Executive Director, Advancement

Executive Director, Advancement
Permanent Full Time

For more than 155 years, The Bishop Strachan School has empowered talented girls to grow into fearless women, equipped with intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and compassion to navigate the world. We inspire our students to discover their purpose, build confidence, and express themselves with a strong, independent voice. Our strategic plan was launched in January 2023, and we are continuing to make progress on our collective commitment to inspire girls to be fearless and educate them to be the leaders the world needs. Click here to learn more about our progress to date.

The Bishop Strachan School is seeking a strategic and accomplished fundraising executive to serve as the next Executive Director, Advancement. This person will provide visionary leadership and hands-on execution for a comprehensive advancement program. Serving as a trusted partner to the Head of School, Board of Governors, Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team, this pivotal role will include designing and executing sophisticated philanthropic strategies to maximize financial support for capital projects, financial assistance and strategic initiatives. As a strategic, collaborative and inclusive leader, the Executive Director will mentor a high-performing team while fostering deep, enduring relationships across a diverse, global network. They will prioritize deepening alumnae relationships and evolving the school’s community engagement strategy. They will also be an active and visible member of the school community, building authentic relationships with students, parents, alumnae, employees and volunteers. The Executive Director joins BSS at a pivotal moment, as the school embarks on a transformative campaign. Building on the momentum of the largest public gift ever made to a girls’ school in Canada, this leader will expand philanthropic support, deepen community engagement, and elevate an established culture of giving.

What You’ll Do:
Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Provide vision, strategic direction and oversight of a comprehensive advancement program that encompasses capital and endowment fundraising, annual giving, and community and alumnae engagement, aligning all initiatives with the school’s mission.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Head of School and the Senior Leadership Team to develop philanthropic priorities that align with the school’s strategic goals and aspirations.
• Serve as a highly visible ambassador within the school community, across constituent groups, and at school meetings and events.
• Oversee and coordinate financial and operational reporting to the Head of School, CFO, Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, providing regular updates on the progress of the advancement plan.

Philanthropic Development and Campaign Management

• Lead the development of a systematic and creative approach to donor pipeline development, cultivation and stewardship to maximize philanthropic support across all school constituencies.
• Build campaigns that reflect all constituencies, including an additional focus on alumnae relationships. Collaborate with the CFO and Head of School in setting and providing updates on the campaign budget.
• Cultivate, solicit and steward a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects.
• Prepare, support and empower volunteer campaign leadership.

Team Leadership and Operational Excellence

• Lead, mentor and support the Advancement team, fostering a culture of professional growth and high performance while holding the team accountable to the school’s strategic and tactical goals.
• Ensure Advancement staff have clear markers and metrics for success, utilizing analysis, engagement objectives and iterative goals.
• Assess roles and responsibilities to grow team capacity across key functions, including annual giving, advancement services and prospect research.
• Ensure that Advancement systems, processes and policies reflect best practice and are aligned with the school’s mission.
• Cultivate cross-functional partnerships to accelerate philanthropic and community engagement outcomes.

Community Engagement and Governance

• Partner with the Head of School and Senior Leadership Team to align alumnae, enrolment and Parent Association programming under one cohesive community engagement strategy.
• Actively participate in the oversight of the school-wide event calendar to ensure all initiatives are mission-aligned, strategically timed and manageable for the community.
• Partner with the Head of School to support the Board of Trustees in their fiduciary stewardship of the school's endowment.
• Collaborate with school leaders and Board members to foster a culture of philanthropy across the school.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for the BSS community, representing the school’s interests in fundraising, and alumnae and parent engagement initiatives locally, nationally and internationally.
• Build the visibility and understanding of advancement initiatives among employees through regular internal communications, professional learning presentations and intentional event coordination.
• Oversee the development of an alumnae engagement strategy with tactics and measures of success.
• Ensure a parent engagement strategy that builds alignment with and leverages parent volunteerism.

Values and Professional Commitment

• Embed inclusion and belonging into all processes, demonstrating a deep passion for the transformative power and impact of girls’ education.
• Commit to the Staff Growth Process, participating in continuous professional learning to ensure individual and team alignment with the school’s mission.
• Lead and inspire the Advancement team to serve as key ambassadors, championing the school’s mission to alumnae, parents, donors and volunteers.
• Represent BSS within relevant local, national and international associations and councils. Lead and manage the development of the Advancement team, ensuring team members have the resources to deliver on the school’s goals while supporting their own professional growth.

*This is a general description and should not be construed as all inclusive.

Who You Are:
Qualifications and Key Competencies

• Proven success in driving major gift fundraising, securing seven-figure donations and leading major campaigns within an educational or non-profit sector.
• Ability to design, communicate and execute a comprehensive advancement strategic plan, including preparing for the school’s next campaign.
• Demonstrated success in leading, developing and integrating a high-performing Advancement team while fostering collaborative relationships school-wide.
• Prior experience working effectively with a volunteer Board of Directors. Strong data management, analytical and organizational skills with a proven ability to prioritize and problem-solve in a fast-paced environment.
• Highly visible, charismatic communicator with a proven track record of translating organizational vision into a compelling advancement narrative that builds deep trust and rapport with parents, alumnae and the broader community.
• Proactive relationship strategist with a demonstrated ability to cultivate meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships and create innovative touchpoints that keep key community members actively engaged.
• Bachelor’s Degree required; preference will be given to candidates with further relevant education, complemented by deep experience, professional fundraising credentials and demonstrated fluency in high-impact fundraising strategies.
• Competence in effective use of databases, Google Suite and Microsoft Office. A growth mindset of continuous improvement and learning.
• Culturally competent with a positive attitude toward cultural uniqueness and a readiness to accept and respect others.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• Willingness and enthusiasm for evening and weekend event attendance, and purposeful travel overseas.

Why Work at BSS?
At BSS, we value and recognize the following core competencies in our employees; trust and integrity, collaboration, flexibility and adaptability, initiative, community focused and strong communication skills. Our employees are lifelong learners and apply these core competencies in all aspects of the school environment.

Salary: $200,000 - $225,000

Additionally, BSS offers a competitive total compensation package that includes:

• Extensive health and dental benefits package
• Robust pension plan with up to 8% match Pension Plan
• Lunch provided everyday!
• Use of on-site fitness center
• Professional Learning opportunities
• And a chance to be part of a great community!

BSS Values Diversity:
BSS is committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse and respectful environment. We believe that diversity in our school fosters a rich, inclusive and creative environment. We are actively engaged in building a more diverse school and encourage all qualified applicants to apply.

How to Apply:
KCI Search + Talent has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of The Bishop Strachan
School. For more information about this opportunity, please contact Jill Anderson, Associate
Vice President, KCI Search + Talent by email at: BSS@kcitalent.com.

Interested candidates should send their resume and letter of interest to the email address listed
above by August 24, 2026. All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence.