Building an impactful philanthropic strategy requires visionary leadership at the intersection of donor insights and data science. Selecting the right leader to drive research and prospect analytics is essential for elevating fundraising pipelines and accelerating mission-critical initiatives. In this Opportunity Spotlight episode, Becky Yost, Executive Director of Development at the BC Cancer Foundation, breaks down the key priorities for the Associate Director, Research and Prospect Analytics role. She discusses how this reconfigured position will lead business intelligence initiatives, empower fundraising teams, and leverage modern donor analytics. Tune in to discover what makes this strategic leadership role an extraordinary opportunity for a data-driven philanthropy expert.
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Listen to the podcast here
BC Cancer Foundation With Becky Yost, Executive Director, Development
I’m joined by Becky Yost, who is the Executive Director of Development at the BC Cancer Foundation. Welcome, Becky.
Thanks so much for having me. I’m excited to be here.
I’m excited to be speaking with you as well, Becky. We’re speaking about an interesting new role, or reconfigured role, I should say. We’re going to talk all about those pieces for that matter. It’s specifically the associate director, research and prospect analytics at the foundation. An important role supporting the wide-ranging activities of the foundation and the tremendous impact that the foundation has. There’s lots we want to cover. First, I want to talk a little bit about you. Tell me a little bit about yourself. We’ve got your title and your name. Who are you and what do you do?
As you mentioned, I’m the executive director of development here at the BC Cancer Foundation. I’ve been with the foundation since 2016. I have the privilege of leading several fundraising and prospect development teams, which collectively raise around $15 million annually. These portfolios include our provincial mid-level giving team, or as we call it, discovery circle internally, as well as our Fraser region major gifts team. Our research and prospect analytics team, which is where this associate director role is based. I’ve spent my entire career in philanthropy. What continues to inspire me is the opportunity to connect with donors about what they’re most passionate about and align their interests with their giving.
Research And Prospect Analytics: What continues to inspire me is the opportunity to connect with donors about what they’re most passionate about and align their interests with their giving.
On that note then, tell me a little bit more about the foundation. It has such a high profile. It finished this amazing campaign. Much is going on at the foundation. What exactly is the BC Cancer Foundation for those that may not know about it?
Advancing Healthcare Through Philanthropy At BC Cancer Foundation
In short, we are the fundraising partner of BC Cancer. Our role is to inspire philanthropic support that advances cancer research and enhancements in care for patients across the province. We are the largest funder of cancer research in our province. We support anything from research, clinical trials, technology, equipment, models of care. What makes us unique is our close partnership with BC Cancer.
We have the privilege of working alongside some of the world’s leading clinicians, researchers, to accelerate healthcare discoveries, advance discoveries in the lab, and ensure that those discoveries make it to the bedside and closer to home for patients. All of the money that we raise stays right here in British Columbia. We raised $112 million in 2025, and we were excited to be recognized as one of BC Business’ top charities for 2026. We’ve also been named top employer in BC for 2026 as well. We are charging on, forging on.
That’s so amazing to hear. I love hearing those stories, the impact that you have, the dollars that you raise, and what a great, warm, engaging place it is to be, both business-wise, the operations, the administration, how well it’s run, and the culture, the environment, and the people. That’s what I want to pivot to candidates and people love to hear about culture. What’s it like to work at the foundation? What’s the dynamic like? What’s the feeling in the proverbial room?
We’re a highly collaborative, purpose-driven team, I would say. We genuinely care about both our people and our mission. We’re very ambitious, accountable and committed to excellence. Since I’ve joined the foundation, what I noticed is that there’s a strong sense of ownership that people bring to their work. There’s no challenge too big or problem too astronomical that we want to lean in, collaborate, and tackle.
