Core Committee
The University of Waterloo's United Way campaign is run by a team of highly motivated individuals.
Fill out this form if you're interested in volunteering as a Core Committee member and joining any of the following sub-committees:
Campaign Co-champions:
Only one staff co-champion and one faculty co-champion are required for this committee.
This dynamic duo leads the Core Committee members, makes high-level decisions, keeps University leadership apprised of progress, requirements, and success, and is the key touch point between the University and the United Way.
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP: Eleanor McMahon, Jim Rush
Campaign Co-Champion Job Descriptions
Purpose: The Campaign Co-champions are the public face of the campaign for faculty, staff, retirees, and students and supports the initiatives of the core committee members.
Time Commitment: As part of the core committee, meetings tend to occur throughout the year with more frequent meetings leading up to campaign month in October and less frequently the rest of the year. Time commitment can be flexible depending on your availability. The committee relies on a collaborative approach and no role works in isolation.
Duties:
- Lead core committee meetings throughout the months of May-December
- Assist with recruitment of campaign committee members
- Help solicit key stakeholders to donate or get involved within the campaign
- Approves changes to campaign documents, processes, and communication pieces
- Host and/or attend campaign events
Qualifications of Interest:
- Experience leading others (may be voluntary or organizational)
- Ability to set goals and execute tasks accordingly
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Knowledge of key stakeholders within the UW community would be an asset
- Interest in making an impact within the broader Waterloo Regional community
Administration:
This team provides backend support to the United Way Campaign by providing leadership and hiring of the co-op student, collects and analyzes data, manages meetings, and liaises with various teams across the University (for instance Human Resources or Finance) to ensure a smooth annual campaign.
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP: Jane Kolb
Administrative Officer Job Description
Purpose: The Administrative Officer is the primary contact for the United Way Workplace Campaign Coordinator (co-op student) and oversees all other core committee roles.
Time Commitment: Responsible for recruiting, hiring, and supervising the co-op student, which includes attending weekly meetings with the co-op student from May-December. As part of the core committee, participate in meetings throughout the year with more frequent meetings leading up to campaign month in October and less frequently the rest of the year. Time commitment can be flexible depending on your availability. The committee relies on a collaborative approach and no role works in isolation.
Duties:
- Provide administrative support for campaign January through April (book committee meetings, minutes, etc.)
- Recruit, hire, and supervise United Way Workplace Campaign Coordinator (co-op student) who works May-December
- Oversee the tasks of the entire committee and gives approval for budget decisions
- Submit data requests to HR and explains analysis needed to co-op student
- Oversee financial deposits of funds raised by ambassadors and at campus-wide events – includes counting cash/cheques prior to deposit at police services
- Liaise with Finance for training and support for cash/cheque deposits
- Manage United Way workplace campaign operating budget administered by Community Relations and Events (CRE)
- Keep accurate records of donor data and approve numbers for final campaign report
- Liaise with United Way Waterloo Region Communities (UWWRC) to reconcile ePledge database with internal HR monthly deduction records
- Be present at events throughout the campaign such as the President’s kickoff lunch and 'Go Red’ day event
Qualifications of Interest:
- Experience as an administrative officer or similar roll
- Ability to manage individuals and organize time effectively
- Strong knowledge of MS Excel
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to build relationships with various campaign stakeholders
Communications:
This team provides key messages and media for the annual campaign through the sourcing and writing of Daily Bulletin articles, University-wide emails, drafts the annual report, and provides support to all other sub-committees through writing, design, and creative opportunities. This team is also responsible for any video or information package requirements for the campaign.
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP: Lindy Loughran, Kathy Smidt
Communications Coordinator Job Description
Purpose: The Communications Coordinators support all core committee members by creating a strategic, integrated communications plan, which includes writing various communication pieces (for example, the annual report, emails, Daily Bulletin pieces) and facilitating an annual campaign video.
Time Commitment: As part of the core committee, attend regular meetings throughout the year, with more frequent meetings leading up to campaign month in October and less frequent meetings for the rest of the year. Time commitment can be flexible depending on your availability. The committee relies on a collaborative approach and no role works in isolation.
Duties:
- Attend core committee meetings
- Liaise between core committee members in writing communication pieces to support campaign initiatives, such as: emails to volunteers, invitations to events, daily bulletin advertisements, letters, and website instructions and messages
- Coordinate and facilitate annual campaign video; write video manuscript and recruit key campus stakeholders to participate. There can be two videos within a campaign year (campaign launch and thank you/wrap up) but the number depends on committee member availability
- Facilitate the creation and/or create graphic designs for campaign materials on an as needed basis, such as: posters, thermometers, banners, and backdrops
- Create social media plan alongside campus team (if available)
- Maintain the University of Waterloo United Way website
- Creates campus-wide marketing materials for campaign launch
- Provide recommendations to United Way for adjustments to ePledge portal
Qualifications of Interest:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; experience in marketing or communications would be an asset
- Desire to support the broader community and be involved in campus initiatives
- Ability to lead others and be a team player
- Understanding or willingness to learn WCMS (Waterloo Content Management Systems)
- Flexibility in schedule to attend meetings throughout the week
- Additional skillsets that would be an asset: video script writing, social media campaign planning, fundraising communications, creative writing, creativity
Events & Outreach:
This team provides event support throughout the campaign, including 1-3 campus-wide events during the October timeframe. The events committee helps to provide exposure of the campaign, as well as engage with the broader campus community while providing event support to other sub-committees.
