Description

Associate / Vice President, Philanthropy 

THE OPPORTUNITY

VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation is seeking a collaborative, strategic, and purpose-driven leader in the role of Associate /Vice President (A/VP), Philanthropy to help us shape the future of health care philanthropy at British Columbia’s largest hospital facility. This is an exciting leadership opportunity for a leader who sees beyond individual gifts to the possibilities created when exceptional fundraising, strong relationships, clinical priorities, and ambitious organizational strategy come together.

The A/VP, Philanthropy will be a member of the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation operational leadership team. With accountability for $140M in annual raised revenue, representing over 80% of the Foundation’s total annual revenue, the A/VP, Philanthropy will lead a team of 14 experienced frontline fundraisers and the philanthropy administration team, and will cultivate a high-performing culture through strong coaching and mentorship, and a shared commitment to collaboration, accountability, innovation, and excellence. 

The A/VP, Philanthropy will work closely with the CEO, the Interim SVP Philanthropy, and Campaign team, colleagues across the Foundation, plus physicians and clinical partners, and Foundation volunteers, to develop and execute ambitious fundraising strategies, advance multi-year and transformational giving, and drive the success of our major campaigns. The incumbent will employ a donor-centred, ‘one team’ approach to strengthen the connection between Transformational and Major Gifts, Gift & Estate Planning and Administration, Community Giving & Engagement, Campaign Operations, Strategic Partnerships, and Donor Engagement & Stewardship teams, as well as other areas of the Foundation, to ensure that the full organization is aligned around the potential of every strategic donor relationship.

Why A/VP?  We are open to considering high-performing, high-potential candidates at different points in their career progression.  While an AVP might be stepping up to the executive level for the first time, a VP candidate has likely been there for a few years already. If you’re interested and not sure, please reach out and talk with our recruiters.

ABOUT VGH & UBC HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation is the leading charity investing in health care innovation in BC

Our Mission: We create and inspire a community of donors to catalyze health care innovation in British Columbia.  

Our Vision: A future where health care innovation is saving and improving lives in British Columbia.

Our Values:

Bold: We embrace courage, creativity and forward-thinking, and are catalysts for breakthroughs, positive change and innovation.

Integrity: We are steadfast in our commitment to honesty, trust, maximum impact and stewardship, and operate with purpose and transparency.

Community: We are committed to people and communities, fostering relationships, collaboration and partnerships.  

Supporting Healthcare Innovation & Transformation in British Columbia

VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation advances groundbreaking medical research, empowers world-class health care teams, and helps bring life-saving treatments to patients with the most complex needs across the province. 

As the philanthropic engine for health care innovation and transformation, we help shape the future of care in British Columbia, by engaging with communities and funding accessible, equitable care for all.

Our hospitals and health care centres are able to deliver the best possible patient care thanks to donor support. By recruiting world-class medical professionals and equipping them with the tools and technology to do their best work, we are transforming healthcare and saving lives. 

Our team of over 100 staff collaborates with VGH leadership, medical and administrative staff to raise philanthropic funds and awareness. Together with our donors and supporters and volunteers, we have made a direct and significant impact on health care in our province. In 2025, 13,600 donors from across the province generated $149M+ in consolidated revenue for VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. The Foundation’s cost per dollar raised was 18 cents, lower than the industry average (excluding lottery & real estate-related revenue & expenses). 

Getting to Work:

VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation’s office is on the Vancouver General Hospital campus at 190-855 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver. The Foundation is conveniently located for transit, with Broadway–City Hall Station a short walk away and the future Oak–VGH Station on the Millennium Line Broadway extension expected to open in late 2027.  We also have access to the VGH Cycling Centre in a secure, state-of-the-art commuter bike facility located at Vancouver General Hospital campus. For those who prefer to drive, Foundation employees have access to subsidized parking arrangements.

Benefits & Perks:

Our employees enjoy Flexible Working Hours, a compressed summer schedule - a ‘9-day fortnight’ program. We provide extended health and dental benefits, a Health Spending Account, life insurance, Employee & Family Assistance Program plus many additional perks like subsidized access to VGH fitness facilities. Employees also participate in the Municipal Pension Plan for long-term financial security.

OUR CAMPAIGN 

British Columbia’s largest health care fundraising campaign has raised over $430 million to date to transform care, advance research, and drive innovation across the province. And we’re just getting started.

Through our hospitals, research institute, and community programs, VGH is helping shape a future where health care innovation saves and improves lives for patients and families throughout BC. As a provincial leader in highly specialized care, VGH provides expertise and services that are not available anywhere else in British Columbia. Through VGH+, the Foundation has helped establish world-class centres of excellence in urology, cardiology, and brain health, as well as a lifesaving gynecologic cancer program. Together, these investments are strengthening VGH’s capacity to deliver leading-edge care, advance discovery, and improve health outcomes for the people of British Columbia.