There's a strong sense of ownership that people bring to their work. There's no challenge too big or problem too astronomical that we want to lean in, collaborate, and tackle. Share on XOur values organizationally are curious, authentic, and courageous. We see that in action every day. We’re in the midst of a new five-year strategic plan, which makes it an exciting time to be a part of the organization. One of our key priorities is modernizing our fundraising approaches and investing in business transformation. This position is an exciting time to be a part of that and uncover what’s next for the foundation.
I do want to pivot to that in a second, but I do want to ask you. You’ve been there for some time. It’s people like you that I love speaking with that have tenure that have been with organizations for some time for that matter. What’s kept you at the foundation these years? I’ve seen you’ve taken on different roles at different times. You’ve done so much in your time at the foundation. What kept you there? Is it the things you’re talking about, the values, the people, the impact?
It’s the people and the work that we do. It’s very easy for me to brag about our work and being able to brush shoulders with the most brilliant scientific minds. World renowned people that I call my peers and people that we’ve had an honor to work and partner with for the last decade that I’ve been here. Some things that were just like a pipe dream or just a seed of an idea are now standard of care. To be able to see that progress in such a short time and be able to marry donors’ interests with fueling that progress keeps me coming back. It’s always a new day and a new challenge, which is exciting.
Speaking of exciting, you did talk a little bit about this, some of the business transformations, the systems, and the progress you’re going through under the auspices of the new strategic plan and so on. Let’s pivot to the associate director role that you’ll be working with as part of your team for that matter. What is this role all about? What is the associate director going to be doing? What are they going to be responsible for?
The Associate Director, Research & Prospect Analytics Role
It’s a good example of where we’re headed or where we want to be. We had a vacancy in this position. Instead of just refilling the role, we wanted to step back and ask ourselves where do we need to be in the next five years in order to achieve our new ambitious strategic plan? It was clear that we needed to elevate this position into an associate director role. What I’m looking for is a true subject matter expert. Someone that’s collaborative, curious, and data-driven.
Research And Prospect Analytics: Instead of just refilling the role, we wanted to step back and ask ourselves where do we need to be in the next five years in order to achieve our new ambitious strategic plan?
This role sits at the intersection of fundraising, analytics and strategy. They’ll work closely with our fundraising teams to understand our needs but they’ll also be able to partner with our business database and businesses intelligence teams, identify opportunities, leverage data to strengthen our pipeline, and learn more about identifying prospects, understanding donor behavior, and using analytics to make smarter decisions, as well as hopefully embrace new technology and new opportunities.
That’s quite a wide-ranging role and very exciting for the right person to come in and make a difference and be a part of such an engaging team for that matter. Are there particular things you might prioritize when you think about your ideal candidate, the ideal background, the traits, the competencies, or even the technical skills you think you might be looking for in your unicorn person, as it were?
I’m hoping there’s a unicorn somewhere out there. We want this person to be collaborative. As I mentioned, they’ll work closely with our fundraisers, but also our senior leaders, colleagues across our analytics team and operations. Someone that wants to develop that trust and understand what people need in order to be successful.
I’ve come back several times to that curiosity and asking thoughtful questions and challenging assumptions. Someone that’s got their finger on the pulse of the latest trends in philanthropy, analytics and emerging technology because they are the expert. We want them to come to us with new ideas and budding new opportunities to help broaden our pipeline and elevate the organization as a whole.
We want them to come to us with new ideas and budding new opportunities to help broaden our pipeline and elevate the organization as a whole. Share on XYou spoke earlier about that ambition as an organization, as a culture. We want to see that in this person ultimately, too. As somebody that can enable the ambition in others and bring their own to the fore fundamentally. Reasons to say yes, expand, develop strategies and plans and be both that customer service mindset in some ways, but also be that proactive strategy generator at the same time.
Sometimes rain in us fundraising dreamers as well.
A pragmatist at heart. Fair enough. What do you see in this person’s first months? What do you see them doing early on when they proverbially hit the ground running for that matter? Are there particular things you might be hoping for early on? Specific things that they might accomplish or time to settle. What does that first time look like for somebody coming in at this level?
