other senior University leaders as required, and is accountable for supporting the strategic planning, and leading the organizing and executing of a variety of engagement priorities and events in support of the University and University Advancement strategic goals, to build and enhance relationships, reputation and resources.

The Manager, Advancement works in collaboration with their Director and University leaders (e.g. President, Vice-Presidents, Deans, etc.) to develop a consistent philosophy and practices around advancement priorities and events of significant size and scope (e.g. recognition, stewardship, alumni, etc.) across the University that are funder-stakeholder centered and informed by best practice, ensure strategic and coordinated engagement of the President, Chancellor and Vice-President, University Advancement and act as a community of practice for others doing similar advancement work across the University.

The Manager, Advancement provides human resources leadership and oversight to a team of continuing and interim employees. The Manager, Advancement creates and maintains positive, productive relationships and builds and supports a vibrant, diverse and high-performance team of professionals within the Faculty or unit who deliver on the strategic plans for the academic or administrative office or unit(s) and University Advancement’s strategic plans through a variety of institutional programs.

The Manager, Advancement works in collaboration with their Director and University Advancement senior leaders to provide consultation and advice to University senior leaders and others leading advancement engagement priorities and events within the academy to further advancement priorities across the University. The Manager, Advancement will be proactive in working with University leaders to assess their needs and to develop strategies to for the successful execution, evaluation and follow up on all University-wide advancement priorities and events of significant size and scope. These initiatives will support faculty-led priorities and events that engage, cultivate or steward key stakeholders to the University.

The Manager, Advancement may also lead key engagement priorities and events for areas of the University where a growth strategy is required or where limited resources and expertise’s are available.



The Manager, Advancement will assess the University’s needs and work with their Director to prioritize their activities using strong project management principles.

The Manager, Advancement will provide leadership support for the development and implementation of a portfolio of alumni, funders, influencer, government and community engagement priorities and events; provide effective and consistent advice to campus partners; address process and policy changes; resource planning and ensure key performance indicators are met while ensuring strong working relationships with internal and external University partners (i.e.

Hospitality

Services, external vendors, etc.).

Accountabilities

- Model a culture of collaboration, integration and service to support the University’s core research and academic missions
- In collaboration with their Director and other senior leaders, support the strategic development and lead the execution and evaluation of engagement priorities and events for a diverse group of stakeholders
- Provides operational leadership to the overall implementation of University-wide alumni, community, funder, influencer, government and volunteer engagement and funder engagement priorities and events
- Work with University and University Advancement senior leadership (e.g. President and other Vice Presidents, Deans, etc.) to support and facilitate the development of strategic engagement and stewardship plans aligned with and stemming directly from the area’s strategic priorities, and provide subject matter expertise and consultation for advancement events
- Engage with and support volunteer’s leadership (e.g. high-profile influencers), in collaboration with other senior advancement leaders, that aligns with University Advancement’s volunteer engagement strategy
- Work closely with other areas of University Advancement to support the success of the operation’s annual goals as well as Advancement’s mission and strategic goals, through the delivery of engagement events and activities
- Build a high-performance team that is committed to fulfilling the vision, goals and priorities necessary to achieve the short and long-term goals of the Faculty or unit
- Support ongoing stewardship plans (e.g. strategy and events) for McMaster’s principal-level funders
- Provide leadership and direction in collaboration with their Director and other senior leaders on creation, coordination and implementation of a diverse range of priorities and events for the University's most significant funders, alumni and influencers, to ensure a consistency in practice across the University
- Act as a subject matter expert during all decision-making processes that impact operationalizing key engagement priorities and stewardship activities.
- Develop and implement University-wide engagement, stewardship, documentation and events standards and protocols expected of a world-class University
- Consult, advise, and direct on best practices and is positioned as an expert across campus of how to execute and ensure an "outstanding stakeholder experience"
- Develop, implement and evaluate a comprehensive annual operating plan and budget for engagement priorities and events
- Provide support to the strategic engagement of the President, Vice-Presidents and senior university leaders, as well as volunteers as required, in strategic engagement priorities and events
- Plan, organize and execute a variety of high-profile local, national and international advancement and university events, in support of the University and University Advancement strategic goals, to build reputation, increase revenue or deepen engagement with the University
- Execute strategies that create awareness for university priorities and to help promote McMaster as a world-class university through local, national and international celebrations, events, and programs
- Collaborate on idea generation and consultation for all University Advancement events; support the strategic and creative vision for signature events with the desired outcome to further the goals and strategies of the initiative
- Ensure all key stakeholders are appropriately briefed and that relevant follow-up action is taken following the priority or event
- Proactive in keeping current and having a significant depth of knowledge of Faculty or unit priorities in both research and teaching, and apply this knowledge in aligning the engagement interests and needs of key stakeholders (e.g. funders, alumni, influencers)
- Represent the Faculty or unit and University, with the team, at all relevant community and University events, nationally and sometimes internationally
- Collaborate with various stakeholders across campus, in all Faculties and units, as well with the President's Office
- Develop and manage project budgets, stakeholder expectations and vendor relationships
- Design and implement tools to evaluate events and programs, internally and externally; review findings and prepares recommendations for future delivery
- Maintain accurate alumni, funder and friend’s profiles and program information in the University's database in a timely, accurate and appropriate manner




