Advancement Office & Community Events Coordinator (Temporary Leave Replacement)

OUR SCHOOL 

Shawnigan Lake School is a leading independent co-educational boarding school for ages 12-18 (grades 8-12) on Canada’s beautiful west coast. Our world-class facilities situated on a stunning 270-acre campus include ten boarding houses, a theatre, film lab, an observatory, salmon hatchery, rowing crew house on the lake, dance studio, state of the art Learning Commons and Library, recording studio, and robotics lab. Our diverse, inter-disciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.

ADVANCEMENT OFFICE & COMMUNITY EVENTS COORDINATOR

Employment Type: Full Time, Temporary Leave Replacement (to April 2027 with the possibility of extension)

Position Start Date: April 2026

Application Close Date: 4pm (PST) Monday, February 9, 2026

To apply, please submit a copy of your resume/CV and cover letter to the attention of Erin Hutchison, Manager Advancement Operations and Engagement.

Shawnigan Lake School offers a nurturing, family-friendly workplace. The annual salary range for this role is in the range of $58,000 to $62,000.  Starting salary is determined based on the successful candidate’s knowledge, experience, and internal parity.

• After 3 months employment, a full benefits package, and RRSP with employer-matched contributions, paid vacation, a flexible work environment, and a nurturing family-friendly workplace.


• A subsidized lunch program to enjoy delicious meals provided on-site.


• Gym Access where you can take advantage of our top-notch gym and fitness facilities.


• A focus on Wellness with access to subsidized, staff-led wellness activities, including yoga, pottery, spinning, squash, and more.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Manager, Advancement Operations & Engagement, the Advancement Office & Community Events Coordinator works with all members of the Advancement & Community Engagement (ACE) team to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the department. In addition to supporting the ACE department, the Advancement & Community Events Coordinator is an integral part of the team that fosters and promotes connections with and among the Shawnigan community through events, stewardship and communications.

The Advancement Office & Community Events Coordinator is a hard-working, motivated, cause-oriented professional who is creative and comfortable implementing new ideas. They are able to work effectively in a team setting or individually, flexible, able to adapt well to change and prioritize and multi-task in a fast-paced environment. Furthermore, they have a proven ability to exercise tact, discretion and good judgment when dealing with confidential and sensitive matters.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Community Engagement & Events

• As a member of the ACE team, support planning and delivery of annual calendar of events, programming, and communications that engage alumni and parents in meaningful ways with the School


• In collaboration with the Manager, Advancement Operations & Engagement, manage and coordinate major alumni and donor events such as Founder’s Day, Scholars’ Gathering, Alumni Golf Tournament, capital project grand openings, etc.

Advancement Administration

• Monitor, maintain, and support all advancement systems, inboxes and annual calendars, promoting a high level of professional practice and performance


• Maintain up-to-date information on constituents, fundraising actions and gifts


• Develop and manage tracking system(s) to ensure all donations receive personalized expressions of gratitude in a timely manner

General Department Support

• Receive and respond to general ACE Office phone calls, emails and mail inquiries


• Greet guests to ACE Office and direct them to the appropriate staff member


• Coordinate team meetings, prepare agendas, gather supporting materials, take notes, and distribute minutes


• Coordinate ACE Office staff member domestic and international travel, including developing itineraries, booking travel and hotels, coordinating gifts, and collating expenses/receipts


• Track department members’ vacation and ensure back-up coverage is in place for staff absences


• Liaise with suppliers and contractors and process invoices


• Ensure the shared space in the ACE Office is kept orderly and displayed materials are up to date


• Ensure adequate inventory of shared office supplies and work with IT and Maintenance regarding equipment troubleshooting


• Ensure new staff members have office space set up and ready prior to arrival, and are trained on department policies, procedures and systems


• Other duties as required

Database Support

• Ensure constituent database information is managed and updated in a timely manner, including entering action items shared by the ACE team on strategic interactions with key community members into database


• Work closely with the Associate Director, Annual Fund & Data Management to pull reports, build queries, research past activity, and track event attendance, general database enquiries within Raiser’s Edge database and support prospect research

Communications Support

• Develop content for the quarterly Community Newsletters to alumni and past parents


• Work with the Manager, Advancement Operations & Engagement and the Communications Department to develop, monitor, and moderate online / social media engagement with alumni, past parents, and friends of the School

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Completion of post-secondary education with a degree, diploma or certificate in Office Administration, Marketing or Communications, preferred


• 3-5 years experience in event management, communications, public relations, community development and/or related discipline


• Administrative experience


• Experience with navigating large databases (Raiser's Edge database experience preferred)


• Intermediate to advanced skills in Google Suite and Microsoft Office applications (especially MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint)


• Intermediate skills and experience in platforms such as Canva, Mailchimp and Square (an asset)


• High level of organization and project management skills, along with excellent attention to detail


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills


• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to nurture and develop relationships with staff, volunteers, parents and students

Shawnigan Lake School is an equal opportunity employer committed to establishing an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment for all. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or any other basis protected by applicable law.

Shawnigan Lake School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff (and volunteers) to share this commitment. Candidates will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with previous employers and a vulnerable sector criminal record check.

We express our appreciation to all applicants for their interest in this position, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.