Development Officer, Annual Leadership Giving

**Job Purpose**:
Reporting to the Campaign Director, the Development Officer - Annual Leadership Giving is directly responsible for fundraising efforts related to priority philanthropic opportunities of the University.

The Development Officer manages a portfolio of 100-125 leadership donors and prospects, each with the capacity to give between $1,000 and $25,000 annually to Trent University. Areas of responsibility include research and prospect identification, cultivation, proposal development, solicitation, stewardship, and volunteer management. The incumbent will assume responsibility for volunteer leadership, faculty, and staff relationships, and achieving fundraising objectives for priority requirements in their assigned program area, as well as general university needs. The Development Officer will be responsible for coordination of Giving Days such as Giving Tuesday and Trent Day.

The ability to encourage giving and discuss philanthropic options with donors is expected. This position maintains current knowledge in areas related to leadership gifts, individual, corporate, and foundation philanthropy. General knowledge of planned giving is needed for this role. The Development Officer plays a critical role in developing relationships on behalf of the University and in fostering a philanthropic culture at the University.

**Key Activities**:
**Leadership Gifts Portfolio Management and Program Development**
- In close collaboration with the Campaign Director, the Development Officer - Annual Leadership Giving assists in the development and implementation of a sustainable leadership gifts program in order to meet fundraising goals, moves management objectives, key performance indicators and other measures.
- Develops and implements strategies and plans for a rolling portfolio of 100-125 prospects, each with the ability to leverage the impact of philanthropy at the university and with the capacity to give between $1,000 and $25,000 annually. Prospects include individuals, corporations (philanthropy, partnership, or sponsorship) and foundations in addition to staff and faculty, alumni, volunteers, friends and parents of students or alumni. The Development Officer - Annual Leadership Giving meets an annual fundraising target of at least $250,000.
- The Development Officer manages specialized appeals such as Trent Day, Giving Tuesday, the Board of Governors Scholarship appeal, as needed.

**Volunteer Management**

Assist the Campaign Director with identification, recruitment, training, management, motivation, leadership and accompaniment of assigned volunteers through their involvement in the donor cycle.

**Stewardship & Special Events**
- Collaborates with the Manager, Philanthropic Stewardship to ensure stewardship of donors within your portfolio.
- Assists in providing effective stewardship for assigned donors, including relevant university-wide or ER&D activities, events and team projects. Attends ER&D events and University events as needed.

**Administration & Managerial Responsibilities**
- In collaboration with the Campaign Director actively participates in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the annual operating plan, strategies, policies and procedures.
- Ensures regular reports on progress within the program area and portfolio of prospects under management, and reports on relevant key performance indicators.
- Responsible for documenting all key development activity using the fundraising database and other electronic and central filing systems as appropriate, with particular emphasis on call reports and related cultivation and solicitation activity.
- Maintains up-to-date knowledge of leadership gift fundraising, including effective solicitation techniques, giving incentives and relevant tax issues.

**Education Required**:
Honours University Degree (4 year) in a related discipline; a Trent University degree would be beneficial.

CFRE designation would be an asset.

**Experience/Qualifications Required**:

- Minimum five (5) years of experience in leadership gift fundraising with a proven track record involving face-to-face cultivation, solicitation, and donor relations. Experience in higher education fundraising desirable. Equivalent experience in a related field such as sales and marketing, communications, financial services or other may be considered.
- Basic knowledge of leadership giving fundraising practices and considerations, including moves management and pertinent tax planning considerations. Endowment funding, leadership giving, and capital campaign experience would be an asset. General knowledge of planned giving would also be an asset.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to interact comfortably, tactfully, professionally, and effectively with a wide range of internal and external constituencies and stakeholders, including volunteers, donors, faculty and staff, and community members.
- Superior written communication and proposal writi