- Work with colleagues across campus to help develop engagement communications including invitations, web presence and content, social media content, and general communications
- Work in conjunction with University Advancement’s senior leaders to establish goals and objectives including annual professional development plans for team members to support a culture of continuous improvement and readiness for change

Qualifications Education

- A University degree
- A McMaster degree is an asset

Experience

- Minimum 6 years relevant experience
- Proven track record of success in engaging and recognizing senior-level individuals, preferably within the post-secondary system

Knowledge/Skills Must have the following skills and abilities:

- Vision, and the ability to think strategically with a creative and entrepreneurial mindset
- Superior skills in critical analysis, judgement, decision-making, building effective relationships, and communications (oral, facilitation and written);
- High level of initiative, tact and diplomacy

- Excellent judgement and discretion
- Ability to work in rapid-paced, stressful situations
- Deep understanding of the mission of a research-intensive university
- Superior skills in volunteer and budget management, event planning, human resources, with strong project management abilities
- High level of comfort and credibility working with senior academic leaders, as well as donors/funders, government and volunteers
- Ability to work at the highest strategic levels of a faculty/department/unit, to gain and maintain the trust of senior academic leadership and supporters and also take strategy and move it through to tactics and action

- Experience staffing senior leaders
- Ability to navigate and be effective within a complex organization that values collaboration in addition to individuality and creativity
- Superior interpersonal skills;
- Stakeholder-centred and goal-oriented with a reputation for integrity and transparency
- Competencies to understanding the philanthropic landscape
- Strong skills with computers and relational donor databases (Advance)

Pay Transparency Statement The posted hiring range represents McMaster's typical hiring range for this position. Actual starting salary will depend on factors such as relevant experience, qualifications, internal equity, and market conditions. Individuals with extensive experience, deep specialized expertise, and/or those who can demonstrate exceptional past performance, as applicable, may be hired at a higher rate within the full range, in accordance with the University compensation policies.

How To Apply To apply for this job, please submit your application online.

Employment Equity Statement

McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum agreement.

The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity.

The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.

As part of McMaster’s commitment, all applicants are invited to complete a confidential Applicant Diversity Survey through the online application submission process. The Survey questionnaire requests voluntary self-identification in relation to equity-seeking groups that have historically faced and continue to face barriers in employment. Please refer to the Applicant Diversity Survey - Statement of Collection for additional information.

Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact:

- Human Resources Service Centre at (phone hidden) ext. 222-HR (22247), or
- Faculty of Health Sciences HR Office at ext. 22207, or
- School of Graduate Studies at ext. 23679

to communicate accommodation needs. Hybrid Work Language To ensure an ongoing and vibrant University community that meets the needs of our students, staff and faculty and supports the University mission, ability to work on-site continues to be a requirement for most University positions. The University is supportive of exploring flexible work arrangements that effectively balance operational needs and employee interests.

Interview Experience

At McMaster University, we believe in a comprehensive and inclusive interview process. Our interview methods encompass a variety of approaches that allow our hiring teams to provide a flexible and accessible experience for engaging with our candidates. Throughout your recruitment process at McMaster, you may be requested to participate in a variety of formats, that may include in-person, virtual or recorded interviews.

If you have any questions as you move through the hiring process, please reach out to [email protected] or the HR contact associated with your position of interest.

AI Statement

McMaster and its third-party partners may use AI tools to screen, assess, or select applicants during the hiring process. Please note that currently our recruitment platform does not use AI nor is it part of our current recommended recruitment process.

📌 Manager, Advancement (Stewardship & Gift Documentation) (Canada)
🏢 McMaster University
📍 Canada