Vice-President, Development

Accelerating Impactful Ocean
Action

Ocean Wise an ocean conservation group with global ambitions,
uniting passionate collaborators, both big and small, who seek
practical solutions with tangible impact.

Through deep knowledge and innovation, Ocean Wise creates impact
in the water that protects and restores the ocean. Ocean Wise is
working to scale game-changing solutions that fight climate change
and rewild the ocean through seaforestation; feed people by scaling
demand for sustainably sourced seafood; clean the seas by working
to reduce plastics headed to the water; save whales from being hit
by ships and grow a pipeline of ocean leaders through global
education programs. With a focus on meaningful action, Ocean Wise
is an exciting organization to work for. With deep experience in
the field of ocean conservation, strong partnerships and support
from everyday citizens, Ocean Wise is taking a critical moment to
create lasting change for the ocean.

Ocean Wise is at an important moment of growth and is building a
first-class fundraising operation to support expansion across
Canada, into the United States and around the world. With an
ambition of raising $45 million annually by 2030, Ocean Wise is
seeking a Vice President of Development with a strong understanding
of the landscape of philanthropic giving for the environment; a
track record of identifying, stewarding and closing significant
philanthropic gifts; a network of prospects in Canada and/or the
US; and a passion for managing a dynamic team across annual giving,
major gifts, HNWI and foundations. The right candidate will have an
entrepreneurial spirit.

Ocean Wise’s core values – Knowledge, Integrity, Extreme
Collaboration, Impact, & Optimism – represent our highest
priorities. These values are at the heart of how we do our work and
serve as cultural cornerstones exemplified by all members of our
team. Inspire Transformation for a Sustainable Future – Lead the
Way in Ocean Conservation!

ROLE SUMMARY

As the Vice President, Development, reporting directly to the
President and CEO, you will spearhead the development and execution
of Ocean Wise’s fundraising strategy with a geographic focus on
Canada, USA, and Europe.

WHAT’S THE CHALLENGE? With unwavering support from the Board,
CEO, and the Executive Leadership Team, your mission is to develop
and lead an ambitious growth strategy. We are aiming for a
substantial shift in how Ocean Wise raises funds, propelling our
annual income from $16M CAD 2023 to $50M CAD by 2030.

Ocean Wise is a remote-first organization with beautiful
headquarters in downtown Vancouver. This position will be based in
Canada or the continental U.S., depending on the right candidate.
This full-time position comes with excellent benefits including
employer paid health, dental, vision, short/long term disability
and life insurance for employees. In addition to a generous paid
time off policy and paid holidays, Ocean Wise also offers a
generous matching opportunity for RRSPs.

 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Craft an annual budget and long-term strategic plan,
  communicating goals and metrics organization-wide.
• Build and maintain a robust development infrastructure,
  overseeing donor databases, relationships, events, and
  campaigns.
• Develop and implement a systematic framework aligned with the
  fundraising strategy, focusing on increasing support across
  individual and major giving channels.
• Enhance donor engagement, ensuring supporters understand the
  impact of their contributions and fostering long-term
  commitments.
• Implement innovative initiatives to garner public interest and
  support.
• Strategize partnerships with corporations and foundations,
  aligning with our mission.
• Manage capital campaigns, project-specific fundraising
  initiatives, and donor recognition programs.

 

As a people leader, you will:

 

• Provide leadership, coaching, and mentoring to the development
  team, fostering individual and team growth.

• Recruit, coach and inspire a team of committed fundraisers
  through one-on-one supervision, coaching and overall team
  performance management.
• Collaborate with members of the Senior Leadership Team to
  achieve organizational objectives.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), you
will:

• Collaborate on the development of a strategic plan,
  articulating fundraising strategies and objectives.
• Foster an environment of creativity, innovation, and continuous
  improvement.
• Maintain a visible presence throughout the organization and
  community.
• Present recommended courses of action to the CEO, ELT, and/or
  Board for consideration.
• Ensure adherence to operating policies and practices, aligning
  with the organization’s commitment to integrity.

Contribute to the overall organization by:

• Collaborating with Business Development and Grants to optimize
  funds.
• Upholding environmental impact protocols.
• Fostering a high-performing, ambitious culture.
• Supporting organizational safety standards.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

 Education and Experience:

• Minimum 15 years leading and building fundraising
  capacity.
• Minimum 5 years of executive leadership experience.
• Degree in Business, Business Management, Commerce, Financial
  Management, Marketing, or Public Relations; MBA is an asset.
• Strategic and results-oriented fundraising professional.
• Experience in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Passion for global ocean conservation is an asset.

Technical Competencies:

• Excellent leadership and management skills.
• Strong project management and time management skills.

 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

 

This position is a full-time, benefits-eligible position. Ocean
Wise offers a competitive salary based on experience and provides
an excellent range of benefits, including:

 

• Extended health and dental coverage
• vision coverage
• RRSP matching
• group term and supplemental life insurance
• short-term disability
• long-term disability
• Position also eligible for paid vacation days, paid sick days,
  and paid personal days

 

Working Conditions

• Remote-first with the possibility to work at headquarters in
  downtown Vancouver, if desired.
• Flexibility to come to the Vancouver office or travel for
  meetings with prospects/donors across North America with regular
  frequency.
• Flexibility to work occasional weekends, evenings in order to
  attend Ocean Wise events; proactively represent Ocean Wise in
  places where potential donor connections can be made; and attend
  conferences.

 

 

Inclusion and Diversity: Ocean Wise is an Equal Employment
Opportunity Employer.  We are a company where diverse
backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints are valued.  Ocean
Wise does not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis
of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual
orientation, disability, veteran status, age, ethnic or national
origin.