Vice President, Philanthropy - Keynote Search (Kitchener)

Introduction

The Ottawa Cancer Foundation is an independent charitable organization dedicated to providing direct support, practical services, and compassionate care to individuals and families affected by cancer across Eastern Ontario. For more than 30 years, the organization has played an important role within the region’s cancer care landscape, initially through funding research and clinical trials, and more recently through the evolution of a community-based model focused on improving quality of life for those navigating the realities of cancer.

Today, the Foundation operates as a growing cancer support organization delivering programs, services, and resources for cancer patients, caregivers, and families both within its Community Cancer Hubs and through a broad network of community partnerships. Through this collaborative model, the organization is able to extend its reach and provide access to a wide range of support services while remaining responsive, accessible, and deeply connected to the needs of the people it serves. Following the recent opening of a second location in Ottawa’s west end, the Foundation continues to broaden access to care and strengthen its presence across the region.

Following significant investments in systems, infrastructure, and organizational alignment, the Foundation is entering an important period of growth and external engagement. Supported entirely through philanthropy, sponsorship, events, foundations, and community giving, the organization is focused on strengthening long‑term donor partnerships, enhancing visibility across the region, advancing several facility and infrastructure initiatives, and continuing to build awareness around the evolving needs of those impacted by cancer.

Summary of the Role

Reporting to the CEO, the Vice President, Philanthropy ("VP") will lead the Foundation’s philanthropy function during a period of organizational momentum and increasing external engagement, helping strengthen awareness, deepen donor confidence, and expand philanthropic investment in support of cancer care services across the region.

As a member of the executive leadership team, you will play a central role in advancing The Ottawa Cancer Foundation’s philanthropic priorities and long‑term organizational vision. You will provide leadership across all areas of fundraising and donor engagement, including major gifts, annual giving, corporate partnerships, sponsorship, events, foundations, planned giving, and future campaign initiatives. You will oversee the development and execution of fundraising strategies designed to strengthen long‑term philanthropic support, with particular emphasis on cultivating sustained donor relationships, increasing multi‑year commitments, and supporting the Foundation’s future capital and infrastructure priorities. Working closely with the CEO, Chief Mission Officer, VP of Finance and Operations, Board committees, and other senior leaders, you will help align fundraising efforts with evolving organizational needs, operational priorities, and future growth plans.

As one of the organization’s key external ambassadors, you will play an important role in strengthening the Foundation’s visibility and presence throughout the region. You will actively engage with donors, community leaders, corporate partners, volunteers, and stakeholders to foster trust, increase awareness, and elevate the organization’s profile within the broader philanthropic and healthcare landscape. You will represent the Foundation publicly, speaking at events, building authentic connections, and navigating sensitive conversations with empathy, professionalism, and credibility.

Internally, you will provide leadership and guidance to the philanthropy team while helping strengthen alignment, communication, and operational effectiveness across functions. You will foster a collaborative and accountable environment that supports both day‑to‑day execution and long‑term planning, while ensuring the team remains positioned to deliver a high standard of donor experience and engagement. As the Foundation continues to evolve, you will bring both strategic perspective and practical leadership, helping the organization balance immediate priorities with future opportunities for growth and impact.

Is This for You?

You are an accomplished leader with a demonstrated track record of leading sophisticated fundraising strategies, cultivating high‑value donor relationships, and advancing long‑term philanthropic growth within complex organizations. Throughout your career, you have successfully balanced strategic leadership with hands‑on fundraising execution, bringing experience across major gifts, annual giving, corporate partnerships, foundations, planned giving, campaign activity, and donor stewardship. You understand how to move beyond transactional fundraising approaches by building thoughtful, long‑term engagement strategies that strengthen donor confidence and organizational sustainability. Experience leading or supporting capital initiatives, campaign planning, or infrastructure‑related fundraising efforts would be considered highly valuable in this role.

You are highly relationship‑oriented and bring the presence, confidence, and professionalism required to represent an organization publicly and credibly. Comfortable engaging with donors, volunteers, Board members, corporate leaders, and community stakeholders, you are an authentic communicator who builds trust naturally and navigates sensitive conversations with maturity and empathy. You are energized by being externally visible, attending events, speaking publicly, cultivating relationships, and serving as an ambassador for an organization and its mission. Your ability to read a room, adapt your approach, and foster meaningful connections allows you to engage effectively with a wide range of audiences and stakeholders. The ability to communicate in both official languages would be considered a robust asset.

As a leader, you combine strategic perspective with practicality and sound judgment. You are capable of operating at both a high level and within the operational realities of a growing organization, bringing structure, direction, and accountability while remaining collaborative and approachable. You understand the importance of proactive communication, cross‑functional alignment, and maintaining strong working relationships across teams and leadership groups. You are resilient, emotionally intelligent, and comfortable navigating evolving environments that require adaptability, diplomacy, and thoughtful leadership.

You are also someone who values purpose‑driven work and recognizes the importance of compassionate, people‑centred leadership within emotionally sensitive environments. Whether through professional experience or personal connection, you appreciate the realities individuals and families face when impacted by cancer and are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to an organization focused on improving access to care, connection, and support across the region. While experience within healthcare, cancer care, or the charitable sector would be beneficial, the Foundation is equally interested in leaders who bring transferable fundraising expertise, strong leadership capability, and the ability to build meaningful relationships within the community.

This posting is for a permanent full‑time position with The Ottawa Cancer Foundation.

We use AI‑powered tools (such as Fathom, Gemini, and Monica) to support certain administrative aspects of our recruitment process, such as interview note‑taking, transcription, and summarization. These tools are used to improve efficiency and consistency. All AI‑generated outputs are reviewed by a qualified recruiting professional, and all hiring decisions are made by humans. We do not use AI for selection purposes but do utilize AI powered search functions (Microsoft/Google) to help identify candidates on behalf of our clients.