Helping professionals make their highest contribution.
Jackie Rafter felt the economy shift in the mid-2010s
As the founder of two professional search firms, she saw hundreds of talented, skilled, experienced professionals adrift in a market that didn’t seem to want them. While they were stressed and struggling, they still hoped for meaningful work that aligned with passion and values. This led Jackie to found Higher Landing, a career transformation company that helps professionals navigate challenging economies and build fulfilling, purpose-driven careers.
A new approach emerges
Higher Landing’s proven transformation process draws on Jackie’s history in recruitment, her personal career exploration, and insights from branding, product marketing, and even TV’s Dragon’s Den. Our program promises to make you irresistible to employers and help you land higher—whatever that means to you.
MEET OUR TEAM
The people behind Higher Landing
Jackie Rafter, B.Ed, MBA
Founder, President & CEO
Jackie Rafter is a visionary entrepreneur known for her future-focused thinking and business ventures.
As Founder, President & CEO of Higher Landing, Jackie helps professionals, executives, and globally-known athletes realize their true value, greatest ambitions, and career goals. Her revolutionary career transformation methodology has been broadly adopted, particularly in industries going through significant, disruptive change.
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Jackie believes deeply in human potential and is passionate about helping people reinvent, brand, and package themselves to take advantage of the massive systemic changes in job search and career management. She regularly appears in the media as an expert on the oil and gas job market, and the career strategies necessary to thrive in a volatile industry.
Prior to founding Higher Landing, Jackie had a range of successful careers in international professional services, corporate finance, and more. She built two professional search firms for the energy industry, founded Canada’s first publicly traded company with an all-female Board of Directors (Roxi Capital, now trading as Plastifab Corp. - PFB.TSX) and was a founder of Anorak Capital (now trading as Total Energy Services TOT.TSX).
Jackie was born in Calgary, Canada, holds an MBA and Bachelor of Education (French) from the University of Calgary, and is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. She’s worked in five countries including Monaco, the UK, Switzerland and South Africa, and currently resides in Toronto, Canada.
Jackie champions healthy, authentic living. She runs daily, enjoys fitness and travel, and is a self-professed personal development junkie. Her mission is to “help the world land higher, one person at a time”.
Erin Wilkins, B.MGT (Hons)
Chief Operating Officer
Erin is a passionate leader focused on helping people and organizations grow. One of her great joys is helping people make connections and discover new aspects of themselves, ultimately allowing them to land higher.
Her practical, solutions-oriented approach has made her indispensable to Higher Landing since 2016.
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Prior to her current role, Erin found success in a variety of professions, including training, recruiting, coaching, operations management, and entrepreneurship. As a Founding Principal and President of The Quaderra Group, a boutique oil and gas professional search firm, she was heavily involved in the creation of the company and its ongoing management.
Erin graduated with great distinction from the University of Lethbridge in 2000, with her Bachelor of Management and dual majors in Marketing and Management Information Systems. After graduation, she returned to her birthplace of Calgary and resides here permanently. She enjoys anything to do with the arts, especially live theater. She’s a loving wife and a devoted mother to the light of her life, her daughter Lauren.
OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS
Meaningful employment for all
Higher Landing recognizes that not everyone is in a position to pay for career management and support—especially in the wake of unexpected layoffs or a long period of unemployment.
We teamed up with the Government of Alberta and the government of Canada to create government-funded career transformation resources, including subsidized training programs for eligible Alberta residents, introductory job skills classes, and online career workshops. We believe everyone should have the tools they need to land higher.