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP: Melissa Benjamin
Events Coordinator Job Description
Purpose: The Events Coordinator(s) are primarily responsible for planning and executing the University of Waterloo United Way campaign kickoff and University-wide engagement events.
Time Commitment: As part of the core committee, meetings are held throughout the year with more frequent meetings leading up to campaign month in October and less frequently the rest of the year. Time commitment can be flexible depending on your availability. The committee relies on a collaborative approach and no role works in isolation.
Duties:
- Attend core committee meetings
- Coordinate and plan the annual campaign kickoff in September and recruit volunteers to assist with decorating the University campus red
- Coordinate catering, rentals, and scheduling, as well as booking key campus stakeholders/leadership for volunteering at University-wide events (ex. Soup day)
- Create, plan and execute events throughout the campaign.
- Support communications team with pre-event advertisement and post-event daily bulletin post
- Liaises with core committee members on event planning and execution
Qualifications of Interest:
- Interest in supporting our broader community
- Experience or interest in planning and executing events
- Team player
- Strong communication skills
- Some flexibility in work schedule to attend meetings and planned events
Stewardship:
This team helps draft messaging and engages with various groups to encourage a higher degree of donation participation from University staff and faculty. They support donation messaging with other sub-committees and manage a relationship with the United Way to ensure consistency in approach.
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP: Brittany Stacey, Thomas Odland
Stewardship Coordinator Job Description
Purpose: The Stewardship Coordinators play a key role in engaging with donors throughout the annual campaign. The also monitor and analyze pledge data, which is then used to develop and execute stewardship strategies.
Time Commitment: The committee tends to meet throughout the year with more frequent meetings leading up to campaign month in October and less frequently the rest of the year. Time commitment can be flexible depending on your availability and stewardship strategies. The committee relies on a collaborative approach and no role works in isolation.
Duties:
- Thank individuals for their gift, solicit new donors, and encourage people to donate
- Cultivate stewardship relationships with campaign stakeholders, such as organizational leaders and new staff/faculty
- Develop communication materials alongside core committee members. For example: reminding people to give on Giving Tuesday
Qualifications of Interest:
- Fundraising experience (can be paid or volunteer)
- Enthusiasm to be involved within the campus and Waterloo-region community
- Previous experience in analyzing data and developing plans to execute organizational strategies
- Superior interpersonal communication skills with the ability to communicate professionally and build relationships with a variety of stakeholders
Volunteers:
This team manages the Ambassador team and provides overarching support to those persons prior to and during the annual campaign. They run a campus-wide event prior to campaign launch to welcome and prepare Ambassadors, and provide tool kits and resources to Ambassadors, as well as regular communications throughout the summer and fall months.
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP: Victoria Gadon, Kristen Deckert
Volunteer Coordinator Job Description
Purpose: The Volunteer Coordinators play a key role in the execution of the annual campaign as they provide guidance and support to the Ambassadors who raise awareness and run events for the campaign in each of their own departments.
Time Commitment: Specific time commitments will vary depending on the number of people in the Volunteer Coordinator role and the extent to which the Ambassadors need support. In the past, Volunteer Coordinators have spent about 1-2 hours per week between May and August and up to 4 hours a week in September and October.
Duties:
- Attend core committee meetings
- Provide Ambassadors and campus leaders information about United Way’s funding priorities, why it is important to support their work and why the University is running an employee workplace campaign
- Coordinate and assist in the facilitation of the annual President’s lunch in late September
- Encourage and support Ambassadors to identify and act on opportunities to increase awareness about the United Way within their department (e.g. display United Way posters, providing regular updates to their department about the campaign)
- Encourage and support Ambassadors to hold events and activities that raise awareness and funds for United Way
- Recruit new Ambassadors and strive to have Ambassadors in all departments and spaces across campus
- Assist the co-op student in creating and sharing regular communication with Ambassadors
- Liaise with and support the other core committees as necessary
Qualifications of Interest:
- Be a positive ambassador for and supporter of the University of Waterloo’s United Way campaign
- Desire to support the broader community and be involved in campus initiatives
- Have leadership skills and/or desire to grow leadership capabilities
- Be a member of the University of Waterloo community
- Have some flexibility in work schedule
- Possess or have a desire to build strong communication skills
Join the Core Committee today!