Development Officer, Community Giving

Position Information

Position Title

Development Officer, Community Giving & Cultivation (Two (2) positions)

Department/Unit

Advancement

Location

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Posting Number

S225-25

Employee Group

DPMG

Position Type

Term

Duration of Contract (if applicable)

2 years

Employment Type

Full Time

Full-time Equivalency (FTE)

1.0

Salary

$70,319 - $94,202 per annum

Classification

ADM-06

Provisional Statement

About Dalhousie University

Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada's leading research-intensive university and a driver of the region's intellectual, social and economic development. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of our almost 21,000 students coming from outside of the province. Our 6,000 faculty and staff foster a vibrant, purpose-driven community, that celebrated 200 years of academic excellence in 2018.

Job Summary

The Strategic Engagement and Cultivation team is responsible for developing a healthy pipeline of engaged alumni, community members, and donors. Their work spans events, programs, and communication engagement, as well as Community Giving appeals and initiatives that appeal to donors with the capacity to give pledges up to $50,000. The team also qualifies and cultivates prospects and donors with Major Gift capacity (over $50,000) while working with other Major Gift fundraisers across the Development team.

Reporting to the Manager, Community Giving & Cultivation, the Development Officer, Community Giving & Cultivation, is responsible for developingand implementing cultivation and mid-scale fund development strategies in support of institutional priorities. These innovative and impactful strategies will be designed to maximize fundraising revenue across Dalhousie's priorities to positively position it within the broader community and foster an environment that will encourage and enable alumni engagement, volunteerism, and support.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a mid-scale strategic and comprehensive fundraising program that will seek to maximize giving from donors, focusing on donor qualification and cultivation, and engagement across development teams to smoothly transition qualified prospects to other fundraisers.
• Using a highly personalized approach, manage and advance relationships with over 300 mid and major level prospects to deepen their engagement with Dalhousie University and identify the ideal time to solicit their philanthropic support.
• Develop and write both summary and comprehensive funding proposals, including positioning projects and budgets, to highlight the strongest possible alignment between a project's social impact and an individual donor's philanthropic interests.
• Provide internal leadership for the fundraising process within their assigned portfolio. This will include engaging, coaching, and briefing appropriate faculty leaders and members and key external stakeholders regarding fundraising strategies to support fundraising activities and priorities.
• Based on careful research and analysis, make strategic, data-driven recommendations for how to maximize a prospect's giving. Continually manage the flow of information, expectations and results.

Note

This role will require significant and frequent travel throughout the region and occasionally to larger markets. It also requires regular attendance at some evening events. The successful candidate must hold a current driver's license and be legally allowed to drive in Canada (need not own a vehicle).

The successful applicant will be eligible for hybrid work (combination of in-person work on campus and remote work from within Nova Scotia) as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements and university guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant field plus five years' experience in fundraising, business development, professional sales, marketing, communications, and/or other relationship-intensive work (or an equivalent combination of training and experience).
• Demonstrated experience leading small and mid-scale projects.
• Demonstrated experience developing and writing both summary and comprehensive funding proposals, including positioning projects and budgets, or similar experience developing and writing summary and comprehensive project management documents.
• Demonstrated cultural competence with the proven ability to develop effective and respectful relationships with stakeholders from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

Assets

• Experience working in a post-secondary environment.

Job Competencies

The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in Dalhousie's core and leadership competencies, in particular:

• Respect & Inclusion

• Adaptability

• Relationship Building

• Accountability for Performance & Results

• Development

Additional Information

Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Our total compensation package includes a defined benefit pension plan, health and dental plans, a health spending account, an employee and family assistance program and a tuition assistance program.

Application Consideration

Applications from current university employees and external candidates are assessed concurrently. Current university employees will be given special consideration.

We sincerely appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly by the hiring department or People and Culture.

Diversity Statement

Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi'kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with our Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity-deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to our Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity-deserving groups please visit

If you require any support for the purpose of accommodation, such as technical aids or alternative arrangements, please let us know of these needs and how we can be of assistance. Dalhousie University is committed to ensuring all candidates have full, fair, and equitable participation in the hiring process. Our complete Accommodation Policy can be viewed here.

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies

2

Open Date

11/26/2025

Close Date

12/10/2025

Open Until Filled

No

Special Instructions to Applicant

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