Major Gifts Officer | Discovery House

POSITION TITLE: Major Gift Officer
REPORTS TO: Director, Campaign & Development
POSITION TYPE: Full Time
FLEXIBLE WORK: Eligible
LOCATION: Calgary, AB
SALARY RANGE: The salary range for this position starts at $ 73,000.00
Actual salary will be determined based on the candidate’s relevant years of experience and educational qualifications
JOB CLOSING DATE: Until a suitable candidate is found

What We Do:

Discovery House Family Violence Prevention Society provides a continuum of care and integrated wrap-around services to women and their children fleeing domestic violence. We facilitate transitional housing and offer longer-term, safe places for women and children to call home while they begin to rebuild their lives. Discovery House is about hope and healing using trauma-informed care practices.

What Our Employees Love:

• Three weeks of vacation to start.
• Eligible positions can work from home up to 3 days per week with our Flexible Work Policy.
• Additional time off including Wellness Days, Professional Development Days, and Sick Days.
• Benefits Package and Employee and Family Assistance Program.
• A dog friendly workplace.
• We observe all Statutory Holidays (including the optional ones), and employees may substitute religious holidays for celebrations that are relevant to their cultural identity.
• Committees including Health & Safety, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Indigenous; and Social Wellness.
• A 2SLGBTQ+ welcoming environment.
• Potlucks, celebrations, work-life balance, and plenty of fun.
• Being a part of a reputable not-for-profit organization (6-time winner of Top 100 Rated Charities in Canada!)

We are building towards an inclusive and equitable workplace that reflects the diversity of the communities we live in, creating the opportunity for every employee to reach their potential. We welcome applications from people in all underrepresented groups, believing we are at our best when everyone has a seat at the table. If you some but not all the qualifications for the position, but are willing to learn, we invite you to apply. Accommodations are available upon request throughout every stage of our recruitment process.

Join our team and be part of a transformative organization committed to ending domestic violence. As advocates of Empowerment, we believe in unlocking the potential in every individual, fostering resilience, and empowering positive change. Our Tenacious spirit drives us to get things done and make a lasting impact, while our commitment to Inclusion ensures that everyone belongs and is welcomed in our community. Embracing Curiosity, we continually learn, innovate, and adapt to break the cycle of domestic violence. Through Collaboration, we build strong connections and work collectively to create a safer, more equitable world for all. If you’re passionate about making a difference, join us in our mission to empower, thrive, and create positive change together.

What You’ll Do:
Reporting to the Director, Campaign & Development, the Major Gift Officer is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors and sponsors to support the strategic fundraising goals of the organization. This role focuses on building strong, lasting relationships with individuals and organizations capable of making significant financial contributions through major gifts or sponsorships.

Prospect Identification & Research

• Work with staff, board, and other stakeholders to identify new major gift prospects.
• Use research tools and donor data to assess giving capacity, interests, and philanthropic potential.

Relationship Management

• Ensure a high-quality, personalized stewardship experience for all major donors.
• Collaborate with the Stewardship Officer and Communications team to deliver customized proposals and impact reports.
• Plan and attend donor recognition events, site visits, and engagement opportunities.
• Maintain and/or grow current and prospective donor interest through relationship building and stewardship, including travel within Calgary and area to meet with donors.
• Responds promptly to offers from the community to support Discovery House
• Act as an ambassador for Discovery House, representing the organization at events and in the community.
• Manages a portfolio of between 75 and 150 prospective donors.
• Qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors within the $5,000 to $100,000 range, ensuring a personalized and donor-centric approach.
• Secure sponsorships for fundraising events including the Discovery House She is… signature event
• Align stewardship activities with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)’s Donor Bill of Rights, organizational policies, and CRA regulations

Meeting Briefs & Strategy Preparation

• Draft comprehensive donor meeting briefs for leadership, board members, and fundraisers ahead of key meetings.
• Include background information, giving history, strategic talking points, and recommended next steps in each brief.
• Support post-meeting follow-up by tracking action items and ensuring timely communication.

Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with the Executive Director, board members, and leadership to support joint solicitations and relationship management.
• Collaborate with fundraising colleagues to align major gift strategies with annual giving, campaigns, and planned giving.

Tracking & Recording

• Accurate and timely recording of donor interactions, strategies, proposals, gifts, gift agreements and outcomes in the CRM database.
• Provide regular progress reports and revenue forecasts to the Development Director or leadership team.

Other Duties

• Other duties as assigned

This role primarily operates during morning and afternoon hours. However, occasional evening or weekend work may be required to support events. We value flexibility and collaboration to ensure our services meet community needs.

What You’ll Bring:

• Post-secondary degree in non-profit management, marketing, business administration, communications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience 3–5+ years of fundraising or business development experience, with a focus on major gifts and/or sponsorships.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including brief writing.
• Familiarity with the organization’s mission, programs, and values.
• Familiarity with small scale and annual giving, planned giving, and fundraising event logistics.
• Understanding of regulatory requirements for auctions, raffles, and charitable gaming (AGLC).
• Organized, self-motivated, and goal-oriented with strong attention to detail.
• Strong proficiency with CRM databases (Donor Perfect is an asset) and Microsoft Office Suite
• Experience with sponsorship sales or corporate partnerships is an asset.
• CFRE certification or working toward it.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable vehicle required, accompanied by a minimum of $2 million liability insurance coverage

The successful candidate will be required to complete a Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check and an Intervention Record Check.

TO APPLY:

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to careers@discoveryhouse.ca with the job title in the subject line. Along with your application, we’d love to hear your thoughts! In your own words, please include a brief response to the following question:
How would you approach managing a major gifts portfolio to maximize fundraising results? What specific outcomes or results would you prioritize and measure along the way?

We kindly ask that applications are sent by email only, as we are not accepting applications through third-party job sites. Applications submitted in any other way may not be considered.

We appreciate your interest in joining our team. Only those shortlisted for next step will be contacted.

In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work, and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Iyarhe Nakoda Nations (Bearspaw, Chiniki, Goodstoney), the Métis Nation of Alberta, District 5 & 6, and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.