Reports to: President & CEO
Team: 38 (22 resource development + 16 marketing/direct response/communications)
Key Relationships:
• President & CEO
• Executive Team
• Revenue Development and Mar/Com teams
• Mission Impact team
• Executive volunteers: Board of Directors and National Council
• Internal & external stakeholders
Location: Preference Toronto (GTA based). Open to Vancouver or Montreal. Hybrid work policy.
Compensation: $250,000 - $285,000, plus an annual variable incentive, comprehensive benefit and vacation package
One would expect that a disease affecting over six million Canadians—and growing at an alarming rate—would receive ample funding. Yet arthritis remains disproportionately underfunded. This role presents a unique opportunity to be a catalyst to change this scenario.
Arthritis Society Canada is preparing to bring much-needed awareness to this debilitating disease—one that affects not only those diagnosed, but also their loved ones.
Our successful candidate will join at an exciting and pivotal time. Next year, the visionary Arthritis Action Plan will launch, accompanied by a major awareness-building campaign that you and your team will strategize, develop, and execute.
With hands-on fundraising and marketing experience, you possess intellectual curiosity and apply innovative, entrepreneurial, and creative thinking in developing and implementing marketing and development strategies and programs.
You would describe yourself as an accomplished fundraising generalist who has a deep appreciation for, and track record in, major gifts within a campaign environment. You enjoy digging into data and understanding the history of an organization’s donor pool to chart the plan for what’s to come. You possess a growth mindset and are always looking for ways to improve. You are an excellent communicator and a natural collaborator; you’ve been known to bring teams and stakeholders together to achieve a common objective. You are trusted by your colleagues because you follow through on your commitments, and your integrity and commitment to your word has attracted a followership around you – people want to work with you because you are respectful, you hear others out, but above all, you get it done and have fun along the way.
You are a unique blend of fundraiser and marketer. You respect and appreciate that a strong brand leads to fundraising dollars in the door. You have experience developing a brand strategy with the goal to increase share of voice within a competitive fundraising environment.
You have been successful at securing investment for your organization because of your strategic thinking, savvy negotiation and partnership skills and laser beam focus.
You are known for an ability to guide and lead with high emotional intelligence.
You have a deep commitment to continuous learning and advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation in all its forms and are curious and open to welcoming ideas from all stakeholders that drive the mission forward.
This role is for a leader who thrives on challenges and embraces the opportunity with energy and determination.
You would be motivated to work for an organization that is poised for growth under the exceptional leadership of a CEO who has a vision to transform and empower Arthritis Society Canada to the next level.
If this sounds like you, please read on.
The Organization
Arthritis Society Canada is dedicated to extinguishing arthritis. They represent the six million Canadians living with arthritis today, and the millions more who are impacted or at risk. Fueled by the trust and support of their donors and volunteers and leading a nationwide strategy, co-created by 21 Ecosystem Champion organizations, Arthritis Society Canada is working to revolutionize health outcomes and quality of life for people living with arthritis through research, advocacy, innovation, information and support. They are Canada’s largest charitable funder of cutting-edge arthritis research.
Arthritis Society Canada is a nationwide organization, with approximately 130 staff members from coast-to-coast-to-coast. The largest offices are based in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal; with most staff based in Ontario.
It's not just arthritis.
Arthritis is Canada’s most common chronic disease and there is no cure. The disease affects the lives of six million Canadians (1 in 5 adults) – impacting their mobility, their ability to work, their time with their family and friends, and sometimes causing near constant pain. More than half of people with arthritis are under 65. Without a brighter spotlight on this serious issue, the number of Canadians with arthritis will rise to nine million by 2040. That’s 1 in 4 Canadians impacted by this disease – along with their families and communities.
Through the continued generosity of their supporters, Arthritis Society Canada will achieve their bold dream of making a cure a reality. Arthritis Society Canada is accredited under Imagine Canada’s Standards Program, and is a proud winner of Waterstone Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ award in 2022-2024 (and 2019-2021!), a mark of excellence in culture and performance.
Vision: We will extinguish arthritis
Mission: To fight the fire of arthritis with research, advocacy, innovation, information and support
Values:
- United: We are stronger together
- Impactful: We will create a bold future
- Transformative: We fearlessly work to achieve greatness
The Position
The Chief Development Officer & Marketing Officer (CDMO) reports directly to the President & CEO and is a key member of the four-person executive team (ET).
Leading a compelling Arthritis Acton brand campaign and working closely with their team, the CDMO will play a key role in transforming the bold and ambitious plans into a compelling call to action that drives revenue.
To help achieve this, the CDMO will engage executive level volunteers on both the Board and National Council to lend strategic expertise and open doors to individual donors and corporate leaders who share the bold vision to change the face of arthritis in Canada.
