Priority Initiatives Program Specialist, VP Development and Alumni

Role overview

Priority planning and portfolio management

• Improve processes for transitioning priorities from review and decision into planning and activity; establish planning requirements, tools, and documentation.
• Coordinate plans covering requirements, timelines, dependencies, responsibilities, and deliverables; track progress and resolve or escalate barriers.
• Maintain an integrated view of fundraising priorities, projects, opportunities, and assets, including portfolio identifiers, records, and inventories where applicable.
• Develop tools and processes to track portfolio status, readiness, activity, dependencies, and changes; synthesize information for reviews and document decisions.

Fundraising readiness and coordination

• Coordinate readiness components such as case materials, funding opportunities, financial information, terms of reference, naming opportunities, gift administration, CRM, stewardship, communications, and proposal materials.
• Coordinate across Development, Alumni, and Advancement Services to make priority information and supporting materials available.
• Coordinate working groups and planning meetings across Development, Alumni, Advancement Services, Communications, Finance, Research, faculties, and partners.
• Track cross-functional actions and dependencies, build alignment, and address process issues or escalate decisions.

Information and reporting

• Maintain centralized priority documentation, records, workspaces, version control, coding, and reporting structures; improve operational workflows.
• Develop portfolio tracking tools, dashboards, and reporting practices; prepare portfolio status reports and leadership briefing materials.
• Monitor activity, readiness, dependencies, risks, gaps, emerging issues, and changes requiring leadership review; improve processes and tools as needs evolve.

Qualifications and experience

• Undergraduate degree in business, communications, public administration, project management, or a related field; equivalent education and experience may be considered.
• Five years of related experience in project management, program coordination, portfolio coordination, advancement operations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating complex cross-functional projects or programs and developing and maintaining plans, tracking tools, schedules, dashboards, and status reports.
• Experience improving processes, tools, and practices; understanding of project and program management approaches.
• Experience facilitating meetings and working groups, building consensus, and tracking actions and deliverables.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills; independent judgment; excellent written and verbal communication; ability to manage multiple priorities accurately.
• Experience in a complex, matrixed organization is an asset; advancement, fundraising, or higher education experience is also an asset.

About the organization

Application details

• Application deadline: November 4, 2026.
• The position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit and the Specialist/Advisor Job Family, Phase 3.