As some of you are aware, I travelled to Kingston two weeks ago for the first time since I started. It was a fast trip -- only four working days -- which means that I did not get the chance to see many of you. But I was fortunate enough to be able to do a daylong session (socially distanced, with appropriate health precautions taken) with the Development Leadership team and to meet with some members of our Development team during a casual meet-up in Lake Ontario Park. Unequivocally, it was the highlight of my trip.
This summer I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about teams. With the recent recruitment of Miranda Pugh as our new executive director in Law, and Jessica Carn as the new executive director in the Health Sciences, our Development Leadership team is complete. Our daylong meeting over a week ago really hammered home the importance of creating space and time for team building and team alignment. If you are interested in knowing more about what was discussed at the team retreat, you may read more on QUIRC.
As we look forward to the fall, I am excited about some of the team forums that we have created in the Development portfolio. Every second month, we will have a Development team meeting where we discuss business-related topics, including new processes, data insights, trends, priorities etc. Every other month, we will have our Development Roundtable, which takes the form of small group discussions and role-playing relating to big challenges and barriers in our fundraising work.
I am also instituting Office Hours every second Friday at 12pm EST, which is an hour long drop-in for anyone working with prospects and donors who is looking for a mini-strategy session with me and with others from the team. Or you can simply pop in to ask a question. Every other Friday at the same time, I will be hosting Cake for the Sake of Cake, which is a drop-in social. Cake, pie, or donuts are strongly encouraged, but optional.
I share this with our greater Advancement team because I want to encourage any of you to drop into these meetings. You may have something you want to share with the greater Development team (for example, a new process) or you may just want to know more about what is happening in the Development portfolio. Celebrating our success is a crucial part of our Advancement culture, so you can always pop in to celebrate a recent win. And, of course, if you need validation for your cake-eating addiction, feel free to stop by during Cake for the Sake of Cake and enjoy your slice.
Happy September, everyone!
Employee spotlight
The Employee Spotlight celebrates the arrival of our new staff and current staff by profiling responses they share through a fun and informal survey that will help us get to know them better. Be sure to review these profiles and use these fun facts and tidbits to find commonalities, embrace differences and spark a conversation.
This week, we're featuring Mike Onesi. Learn more about Mike and what his favourite quote is.
Jobs with Advancement
We need your recruitment help. Know great talent that would be a good addition to our team? If so, please promote the vacancies below with your networks and let’s find some amazing new team members.
Applications (including a cover letter and résumé) must be submitted through CareerQ. For additional information on this posting, please reach out to either Carla Ferreira Rodrigues or the hiring manager for the position you are interested in.
| COMPETITION NUMBER | POSITION | UNIT AND DEPARTMENT | CLOSING DATE | GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J0821-0537 | Communications and Events Officer | ADV Marketing, Comms and DR | September 8, 2021 | 8 |
| J0521-0157 | Senior Programmer | ADV Info Tech Management | September 12, 2021 | 8 |
Fun Fact
The ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Arboretum
The ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Arboretum exists on the front lawn grounds of Theological Hall and Summerhill. The Arboretum was established in 1999 to recognize the diverse collection of trees on ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ campus, including black walnut, gingko and English oak trees.
The slope in front of Summerhill was the site of Canada's first botanical garden, established in 1861 to foster the study of botany. The Botanical Society of Canada was founded in Kingston, and its main project was the botanical garden, which remained there for a decade.