Onboarding Expectations, Team Structure, And Collaborative Management
My hope is that they spend some time learning and listening as an organization. We’ve been around for more than 90 years, so there’s a lot to learn. There’s also a lot of opportunity to understand our processes, learn about our donors, and identify some low hanging fruit for improvement. Building the relationships with our fundraisers and our fundraising leads to develop that trust and learn how everyone works because we’re not all the same.
This position also manages one individual as well. They will help support that great person who’s been with us for about a year and starting to execute some requests. Start to support them with any questions that they have around the insights and the technical questions around research and prospect analytics.
They’ll be managing one staff member and you’ll be their manager. What about you as a manager, as a leader? How do you envision working with this person? How would you describe your management style? What’s the ideal relationship you’ll have with them?
I believe that people do their best work when they have clear goals and understand the bigger picture. I want to know that this person’s on the right track, then I’m barely hands off. I want to hire the right person for their expertise and I want them to have the autonomy to feel like they can do their best work. I’m always available to bounce ideas off of or do a sense check or navigate challenges. My door is always open, but I also recognize and understand that I’m not an expert in research and prospect analytics.
People do their best work when they have clear goals and understand the bigger picture. Share on XI’m a semi-expert in fundraising and I’m looking for this person to be my thought partner and I can share the organizational context and help them connect to work through our strategic plan and our priorities. They can bring that expertise in research, prospect and analytics and bring those new ideas to the function as well.
I appreciate the semi-expertise analogy for that matter. Fair enough. In closing then, Becky. Why would someone want to leave their organization, leave their role and come join you? In fundraising terminology, what is the case for joining the foundation at this point in somebody’s life and career?
Three Core Reasons To Join BC Cancer Foundation
I’m going to give you three. The first I would say is impact. At the end of the day, not everyone can say they’re moving the needle on cancer research and improving the outcomes of those affected by cancer in our province and beyond. It’s motivating to wake up every day and know that you are having a small part in that or at least motivating donors to support that.
The second is people. We have a passionate and talented team that cares deeply about the work that we do. We are collaborative, but we also challenge each other respectfully. We try to celebrate our successes as much as we can. One statistic that I’m proud of is that the average employee tenure within the organization is about four and a half years. That speaks volumes to the culture that we’ve built and the quality of people.
Research And Prospect Analytics: We have a passionate and talented team that cares deeply about the work that we do. We are collaborative, but we also challenge each other respectfully.
The third is timing. It’s an exciting time for us. It’s not always that you can say you can join an organization that’s already as successful as we are. Also, actively transforming the work that we do and trying to move towards what’s next. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that we have some practical benefits. We have an awesome vacation package. We are part of the municipal pension plan. We have great benefits. This person is based in Vancouver. We moved into a brand-new office that has 360 views of Vancouver and a gym a few floors down. We are pretty lucky.
You may have missed your calling, Becky. Recruiting may be in your future for all we know, because that’s a fantastic summary. I don’t think I could have put any of that better myself for that matter. I want to thank you for your time, your availability, and your willingness to engage in this helpful conversation for candidates that may be reading. Anybody that wants to check out the opportunity or learn more about the foundation should check out BCCancerFoundation.com. It’s an amazing site.
As you said, that impact that your peers in the organization has. Cancer touches so many of us in so many different ways, such as me personally. I want to thank you, your team, and everybody at the foundation for the amazing work that you do fundamentally. I’m excited to bring some exciting, compelling and interesting candidates forward. Any last words before we depart for that matter?
Thank you. I wouldn’t let your descriptor of unicorn scare anyone. We’re open to the right person and the right fit and looking for an expert in their field, but someone that wants to join an ambitious, successful team for what’s next for us.
The foundation offers lots of opportunities for growth, dynamism, testing the waters and pushing boundaries for that matter. It’s certainly a great environment for somebody to come on and do those things.
