Associate Director, Advancement Communications

FOR MORE INFORMATION

KCI Search + Talent has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of Upper Canada College. For more information about this opportunity, please contact Jody Jacobson, Senior Consultant, KCI Search + Talent via email at UCCAD@kcitalent.com.

All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence. Interested candidates should send resume and letter of interest to the email address listed above by August 9, 2026.

Please note that the hiring range for this position $99,345 to $124,181 per annum, plus a wide range of benefits and perquisites that are available to all UCC employees.

For more info about working at UCC please visit: https://www.ucc.on.ca/welcome/careers.

UCC is proud to be an Employer Partner of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI). This partnership provides our team with learning resources and is one part of our journey to embrace pluralism – celebrating differences, cherishing similarities, and giving voice to multiple perspectives.

This posting is for a current vacancy resulting from a parental leave. Artificial intelligence will not be used to screen resumes nor assess candidates in this search.

Associate Director, Advancement Communications

THE OPPORTUNITY

Upper Canada College is seeking a seasoned and highly creative Associate Director, Advancement Communications who will be responsible for developing and implementing marketing and communication strategies that support UCC’s fundraising objectives and strengthen its culture of philanthropy.

With oversight across all channels and platforms, this role ensures Advancement communications are on-brand, compelling, and aligned with the College’s priorities. This is an exciting opportunity for a resultsoriented and strategic communications leader who thrives in a fast-paced and creative environment.

Working closely with the Director of Content and Creative, Advancement leadership, fundraisers, campus colleagues, and creative agency partners, the Associate Director delivers high-impact campaigns and engagement strategies that inspire giving, deepen community connections, and strengthen donor relationships with the College.

The Associate Director will serve as project manager for each assignment, from initial strategy through to final design and production. They will develop compelling campaign cases for support, transformational major gift proposals and impact reports, and high-quality donor- and alumni-friendly communications that inspire a spirit of pride and engagement with UCC.

This is a contract position for the duration of 18 months due to parental leave.

This position will work in a hybrid model, with four days a week on campus. There will be some evening and weekend work with this role. A Criminal Records Check and a Vulnerable Sector Check will be required for this position.

ABOUT UPPER CANADA COLLEGE

Upper Canada College’s mission to deliver transformational learning experiences is supported by expert faculty, cutting-edge facilities, and wide-ranging co-curricular offerings. UCC is an IB Continuum World School with 1,320 students in Junior Kindergarten through Year 12, including 88 boarders from around the world.

Located in central Toronto on 35 acres of green space, Upper Canada College was founded in 1829. Our alumni community of more than 12,500 in 80+ countries includes leaders and innovators in politics, finance, arts, athletics, media and beyond. We are proud that approximately 20 per cent of UCC students receive financial assistance from the school’s sector-leading program, with close to $7 million available annually to Canadian students.

Our Vision: UCC values each boy and inspires him to be his best self. A UCC experience reflects the pluralism and promise of Canada and identifies the College as a global leader in the education of boys.

Our Mission: Upper Canada College provides transformational learning experiences that foster the development of head, heart, and humanity and inspire each boy to make a lasting and positive impact on his world.

Our Values

Learning - Learning about oneself and the world is at the heart of a UCC education. Through a rigorous liberal education and programs of personal development, each boy gains an understanding of himself, strong and wide-ranging skills, and knowledge that prepares him for success and responsible citizenship. We strive for excellence and celebrate accomplishment, valuing learning as a journey and not a destination. At UCC, learning is an ongoing pursuit marked by curiosity, collaboration, persistence, and openness to feedback. As a community, we model a culture of learning and growth.

Pluralism - A UCC experience is about more than just an appreciation of diversity; it is about celebrating differences, cherishing similarities, and giving voice to multiple perspectives. Through an understanding and appreciation of pluralism we create a more inclusive community, and in turn, create a more just society where we work towards the common good.

Community - UCC’s culture is characterized by teamwork, collaboration, mutual respect and a fundamental belief in our Vision and Mission. We appreciate and value each individual, fostering strong and trusting relationships throughout our community. We stand by each other, offering support and care, and we foster in our boys the very best characteristics of brotherhood.

Service - To honour Sir John Colborne’s founding commitment to public purpose, UCC inspires boys to become service-oriented leaders who understand their unique qualities in relationship to others, have humility and empathy, and recognize their ability to positively influence change. At UCC we embrace the opportunity and responsibility to make a difference in our local and global communities.

Wellbeing - To foster individual and institutional wellbeing, UCC is committed to a learning and working environment that is safe, healthy, meaningful, engaging, and supportive. A UCC education equips each boy with the capabilities to develop the knowledge, self-awareness and strengths of character that enable lifelong resilience and allow him to flourish.

Strategic Directions

As UCC’s 2029 bicentennial approaches, our strategic directions are connecting our extraordinary history with our bold future. They reaffirm our focus on educating boys in exceptional day school and boarding environments, delivering transformational learning experiences through the International Baccalaureate and an outstanding range of co-curriculars, and ensuring financial accessibility for boys of promise.

Our three goal pillars of Best Self, Flourishing Community and Bold Future guide these commitments.

Visit https://www.ucc.on.ca/strategic-directions to learn more.

Advancement at UCC

The Advancement team at Upper Canada College is collectively responsible for advancing the mission of the College through meaningful philanthropic relationships, community relations and communications.