+Empower bold leaders

We are building a powerhouse of innovation where world-class talent comes together to push the boundaries of what’s possible in health care.

+Accelerate breakthroughs

We are investing in groundbreaking research Investing and novel technologies like AI and robotics, sparking new life-saving treatments that benefit patients in BC first.

+Improve access to care

We are removing barriers and creating new pathways for underserved communities, while delivering more accessible care to everyone in BC.

+Build and transform spaces

We are addressing the growing complexity of patient needs with new cutting-edge equipment and modernized spaces, including a flagship Foundation-built tower across from VGH.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation
• Our Beneficiaries
• Community
• How to Give
• Events
• Read the 2026 Impact Report
• Latest Stories
• Impact Areas
• Vital Magazine
• Audited Financials

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Associate / Vice President, Philanthropy

The Associate / Vice President, Philanthropy is a senior fundraising leader responsible for the strategy, performance, and growth of the Transformational Giving, Major Gifts, Gift Planning & Estate Administration, and Philanthropy Administration teams.

Strategy, Leadership, and Impact

• With other senior program leaders, collectively devising and implementing operational plans aligned to strategic objectives.
• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the staff responsible for Transformational Giving, Major Gifts, Gift Planning & Estate Administration, and Philanthropy Administration, driving the growth and advancement of these portfolios and delivering against revenue targets.
• Establishes and leads annual operational and financial planning for the Transformational and Major Gifts, and Gift Planning and Estate Administration teams, and longer-term business planning and budgeting in alignment with the Foundation’s business strategy. 
• In collaboration with the Senior Vice President; Director, Campaigns; and Associate Vice President, Community Giving, contribute to the internal Campaign management, and engage in relevant strategic activities to ensure Campaign implementation and success, ensuring the successful identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of campaign prospects and donors.
• Works closely with other members of the Directors Team to operationalize organizational plans and strategies, promoting and modelling collaboration and integration among the different teams to maximize efficiency and results.
• Demonstrates ability to diagnose and identify issues relating to fundraising strategies and implement creative solutions.

People Leadership

• Provides strong and effective leadership to people leaders and the team overall, ensuring team members are developed and supported in achieving excellence in their fundraising and administrative functions.
• Serves as a mentor and role model while cultivating a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable culture, leading the team successfully through organizational and cultural change.
• Motivates, guides, and supports direct reports and assume centralized responsibility to support the team in understand the long-term direction and contribute fully to the realization of the Foundation's goals and objectives.
• Leads and oversees performance management and accountability for direct reports.
• Develops, achieves approval for, and implements long-term human resource plans for the department.
• Establishes succession plans and develop leadership capacity across the fundraising team to ensure long-term organizational strength and continuity.
• Communicates, motivates, guides and directs team members and volunteers, and collaborates with medical partners and physicians, to contribute fully to the realization of the Foundation’s strategic and operational goals and objectives.
• Understanding of various business perspectives and needs of the team and represents and champions these within the organization and fellow Directors.

Major and Principal Gift Program Leadership

• Grows multi-year major gift revenue through transformational, complex, and blended gifts.
• Creates and leads the full integration of major and transformational gifts and complex gift planning and estate administration workflows to realize revenue success.
• Provides oversight of team fundraising reporting, pipeline management, and activity tracking to ensure data-informed decision-making, effective portfolio management, and achievement of revenue and engagement goals.
• Leads the development of program strategy, providing direction for direct reports to facilitate the implementation of innovative and integrated solutions and plans to increase donor engagement, strengthen donor identification and qualification, and improve efficiency and effectiveness of donor moves management.
• Partner with the Campaign Cabinet and senior volunteers to engage and mobilize their networks, influence and expertise to accelerate donor engagement, advance transformational opportunities and achieve ambitious campaign revenue goals.
• Ensures that processes and analysis relating to budget development, revenue tracking, key program and fundraising performance indicators analysis and donor giving trends are in place and effective.
• Applies a continuous improvement approach to fundraising operations, proactively addressing risks, implementing solutions, and escalating issues to support effective, compliant fundraising practices.
• Develops, establishes, and ensures adherence to best practices relating to Major Gift and Gift Planning and Estate Administration donor cycles.
• Mitigates risk to the Foundation by ensuring all necessary policies, standards, and procedures are developed and monitored for the work carried out by the Major Gift and Gift Planning and Estate Administration fundraisers and that there is no single point of failure.
• Provides oversight for the governance and administration of the Major Gift and Gift Planning and Estate Administration programs, ensuring high-quality processes, effective operations, and adherence to organizational standards, with a focus on CRM utilization.
• Establishes cross-organizational collaborations between different fundraising programs through enabling multifaceted donor strategy workflows, resulting in revenue growth across the Foundation.

