Canada’s National Ballet School Looking for Communications Associate, Advancement and Government Relations at Toronto, Ontario, Canada Full Time

Canada’s National Ballet School is currently inviting applications for the full-time, permanent position of Communications Associate, Advancement and Government Relations.

We invite you to join the vibrant staff community of Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS). NBS has 300+ employees supporting programs ranging from professional ballet training, community dance programs, and groundbreaking health promoting initiatives.

We are looking for a dynamic individual with the talent, innovative-thinking and passion to help NBS continue to share the transformative power of dance with people of all ages, abilities, and aspirations. As an organization, NBS is continually evolving and we are looking for a professional with unique, new ideas to complement the School’s collaborative work culture.

Under the leadership of the Chief of Advancement, the Communications Associate, Advancement and Government Relations, is responsible for the development and coordination of communications that will inspire philanthropy and increase awareness and engagement from both new and existing donors, alumni and government funders. The Communications Associate is an enthusiastic collaborator who creates compelling and effective copy for a variety of forms such as proposals, grants, reports, appeals, correspondences, and email. This position offers a hybrid schedule, with the option of working remotely twice per week; working hours are typically Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5PM, with occasional early mornings/late evenings and/or weekends.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Produce and update annual fundraising communications plan, working in collaboration with team members in Advancement, Business Operations and Government Relations and Brand Engagement
• Gather information and content through interviews, meetings and other research as needed
• Summarize and share key information in centrally stored digital files and assist with requests for information gathering from other team members
• Create compelling fundraising copy for NBS’ communications channels, including email marketing and direct mail to raise awareness of NBS’ charitable mission, impact, and new giving opportunities
• In partnership with Advancement team, write, edit and contribute to fundraising grants and proposals, sales materials and donor impact reports according to required timelines
• In partnership with Government Relations team, write, edit and contribute to project-specific content for government and partner grant applications and reports
• In collaboration with Advancement stewardship colleagues, produce, update and evaluate an annual plan for donor reporting requirements
• Support additional advancement communications, including alumni focused projects, as needed
• Attend and participate in team meetings and meetings that provide opportunities for content generation

Qualifications/Skills/Experience:

• Post-secondary education
• Minimum two years’ experience in a relevant professional role with demonstrated success in the development and execution of fundraising communications
• Strong knowledge and understanding of best practices and trends in fundraising communications
• Demonstrated ability to craft compelling copy and storytelling that inspires giving and community building
• Experience writing successful government grants will be considered an asset
• Functional knowledge of Raiser’s Edge or comparable donor CRM for database management
• Understanding of emerging AI communication tools and resources
• Ability to multi-task with exceptional attention to detail while remaining outcome oriented;
• Strong organizational skills – able to set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress;
• Curious, open and respectful approach who enjoys interacting with a broad range of people within NBS communities
• Commitment to maintaining a high level of confidentiality
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• A growth mindset and enthusiasm for continuous professional development

Successful candidates must supply Canada’s National Ballet School with a Police Reference Check in accordance with the School’s Child Abuse/Sexual Abuse Prevention Policy; this will be coordinated through the Human Resources Department of NBS.

Join our team today! Please email your resume and cover letter with salary expectations, to [email protected] and indicate “Comm Associate A&G – 2024” in the subject line.

About NBS

NBS is the largest dance training organization in Canada. At NBS, excellence, access and inclusion fuel our belief in sharing the transformative power of dance to change lives for the better. For 60+ years, NBS has been Canada’s leader for Olympic-calibre ballet training, with a track record for driving systemic, progressive change; evolving dance education significantly over time. Our pursuit of dynamic inclusion constantly reveals the life-changing impact of the power of dance. This is what drives our commitment to making dance a part of all Canadians’ lives. NBS continues its focus on excellence in ballet training, while leveraging its artistic core to expand NBS’ program offerings to engage more people than ever before.

To realize its mission, NBS strives to:

• Increase the relevance of the art of ballet in the lives of all Canadians
• Reflect a vision of leadership that touches more communities, more partners and greater breadth and depth of talent than ever before
• Address the need to bring new faces to ballet – as prospective professional students and as future enthusiasts for the art form – embracing and nurturing a more diverse spectrum of children and youth to participate in dance and explore training at the highest level
• Deliver the broadest range of impactful, evidence-informed community dance programs of any ballet school in the world

NBS is committed to the goal of being an equity-informed school. We invest heavily in work and practices that foster positive change internally while driving a progressive evolution in the wider sector. We recognize our responsibility as Canada’s largest arts training organization and one of its oldest, to address anti-Black racism, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and systemic oppression in Canadian society. Building an inclusive sense of belonging at NBS for every dancer and employee is the School’s primary imperative

At NBS, we can offer you the chance to build a rewarding and fulfilling career. This is a place where you can realize and achieve your professional goals within a supportive and respectful environment. Collaborating with talented artists and colleagues on deeply satisfying and rewarding work, every employee has the opportunity to make a profound impact on our organization and on society.

At NBS we are committed to making our organization stronger by engaging individuals with a wide range of experiences, backgrounds and abilities. When you join us, you will be a part of an organization built on respect, creativity and a shared sense of purpose.

NBS is committed to building a remarkable and talented workforce that is reflective of the diversity in the City of Toronto. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals, especially welcoming those with diverse intersectional identities who can provide different perspectives and contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

We are committed to inclusive and accessible employment practices. Should you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, we ask you to please make your needs/requirements known.