Senior Development Officer – Major Gifts | Bow Valley College

About Bow Valley College
Bow Valley College is Calgary’s college with local impact and global reach, serving more than 15,000 students. We launch our students by preparing them for in-demand jobs through high-quality, future-oriented education. We advance our graduates into careers in healthcare, technology, business, entertainment arts, social services, and more, contributing to our economy and community. We evolve our students through work-integrated learning, upskilling, and reskilling. Proud to be named one of Canada’s Top 50 research colleges, our applied research focuses on health and educational technology, and social innovation. Home to the Digital Entertainment Nexus, Calgary’s first esports arena, and the Bears varsity team, Bow Valley College is celebrating 60 years of student success. Learn more about the opportunities we create at bowvalleycollege.ca.  

Position Summary
The Senior Development Officer – Major Gifts is responsible for building and managing a portfolio of prospects, and donors to meet the fundraising goals and targets of the College, ensures the stewardship of those gifts and that College fulfills its obligations to these stakeholders.

Position responsibilities and accountabilities include but are not limited to:

The Senior Development Officer – Major Gifts will develop strategies to promote ongoing and/or increased giving, donor relations for Bow Valley College’s key program priorities; this includes soliciting gifts, sponsorships, and government/foundation grants. 

Fundraising:

• A key member of the fundraising team, the Senior Development Officer- Major Gifts plays a crucial role in securing funding for key business cases and high-level priorities for the College. 
• Develops and implements strategies for projects to generate gifts for priority initiatives with input and assistance from other team members.  These include projects that support student success, health, the Calgary Entertainment Arts Production Hub, entrepreneurship and our Indigenous programs. 
• Responsible for securing significant 5 and 6 figure gifts that support long-term sustainability through endowments.
• Manages and implements a major gifts program and reaches a minimum annual fundraising target of $450,000 each year through personal solicitations and relationship building efforts, including solicitations in the $50,000 to $1 million range.
• Will work towards implementing a legacy gift program to support Bow Valley College’s priority project areas.
• Responsible for increasing major gift dollars through the development of project cases for support and funding assessment scorecards for prioritization and review.
• Manages a personal portfolio of major gift prospects and donors to encourage and seek philanthropic support for Bow Valley College.
• Works closely, often in a project lead capacity, with internal teams including Vice-Presidents, Directors, Deans, Associate Deans and Program Chairs to formulate, recommend and implement cultivation, engagement, solicitation and stewardship strategies to secure gifts from the prospect’s portfolio for larger institutional priorities.
• Develops an in-depth understanding of Bow Valley College’s key fundraising priorities. Participates in the development and implementation of new initiatives that support the strategic direction of Bow Valley College by keeping abreast of new developments and trends in the field of alumni relations and fundraising. Identifies and incorporates new and leading-edge fundraising vehicles and methodologies throughout the development cycle.
• Develops customized strategies and plans to identify, cultivate, engage, solicit and steward donors and prospects within the portfolio.
• Plans, facilitates and attends face to face visits with major donors and prospects alone and/or in combination with other strategic partners, including Deans, Directors and other appropriate subject matter experts; prepares correspondence and follow-up materials as required.
  Through personal visits, identifies and qualifies individuals to determine capacity, inclination and interests in providing special and major gift support to the college. Evaluate and recommend appropriate next steps for newly qualified potential donors and current donors.
  Creates and presents solicitation proposals to potential donors.

Donor Relation

• In collaboration with Stewardship Specialist, create a Legacy Giving Program and all associated materials.
• Identifies, cultivates and solicits planned/legacy gift prospects and stewards known planned/legacy gift donors.
• Collaborates with the Stewardship Specialist to manage and activate a donor recognition program for major gift donors.
• Participates in and assists with donor recognition, stewardship activities, special events, alumni and appropriate campus activities.
• Represents Bow Valley College within the external community and facilitates relationships.
• Utilizes superior writing and editing skills to develop brochures, correspondence, funding proposals and related communications.

Event, Project and Volunteer management

• Collaborates with internal partners to oversee portfolio initiatives such donor cheque presentations, lunches and reporting.
• Assists with other departmental, alumni and Bow Valley College related activities, events and fundraising initiatives including Celebrating Student Futures (Awards Ceremony), Premier’s Scholarship Luncheon, Tours, and other institutional wide initiatives.

Database and Administration 

• Develops and manages the major gift portfolio business plan, including development of targets, stewardship and retention strategies.
• Conducts prospecting activities to identify and qualify prospects to further build the giving pipeline for Bow Valley College.
• Participates in Prospect Management System; file timely and appropriate contact reports, recording of proposals, etc.
• Undertakes in-depth analysis of complex problems/issues, articulate alternatives and recommend solutions.

Minimum Qualifications 

• Diploma (Non-profit management, Business or Communications; Public Relations)
• 3 to 5 of experience in fundraising and development including experience securing gifts in excess of $100,000
• An equivalent combination of directly related education and experience may be considered 

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree strongly preferred
• Database Management (Raiser Edge) 
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational skills
• MS Office 
• Connections within the Calgary community and philanthropic environment 
• Demonstrated success in fundraising a significant asset
• Willingness to work towards CFRE designation

If your education was received internationally we will require you provide an international education assessment through IQAS, WES, or one of the other nationally designated organizations upon hire.

This opening is a Continuous, Exempt position. Please note all successful candidates will be required to provide copies of government issued identification and proof of educational qualifications upon hire and may be required to provide an enhanced police information check. 

Closing Date: April 16, 2025 

Diversity and Inclusion Commitment
Bow Valley College is strongly committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within our community. We welcome applications from qualified candidates who would contribute to the further diversification of our employees including, but not limited to, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity.