Executive Assistant, Philanthropy

The health of our community and the health of our team; this is the QEII Foundation's focus. And we are currently looking for our next highly motivated, skilled individual to join our team as the Executive Assistant, Philanthropy.

By working with those who share our vision for better health, the QEII Foundation inspires generosity to advance health care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre - the largest teaching health centre in the region providing care to Nova Scotia residents and specialized services to Atlantic Canadians.

It's been said that the QEII Foundation has a secret sauce; something in the air that feels different in the philanthropic world. We feel it shines through in our stated values.

We lead with heart. We celebrate birthdays, new beginnings, and life changes for our team of Foundation rock stars. Through competitive salary, paid benefits, flexible work arrangements, and health and wellness spending, we want our team members to be the best version of themselves. We work hard but take the time to celebrate along the way. Staff meetings start with kudos for team members, and we ring an old-school bell when we have something meaningful to share.

We take integrity to the next level. Our culture is one that is built on transparency, trust, and relationships. Quite possibly three of life's greatest treasures that we never take for granted. We are on a learning journey to move from intentional to authentic equity, diversity, and inclusion, as we uphold the values of collaboration and inclusivity in all that we do. Being involved in the privilege of advancing health care also comes with the responsibility of holding each other accountable and respecting the often emotional and personal journey of health care.

We embrace boldness. Supporting team members to take risks and try new things whether through career development or innovative work approaches, we've got you. By embracing our differences and seeking out various points of view, we create the best version of our organization. We strive for healthy debate and conflict because we know that's where growth happens. We are a diverse group of people who epitomize the cliché 'the glass is half full' because we believe there is always a way, and together we will find it.

We've found our groove with opportunities for staff to work and contribute meaningfully both in-person and remotely. With our sunny new office we are evolving how we work together. We provide flexible hybrid ways of working, providing a variety of spaces to choose from with intention, whether that be a collaboration meeting with your team in our café, a day of calls in your home office, or day of webinars or heads-down work in our focus hub, you can match your environment to your work to make the most of your day. And because good coffee and snacks power critical thinking, our meetings are well fueled, too.

The Foundation is in the thick of its $100 million We Are campaign, the largest healthcare fundraising campaign in Atlantic Canada. And when we plan the celebration event after reaching that ambitious goal, each and every talented team member will know they played a part in healthcare history.

We win as a team. We grow as a team. And we celebrate the moments as a team because when all else is stripped away, health matters most.

The Role:

Reporting to the Vice President, Philanthropy, the Executive Assistant, Philanthropy is a trusted partner who strengthens executive effectiveness, supports strategic priorities, and helps a busy, relationship-driven fundraising team stay focused, organized, and moving forward. This is more than a traditional administrative role. You will combine administrative excellence, business acumen, sound judgment, and exceptional interpersonal skills to support the VP's day-to-day effectiveness while working closely with philanthropy leaders, donors, senior volunteers, vendors, and Nova Scotia Health partners. With discretion, initiative, and the ability to anticipate needs, you will help advance donor engagement, campaign activity, gift planning, and the coordination that enables meaningful impact for health care.

Key responsibilities include:

• Provide proactive executive support to the VP, including complex calendar management, prioritization, correspondence, meeting preparation, and follow-up.
• Coordinate philanthropy leadership, campaign, donor, and stewardship meetings and events, including agendas, briefing materials, logistics, minutes, and action items.
• Serve as a confident, diplomatic point of contact for donors, senior volunteers, vendors, board members, senior leaders, and Nova Scotia Health partners.
• Support donor and campaign activity by tracking interactions, proposals, gifts, pledge reminders, gift agreements, and status moves in Raiser's Edge/NXT.
• Review reports and fundraising updates to identify key insights, follow-up needs, risks, and opportunities for the VP's attention.
• Prepare, proofread, and edit correspondence, presentations, invitations, reports, memos, and other materials with accuracy and professionalism.
• Support gift planning administration, donor recognition processes, digital records, shared files, and confidential information management.
• Coordinate cross-functional priorities by tracking deadlines, deliverables, decisions, and accountabilities to ensure strong follow-through.
• Backup Reception cover where required.

What you bring to the table:

• A community college certificate or diploma in business, office administration, secretarial science, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three to five years of related administrative experience, ideally supporting senior leaders in a fundraising, non-profit, health care, or relationship-focused environment.
• Executive-level organization, prioritization, and project coordination skills, with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Strong business acumen, strategic judgment, and the ability to anticipate needs, identify risks, solve problems, and escalate appropriately.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence and diplomacy to represent the VP with donors, board members, senior leaders, volunteers, vendors, and partners.
• High discretion, integrity, and professionalism when handling sensitive business, financial, personnel, donor, and strategic information.
• Confidence using Microsoft 365, virtual meeting platforms, document management systems, Raiser's Edge/NXT or similar CRM tools, and a willingness to learn AI tools such as Copilot, ChatGPT, or Claude.
• Adaptability, resilience, and an anticipatory mindset; someone who stays several steps ahead and acts as a trusted strategic partner.

Benefits and perks:

• Competitive salary, aligned with your qualifications and experience.
• Comprehensive extended health and dental benefits to support your overall well-being.
• Wellness and work-from-home allowances to help you feel supported in and outside of the office.
• Participation in the defined benefit pension plan through NSHEPP.

If this opportunity has your name written all over it, we'd like to hear from you. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. We thank all applicants but advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The hiring range for this position is $54,000-$61,000 annual salary, dependent upon your relevant qualifications and experience. The QEII Foundation offers a highly collaborative and supportive atmosphere, the opportunity for professional growth and development, and a competitive benefits package. We are an equal opportunity employer.