UCC has an enduring culture of philanthropy and an extraordinary community of donors. All gifts to the College support the delivery of transformational learning experiences. Current giving priorities include the school’s sector-leading financial assistance program, academic innovation, and the creation and enhancement of outstanding campus facilities.

The Advancement team is currently comprised of 26 staff organized into four units: Community Relations, Development, Operations, and Marketing and Communications. The Advancement team works closely with senior leadership, faculty and staff, and the donor, volunteer, alumni and parent communities.

Giving in Action: Connecting Campus and Community

UCC is making strides towards an exceptional new facility for learning, athletics and broader community collaboration.

A lead donation of $30M from Edward ’88 and Suzanne Rogers is the largest single gift of its kind in Canadian independent school history. The Rogers’ remarkable commitment, along with other profoundly generous lead gifts, are in service of plans for a 130,000 square-foot building that will be a defining landmark in addition to the existing Rogers Tower at the Upper School. It will include a double gymnasium, 25-metre swimming pool, school-wide gathering spaces, and classrooms and labs for students of various ages and stages that put the emphasis on innovation and leadership development.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Upper Canada College
• UCC History
• UCC Leadership & Governance
• A Tradition of Giving
• UCC News Feed
• UCC Experience

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Strategic Campaign Leadership

• Partner with Advancement leadership, Director, Content and Creative, and UCC agency partners to design and deliver milestone campaign branding that communicates UCC’s case for support and inspires giving.
• Lead multi-channel marketing and communications campaigns that advance annual fund goals, donor engagement, and stewardship.
• Manage production of campaign materials, including cases for support, proposals, reports, event collateral, and presentations.
• Oversee timelines and workflows for campaign-related projects, ensuring high-quality, on-brand execution.
• Develop and implement communications strategies, including microsites, newsletters, and digital updates that will share the campaign journey with the UCC community and beyond.

Advancement Marketing and Communications

• Develop marketing and communications plans that build the case for support and promote a culture of philanthropy.
• Lead the Annual Fund brand, including creation of style guides, templates, and campaign assets — including annual yearly creative campaigns.
• Write, edit, and oversee development of donor-facing materials across print, digital, and video platforms.
• Produce materials for Advancement programs such as legacy giving, reunion campaigns, donor societies, and stewardship events.
• Manage donor- and giving-related content across UCC’s digital and social channels.
• Collaborate with fundraisers to deliver acquisition, engagement, and stewardship campaigns.
• Partner with Advancement and Marketing and Communications leaders to align donor communications with institutional priorities.

Operational

• Analyze audience and donor data to refine strategies and strengthen campaign positioning.
• Review Advancement communications to ensure consistency in brand, tone, and messaging.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications and Director, Content and Creative to direct agency and freelance partners on media, creative, and PR deliverables.
• Manage campaign budgets and track performance.

Knowledge Sharing

• Develop relationships that enhance the College’s brand and effectiveness of its communications and marketing.
• Leadership role in supporting communications and marketing team operations and processes; mentor to develop team members.
• Develop and maintain “knowledge sharing” relationships with fellow Advancement team members and across the College.

Other

• Participate in a variety of events and initiatives that enhance UCC’s community relationships (students, donors, prospective families, strategic partners, prospective families, alumni, parents, volunteers).
• Participate in various Advancement cross-functional teams and projects.
• Support marketing and communication needs of VP Advancement, Executive Director as required.
• Other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

• Experience in an advancement, fundraising, or development context, with an understanding of donor communications, stewardship, and the role of philanthropy.
• Progressively responsible experience in marketing and communications; agency and brand management experience are assets.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-channel campaigns from concept through execution, with a strong track record of meeting deadlines and quality standards in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated experience working with cross-functional teams on communications and marketing strategies, tactics and plans that leverage core strengths of a brand and position it for future growth.
• Experience managing and energizing a range of partners/agencies/freelancers.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to oversee multiple priorities simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and brand consistency.
• Highly developed writing, editing and proofreading skills, with a keen eye for detail.
• Proven ability to translate complex organizational priorities into clear, compelling, donor-friendly narratives across print, digital, and video platforms.
• Experience supporting or leading donor-facing events and alumni engagement initiatives.
• Ability to develop people and teams, with proven track record of strong collaboration with external and internal partners.
• Experience invigorating brands and teams with fresh perspective, ideas and processes.
• University degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A passion for education.

BIOGRAPHIES

Marnie Peters, Executive Director, Marketing and Communications

Marnie Peters is a strategic, creative, results-oriented communications professional with experience in the education, cultural, media, and entertainment sectors. Prior to joining UCC in 2017, Marnie held successive leadership roles at Rogers Communications leading portfolios of iconic media brands including Chatelaine. As a member of the senior leadership team, she worked collaboratively to set strategic directions and ensure the brand positioning supported business objectives and was integrated across all platforms. Marnie successfully transitioned her deep skills and knowledge to the not-for-profit

sector when she joined the Royal Ontario Museum as Associate Vice President, Public Relations and Publications.

As a leader who values learning and professional development, Marnie held a teaching role with the University of Toronto, School of Continuing Education as a founding instructor in the Foundations of Brand Management course and was awarded U of T’s TOP 100 Instructors in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Marnie holds an Honours BA from Huron College at Western University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management.

Jenny Prior, Director, Content and Creative

Jenny Prior has worked in advancement and editorial roles at Upper Canada College since 2015.

Previously, Jenny worked in stakeholder development at the Archives of Ontario and as a senior speechwriter in Ontario's environment ministry.

Her short fiction has been nominated twice for the McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize.