Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

Responsible for generating significant revenue by initiating, developing and nurturing OSC relationships with granting bodies, corporations and foundations that can potentially support specific projects and on going programs at the OSC, and to form mutually beneficial partnerships.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Reporting to the Director, Development and Partnerships, the incumbent generates revenue by:

Initiating, developing and nurturing OSC relationships with granting bodies, corporations, foundations and other funders to support specific projects and on-going programs at the OSC.

Strategy, Planning & Program Development:
Keeping fully apprised of OSC priorities, products and unique market offerings.

Developing government project funding, corporate and foundation partnership/sponsorship revenue forecasts for the Centre.

Planning, executing and evaluating strategies to secure government project funding and attract corporate and foundation partners in collaboration with the Director and other department staff, and prepare resource requirement forecasts.

Projecting optimal outcomes (funds, services or partnerships) of specific projects or programs and developing strategies to maximize income and /or other opportunities.

Preparing resource requirement forecasts and revenue projections.

Prospecting, Sales & Stewardship:
Overseeing development of target lists, activate corporate and foundation relationships those are/may become funders or influencers, rationales and approach strategies for each assigned sales project.

Recommending proposal or product variation and/or development required to meet sponsor needs and objectives.

Developing pricing and creative sales packages for assigned projects, to achieve corporate and OSC objectives.

Arranging meetings for the CEO, Director, and other key staff to meet with senior grants officers throughout the GTA and nationally, to gain understanding of the OSC's mission and to seek increased support.

Managing all solicitation projects including research, proposal development process in co-ordination with relevant Centre staff, budget preparation, drafting and revising applications/ proposals, and submission.

Pitching, negotiating, closing sales and preparing contract agreements with clients.

Providing client liaison and co-ordination.

Supervising Department's Development Associates responsible for prospect research and servicing sponsors.

Overseeing the stewardship/service of client relationships.

Maintaining records to prioritize actions, proposals submissions, and reports. Tracking all required reports and deadlines for funded projects, and assisting staff in maintaining evidence of successful completion of project objectives. Maintaining ongoing records of proposal deadlines, pending requests and future submissions.

Providing updates to manager on progress of grant submissions, sponsorship opportunities, sales, contract negotiations, and identifying issues and problems, including recommendations for possible remedial actions.

Supervising the management of the Capital Campaign Donor servicing; stewardship of existing corporate and foundation relationships

Collaborating on development of promotion strategies and plans for sponsorship and other corporate relationships at OSC, working with internal staff, consultants, communication agencies or others to develop media coverage, advertising programs, brochures, Videos, displays etc.

Volunteer Assistance:
Serving as a contact for Fundraising Committee of the Board.

General:
Establishing and maintaining government, foundation, corporate and individual relationships that may bear fruit for OSC.

Establishing and maintaining records of industry contacts, suppliers and contractors who may provide information, competitive intelligence about market and partnership opportunities.

Developing appropriate strategies, plans and systems to ensure ongoing grantor/sponsor/corporate donor /partner and prospect cultivation.

Disseminating information to Development and Centre staff, as well as Board members as appropriate.

Developing OSC staff awareness of funders' expectations and assisting in planning operations improvements to better position the OSC as a desirable recipient of grants. Areas of consideration include: research and evaluation, education, education technology, science and technology awareness, the environment and innovation.

Establishing and maintaining appropriate communication channels within OSC.

Collaborating with Individual Giving team.

Participating in Membership events, as appropriate.

Other duties as required or assigned

Staffing and Licensing :

n/a

Knowledge :

Job requires knowledge of standards and practices in sponsorship and fundraising community to ensure that the OSC program is competitive and successful. Job requires a solid perspective of OSC mission, mandate, policies and direction to anticipate both opportunities and potentially sensitive matters. Job requires knowledge of and experience in government project funding, sponsorship and fundraising theory, techniques and trends to establish appropriate revenue targets, to develop effective sales strategies and targeted proposals/presentations and to develop effective cultivation programs.

Job requires knowledge of research and prospecting techniques. Job requires knowledge of sales and marketing principles and theory along with media relations. Job requires knowledge of general contract administration and sales agreement structure. Job requires knowledge of federal, provincial and municipal grant and project funding programs. Job requires knowledge of OSC financial reporting and accounting systems.

Job requires superior presentation and relationship management skills to pitch, manage and successfully work with partners and sponsors.

Skills :

Job requires excellent negotiations and communication skills to make presentations and secure favourable funding agreements along with well-developed written skills to create proposals/applications, sales and other documents. Job requires sound judgement and analytical skills which involves understanding the parameters of the role and keeping in mind the implications of a decision on OSC's mission, mandate, operations, internal and external relations.

Job requires supervisory/coaching skills to monitor and provide technical oversight of Development Associates' work. Initiative and time management skills are required to set own work priorities and oversee work progress of Development Associates. Ability to work independently and in team environment. Collaboration and consultation skills are required to interact effectively with Fundraising Committee of the Board, managers/staff from various departments, consultants and communication agencies and others to develop media coverage, advertising programs, brochures, videos, displays etc.

Job requires superior presentation and relationship management skills to pitch, manage and successfully work with partners and sponsors.

Freedom of Action :

Work is performed under the overall direction set by the Associate Director, Development within OSC mission, mandate, business values and ethics, policies, guidelines and standards related to sponsorship and fundraising, and within recognized fundraising practices and standards. Work is reviewed by Associate Director when grant/sponsorship/donation plans are submitted to manager and are assessed for effectiveness of strategies and tactics recommended. The position is required to refer to Associate Director those situations that vary from the previously established sponsorship plans, or policy changes.

Independence of action is demonstrated in effectively assessing readiness of potential sponsors, creating promotional material that describe OSC projects and programs to potential funders, and developing proposals that will sell OSC projects and programs to corporations / foundations. The position exercises significant freedom of action in developing specific project strategies and customized sponsor / donor proposals and benefits. Judgement and independence of action is required in conceptualizing and implementing appropriate plans on how to approach each grantor, sponsor / donor. Job participates in ongoing development and review of sponsorship / donations policies and guidelines, including pricing, sponsor recognition and development of benefit packages. The position operates independently in determining the methods to be used to determine sponsor needs and development of proposed agreements, and to recommend various options.

The complexity of the assignments/projects handled by the position are demonstrated by its use of reasoning/problem solving skills to find, develop, and negotiate sponsorship and foundation agreements in order to generate revenues and other benefits for the OSC.