Vice President, Digital & Information Technology

Note: This is an external partner search, please see application details at the bottom of this posting.

About Alberta Cancer Foundation

• For over 40 years, the Alberta Cancer Foundation (the Foundation) has acted as a beacon of hope by empowering and
• uniting Albertans around a common purpose, investing in the future of cancer research and care, and
• ensuring no Albertan facing cancer walks alone.
• As the fundraising partner for every cancer centre in the province, the Foundation is the
• largest provincially based health care foundation and the largest non-government investor in cancer
• research in Alberta. To date, we have invested more than $500 million into the health care system.
• Fueled by the generosity of donors across the province, these investments are driving innovation,
• transforming care and improving outcomes for generations to come.
• With a team of over 70 employees, the Foundation fosters high engagement through a
• purpose-driven culture that values compassion, innovation and diversity. The collective actions of the
• team play a pivotal role in improving the cancer journeys and outcomes for thousands of people every
• day and a recent engagement survey showed that 100% of employees are proud to work at the
• organization.

The Opportunity

• The Foundation's technology environment is at an inflection point having been shaped by a long-standing
• relationship with Health Shared Services (and previously Alberta Health Services), which currently
• provides foundational IT infrastructure including network services, devices, identity management,
• and the Microsoft 365 environment. An early mandate for the incoming VP will be to assess the
• current infrastructure through the lens of being able to fully leverage modern tools to drive the
• organization forward.
• The Foundation has made significant deliberate and forward-looking investments in its core systems
• (Salesforce CRM and Sage Intacct for financial management) both running as cloud-based
• platforms. These systems hold the Foundation's donor, campaign, and financial data and place the
• organization in a more advanced position than many peers. The next step that needs to happen is
• the full activation of that investment.
• At the same time, the Foundation's fundraising ambitions are growing, and the pace of philanthropy is
• accelerating. The organization is generating data and insights through Salesforce and Sage Intacct
• but needs to connect that intelligence effectively with donor-facing areas of the organization. From
• donor cultivation and one-to-many digital fundraising to prospect research and AI-enabled insights
• for frontline fundraisers in the field, the potential upside is significant.
• There is also important work already in motion across the organization including technology
• projects, platform configurations, vendor relationships, and data initiatives that belong within a
• comprehensive digital strategy. A key early contribution of this VP will be to take stock of what
• exists, build on what is working, and weave those efforts into a unified roadmap.
• Reporting to the President & CEO (with an initial transitional period reporting to the CFO), the newly
• created VP, Digital & Information Technology will join the Foundation’s already high-functioning Executive
• Leadership Team. Reporting to the VP Digital and IT will be the Director, Data & Systems (with a
• team of 6) and the Senior Manager, Information Management and IT Operations.
• This is a role for a leader who is as comfortable presenting to the Board as they are rolling up their
• sleeves to support the team (i.e. someone who can complement a seasoned executive team, earn
• the trust and champion a talented and dedicated technology team, and build a digital roadmap
• that is both ambitious and grounded in an understanding of where the organization actually is
• today).

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the Foundation’s enterprise digital strategy and technology roadmap, aligned to

fundraising goals, operational needs, and the Foundation’s mission.

• Lead the build and development of an integrated enterprise environment including

conversations with Health Shared Services and implement the resulting recommendations.

• Lead the strategic assessment of the current IT infrastructure and own the design and

execution of the resulting action plan.

• Unlock the full value of Salesforce and Sage Intacct investments through integration,

• optimization, data governance, and close collaboration with the philanthropy and finance
• teams.

• Provide strategic and hands-on leadership to the Data & Systems and Information

• Management & IT Operations teams; coach, mentor, and develop team members to
• support career progression and succession planning.

• Build and execute an AI and digital innovation strategy, with an initial focus on fundraising

effectiveness, donor intelligence, and operational efficiency.

• Lead integration of the technology ecosystem, effectively connecting Salesforce, Sage

Intacct, Microsoft 365, digital media platforms, and third-party tools into a cohesive, well-governed environment.

• Advance data governance, data quality, and analytics capabilities to improve decision-making and donor insight across the organization.
• Oversee cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and compliance with relevant legislation

and regulatory requirements.

• Oversight on budgets, vendor relationships, and technology resources in support of

transformation priorities.

• Report to the Board of Trustees on technology strategy, risk, and performance.
• Contribute to the overall strategy and performance as a member of the Executive

Leadership Team.

• Promote and champion a digital and data-driven culture across the organization, with a

view toward innovation and continuous improvement.

• Monitor and measure outcomes and impact of digital transformation initiatives, sharing

results with the leadership team and the Board.

• Ensure compliance with legislation and adherence to the requirements of applicable

regulatory bodies.

The Person

• A university degree or diploma from a relevant program, combined with a minimum of 10

• years of progressive senior leadership experience overseeing digital technology, IT, data
• management, and/or analytics.

• Experience in fundraising and donor management is strongly preferred; understanding the

• language, culture, and priorities of a philanthropy organization will accelerate credibility
• and impact. Other highly customer-centric and/or consumer insights experience will be
• considered.

• Demonstrated experience in change management including leading digital initiatives in a

• complex, multi-stakeholder environment with a track record of building strategies, earning
• alignment, and delivering outcomes.

• Operates with a business partner mindset engaging with all functional areas across the

• organization; comfortable being a working executive: willing to roll up their sleeves, engage
• directly with data and systems, and lead by example alongside their team.
• Hands-on familiarity with Salesforce (preferably NPSP) CRM, understanding its potential,
• governance requirements, and how to drive adoption and performance across a fundraising
• team is an asset.

• Strong executive presence and communication skills, able to translate complex technical

• concepts for non-technical audiences, hold their own in a room of strong voices, and build
• trust with peers, CEO and the Board.

• A collaborative, relationship-centered leadership style, someone who listens before they

• act, builds bridges rather than silos, and knows how to mentor a team that has experienced
• significant change and is ready to be inspired.

• Genuine comfort with ambiguity and organizational change. The Foundation is a high-growth, mission-driven

• environment where priorities evolve; resilience, adaptability, and self-awareness are
• essential.

• Strong appreciation for and alignment with the Foundation’s mission is vital.

Express Your Interest

• Email a cover letter and a tailored resume to Shalini Bhatty or Heather Fookes at [email hidden], including the job title in the subject line of the email.
• Leaders Executive Search