Relationship Management

• Serves as senior fundraiser, carrying a personal portfolio of key donor high value and transformational relationships.
• Responsible for managing internal and external relationships, including consultations with staff, donors, and clinical partners, providing expert advice, negotiating, and influencing and resolving escalations and challenges.
• Provides strategic direction and oversight for donor, volunteer, and stakeholder management activities, including the effective functioning of volunteer committees, prospect assignment and management, and the advancement of donor management plans and revenue objectives in a coordinated and strategic manner.
• Represents the Foundation as a senior philanthropic leader, cultivating strategic external relationships and partnerships that advance organizational priorities, strengthen community engagement, and support long-term revenue growth.
• Develops strategic relationships with physicians and clinical partners that strengthen alignment around fundraising priorities and increases grateful patient referrals and physician champions.
• Cultivates and solicits donors in one-on-one meetings and phone calls and solicits major gifts independently and in collaboration with the President and CEO, SVPs and other members of the Leadership and Major Gifts teams, as well as volunteers.

QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

Experience

• Significant professional not-for-profit sector experience, including progressive senior management responsibilities leading philanthropy programs, teams, and volunteers. 
• Strong strategic leadership capability, with experience developing and executing strategic plans, leading cross-functional initiatives, and aligning diverse teams to achieve organizational objectives.
• Experience serving as part of a management / leadership team that collectively and collaboratively strategizes, plans, and holds mutual accountability for the success of integrated, cross-functional outcomes.
• Previous progressive leadership experience which includes the coaching, support, and guidance of fundraising professionals working in front-line and support roles; this ideally includes experience managing managers.
• Extensive major gift, planned giving, and transformational philanthropy experience with proven track record of working with and securing significant investments from high-net-worth individuals for complex gifts in support of institutional priorities.
• Exceptional relationship-building and influencing experience with demonstrated success engaging donors, volunteers, clinicians, health system leaders, board members, and external stakeholders to advance strategic philanthropic objectives.

Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute highly customized donor strategies, including the identification, cultivation, solicitation, recognition, and stewardship of transformational donors, with a focus on building long-term relationships and maximizing philanthropic impact.
• Demonstrated track record building effective teams, networks and communities of practice and fostering constructive cross-team collaboration. 
• Exceptional people leadership and coaching skills, including communication of clear expectations, identifying and supporting growth opportunities, and nurturing excellence and success.
• Strong ability to build and manage productive relationships with senior volunteers, non-fundraising partners such as clinicians, health authority representatives and other stakeholders 
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex strategic initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and significant organizational changes.
• Holds broad and extensive knowledge of the fundraising profession, non-profit industry, and health care philanthropy, as well as proven strategic expertise in major gift and campaign fundraising.
• Maintains an understanding of best practices in Philanthropy, updating job knowledge, participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, maintaining personal networks, and participating in professional association activities.
• Critical and strategic thinker who contributes to complex problem-solving.
• Strong listening and verbal communication skills, and an ability to calmly, respectfully, and diplomatically address issues and facilitate solutions.
• Excellent business writing and editing skills; experience developing and writing fundraising cases for support and proposals.
• Proven ability to exercise a high degree of diplomacy and discretion. 

APPLICATION PROCESS & DEADLINE

KCI Search + Talent has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. For more information about this exciting opportunity, please reach out to Tara George, Executive Consultant or Meredith Roberts, Senior Search Consultant KCI Search + Talent by email at VGHUBC@kcitalent.com.

All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence. To apply, please send a resume and letter of interest to the email address listed above by November 8, 2026.

To view full position brief, please visit www.kcitalent.com 

The target hiring range for this position is between $190,800 - $233,200 commensurate with candidate experience. This role will be eligible for any Organizational Performance Bonus associated with that program, should the results of the financial audit indicate there is bonus payable pursuant to the design of that program. The bonus is payable at a maximum of 9%. Additional variable pay, benefits, pension, flexible working arrangements, investment in professional development and subsidized access to fitness, cycling and parking facilities all contribute to a top-notch total rewards package for employees.

We recognize that our places of work are on the traditional homelands of the Coast Salish People – the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Our Foundation encourages applications from Indigenous people, people with disabilities, BIPOC and racialized individuals, people of minority sexual orientation or gender identity, and others who may contribute to the Foundation's organizational diversity and who share the Foundation's values.

This posting is for a current vacancy. Artificial intelligence will not be used to screen resumes or assess candidates in this search.