Key Areas of Accountability
Strategic fundraising oversight:
- In close collaboration with the VP’s lead the revenue development strategy, and implement all facets of the fundraising strategy, including Major Gifts, Foundations & Planned Giving, National Signature Events & Sponsorship, Direct Response marketing (Mass, Mid-Level Giving & Digital fundraising) and Corporate Partnerships
- Alongside the team, create the annual fundraising business plan as part of a multi-year build to drive growth, including key metrics for prospect development and lead generation, activity measures and high-net ROI
- Translate the multi-year revenue strategy into annual business plan revenue goals, and within those, the specific targets for each revenue stream, mapped by region across the country so that there is a comprehensive roll-up that everyone has bought in to and is working to achieve
- With support from data analytics, oversee a process of monitoring progress to goal and reporting from the Vice Presidents and senior fundraising staff. Measure progress against the goals, ensure accurate forecasting of revenues, and support risk mitigation strategies where any revenues are lagging
- Personally cultivate and close donor relationships at the highest level of giving
- Mentor and supports team leaders in their donor cultivation, fundraising proposals and asks
- Work closely with the Chief Science Officer and Executive Team to fully integrate mission and revenue so that there is a robust case for support for the public and donors
Brand, Direct Marketing & Communications:
- Oversee the nationwide marketing portfolio, ensuring alignment and leveraging marketing, awareness, and fundraising activities to modernize brand, raise greater awareness and reach more donors and stakeholders
- Work closely with the VP Brand, Direct Response and Communications to support a strategy that galvanizes the Arthritis Action Plan’s impact and outcomes and raises the Arthritis Society profile across the country
- Oversee the writing and production of brand materials with the aim to capture success stories for creating public awareness and brand resonance inspiring donors and new engagement
Board Liaison:
- Lead the National Council, recruiting and retaining its members, supporting the Chair, and mobilizing the National Council to help drive fundraising strategy and open networks to achieve fundraising and campaign outcomes. Ensure the committee is thoroughly briefed to report progress to the Board
- Work directly with the CEO to actively engage and qualify potential board directors, identify key prospects capable of advancing the fundraising mandate and goals, and cultivate those relationships to strengthen and the Board’s profile
- Engage Board members as appropriate in networking, making connections, and advancing Arthritis Society Canada’s philanthropic goals
Staff Leadership:
- Oversee both fundraising and marketing teams, working closely with leaders across the portfolios to translate the multi-year strategy into clear and focused annual business plans
- Establish and implement long and short-term goals and individual performance objectives for direct reports with solid ROI and metrics
- Provide active coaching and mentorship to motivate and support collaboration in the achievement of goals
The Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate will possess/be:
- A passion & commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Arthritis Society Canada
- A minimum of ten years progressive and successful fundraising, brand marketing and communication and team leadership experience
- A fundraiser at heart, with a clear track record of success as a fundraiser and fundraising mentor, with the drive, tenacity and resilience to lead multi-year donor cultivation and campaigns that generate transformational gifts. Has a depth of understanding in research, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies with demonstrated experience in major gifts
- Proven track record of leading, motivating and developing teams including successful experience determining resource needs and shaping structure and roles to best serve the organization. Direct experience working with a team and individuals to align objectives with the revenue development strategy, provide support and appropriate direction, assign accountability, and empower appropriate decision-making, provide feedback, deal effectively with any challenges or issues, and motivate the highest level of performance
- Demonstrated ability to inspire individual and organizational excellence through active participation as a representative of the organization externally, and by building organizational capacity internally
- Proven track record of success in organizations where influence is a critical component of the decision-making process
- Exceptional written and verbal communication and interpersonal relationship skills, with ability to lead, direct and motivate volunteer and staff teams. Communicates clearly and concisely so that collaborative relationships are established throughout the organization which fosters credibility and trust among colleagues
- A bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience required; master’s degree considered an asset but not required; CFRE designation considered an asset
Character & Competencies
Must possess:
- An ability to motivate everyone for the mission – to rally, challenge, and inspire the team to the highest of standards
- Honesty, openness, transparency, authenticity and model these in all situations and for all interactions – a great coach
- An attitude that champions disruptive ideas that drive brand awareness and engagement
- Highly analytical and data driven
- An ability to paint a big picture by paying close attention to the details
- A passion for life-long learning and staying current, for discovering, understanding, and implementing cutting-edge technologies and processes for greater reach and cost-effectiveness
- Excellent problem-solving skills – structuring/analysis/synthesis
- A positive attitude for self and team: anything can be solved; anything can be accomplished
- The highest of personal and corporate standards – ‘good enough’ is never enough
- Frugality – a nose for doing more with less
- Bilingual (English / French) language skills an asset
Core Competencies and Skills:
Arthritis Society Canada’s values are personal commitments that every employee lives by, and that every leader models to inspire others. This is what their values mean to them:
United: We are stronger together
- I build meaningful connections
- I create an environment of belonging, inclusion, and openness
- I share and welcome knowledge and new ideas
- I approach relationships in an ethical and transparent way
- I appreciate the strengths I bring and recognize and celebrate the success of others
Impactful: We fearlessly work to achieve greatness
- I am relentless, standing with Canadians to fight the fire of arthritis
- I am driven to make a difference
- I am accountable for my words and actions
- I strive for excellence
- I am a trusted resource and a best-in-class expert in my role
Transformative: We will create a bold future
- I am a changemaker, willing to challenge the status quo
- I listen, am curious, self-reflect and am always learning
- I am innovative, eager to bring new ideas forward
- I am courageous and accept that failure is an important part of risk-taking
- I am energized and fully engaged
Application Instructions
If you are looking for an outstanding challenge and the opportunity to work with a great team for a very important, uniquely focused organization then what are you waiting for? Apply now!
As an organization with nationwide reach, Arthritis Society Canada recognize their work occurs on traditional Indigenous territories across Canada. Arthritis Society Canada’s national office is in Toronto (Tkaronto), which is the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. They also acknowledge this land is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. They encourage you to learn more about the nations, land, and communities in the areas where you live. Read their full statement.
In furtherance of their mission and strategic priorities, they are committed to promoting inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA) through their information and support, advocacy, programming, internal policies, and governance structures. In selecting individuals and furthering the goals of their IDEA work, we aim to ensure that their people reflect the knowledge, experience, skills and diversity (including but not limited to diversity of gender, race, and geographical location) of the communities they live in and serve.
Thank you to all for your interest. Please note that only candidates who will move forward in the process will be contacted. At the conclusion of the search mandate all interviewed applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.
Preston Human Capital Group are leading the search. Please email your Cover Letter and CV to Cathy Preston at cathy@phcap.ca.
Note: The applications posting closes on June 4, 2025, at 5pm ET.