Employment:         Fulltime
Supervisor:            Executive Director
Closing Date:          November 22, 2024 at 5:00 pm EST
Salary Range:        $110,000 - $130,000
 
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is seeking an exceptional philanthropy professional to join a dynamic team as our Campaign Director. The Thunder Bay Art Gallery has been a cornerstone of the arts in Northern Ontario for over 40 years, showcasing the works of talented artists and providing vital educational programs.  As our community has grown, so too has the need for a space that can better serve both audiences and artists. With that in mind, we have embarked on an ambitious project to build a new, state-of-the-art gallery that will not only enhance our ability to showcase art but also become a vibrant hub for cultural exchange and education.
The new Thunder Bay Art Gallery located at the Waterfront overlooking stunning Lake Superior, will feature expanded exhibition spaces, modernized facilities, and dedicated areas for community outreach and educational programming. This project will allow us to host larger exhibitions, attract more visitors, design outreach to meet the needs of our community, and offer even more opportunities for people of all ages to engage with the arts.
This new gallery will more than triple our exhibition and operating spaces. As a significant addition to Ontario’s cultural infrastructure, the new gallery will provide $33 million in direct economic impact during construction. Once open, the Gallery’s operations will generate $5.2 million annually in direct and indirect impacts to the local and regional economy, as well as an estimated $7 million in annual visitor spending.
Our new facility will not only give us more room to display art and host community programs, it will also be a beacon of culture, learning, and connection for Northern Ontario. This building will be a place where young artists can find their voices, where we can continue to showcase contemporary Indigenous and Northern Ontario visual arts, and where our local cultural heritage can be preserved and shared for generations.
 
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery gratefully acknowledges that we are located on the territory of the Anishinaabe peoples of Northern Ontario. We work and live on the lands of the Fort William First Nation who are signatory to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850.
 
As the public art gallery for Thunder Bay and Northern Ontario, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery exhibits, collects, and interprets art with a focus on the work of contemporary Indigenous and Northern Ontario artists. The Gallery nurtures a life-long appreciation of the visual arts by:

• presenting exhibitions of artistic and educational value to cultivate a depth of visual arts experience for the public in Thunder Bay and the broader region of Northern Ontario;
• supporting and enhancing the development of contemporary Canadian artists with an emphasis on (but not limited to) contemporary Indigenous artists and artists from Northern Ontario;
• stewarding, conserving, and animating a permanent collection of art focused on the work of contemporary Indigenous artists and innovative cultural and artistic practice of Northern Ontario artists; and,
• presenting public programming and outreach activities in order to build audience, increase reception, and expand understanding of the visual arts.

1. Campaign Readiness

• Plans for and engages all campaign volunteers and fellow staff team members required to implement the campaign and sets them up for success throughout the remainder of the campaign through ongoing review of the strategic roadmap and providing coaching opportunities.
• Establishes a campaign donor chart of standards that is a result of solid prospect research which aligns the vision, mission, mandates and values of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
• Develops and maintains a channel of philanthropic donors from across Canada who are appropriate for all levels of giving to the Gallery.
• Translates strategy into actions and communicates the same throughout the Gallery.
• Develops the annual campaign budget in concert with the Executive Director, monitors progress and reports regularly to the Executive Director and Campaign Chair on budget and status of campaign goal.
• Collaborates with staff colleagues to ensure risk, governance and financial implications are considered and assessed prior to the development and presentation of philanthropy proposals.
• Monitors and evaluates campaign activities to ensure that financial goals are met.
• Energizes, motivates, and inspires all those involved in reaching the campaign goal.
• Collaborates internally with the Campaign staff colleagues to ensure appropriate identification, segmentation, cultivation, and stewardship of donors.
• Works closely with the Marcoms Coordinator to develop and manage an integrated communications strategy for the Thunder Bay Art Gallery brand, maintaining a consistent and engaging message and visual identity across all communications vehicles.
• Creates in partnership with staff colleagues, campaign communications, including proposals, gift agreements, partnership agreements and stewardship materials.
• Participates in relevant organizational committees.
• Develops and implements donor and partner recognition strategies for the campaign.

1. Volunteer And Staff Engagement

• Provides leadership, direction, and coaching to the Campaign Chair and Committee.
• Serves as the lead staff person supporting the Campaign Committee and other assigned campaign volunteers.
• Works directly with the Campaign Chair and  Committee to ensure that activities are on track, volunteers feel well-supported, and goals are being met.
• Undertakes regular  prospect review and evaluation with campaign volunteers, Board members, leadership and staff, and others as required.

• Post-Secondary degree is preferred and/or a combination of philanthropic education  (CFRE) and experience will be considered.
• Progressive philanthropy leadership experience and a proven track record of responsibility in campaign and major gifts development.
• Previous exposure to, and involvement with, a capital campaign.
• Experience working in the not-for-profit sector.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Exemplary verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong critical thinking skills and the ability to then make decisions concerning the campaign.
• Demonstrated experience of aligning philanthropic activities to the Gallery's strategic plan, with the creation and implementation of a campaign philanthropic strategy.
• Excellent project management capacity complemented by exemplary people skills.
• Proven ability to build, manage and develop key relationships with partners, donors and others involved in making the campaign a success
• Proven ability to support staff colleagues and manage volunteer involvement in major gifts philanthropy.
• Highly self-motivated and able to work autonomously, take initiative, and make decisions.
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Familiarity with Indigenous cultures and communities and a commitment to allyship and reconciliation.
• Familiarity with the North, and Northern Ontario specifically, would be an asset but is not a strict requirement.
• Work history that includes a museum/gallery or art-based not-for-profit would be an asset but is not a strict requirement for this role.
• Technological fluency, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and familiarity with the donor database software DonorPerfect and GiveCloud as well as other tools used in a modern, connected workplace.
• This position will require evening and weekend work as needed.
• The successful candidate will be required to successfully complete an Ontario Police Vulnerable Sector Check (background check) prior to assuming the position.