Senior Development Officer, Sponsorship & Major Gifts | SAIT

A student’s relationship with SAIT doesn’t end at convocation — we are proud of the life-long relationships we have with our alumni. The Alumni and Development department shares SAIT’s story, connects donors to incredible people, projects and experiences. SAIT is fortunate to receive financial support from our alumni family, industry and community at large. If you’re passionate about nurturing the connections between SAIT and our alumni family, we want to meet you. 

The Opportunity

The Senior Development Officer, Sponsorship & Major Gifts primary accountability is to build and manage a portfolio of sponsors, sponsorship prospects, affinity partners and advertisers; and to work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure SAIT fulfills its obligations (i.e., fulfillment) to these stakeholders.

Secondary accountability, as a member of the Major Gifts Team, is to manage, cultivate and steward a complementary portfolio of 50+ major gift donors (largely corporations) capable of contributing charitable gifts totaling $100,000 or more.

The Role

Sponsorship and Affinity Partnerships

• Represent SAIT as the primary contact for sponsorship and affinity partnership opportunities.  Identify new sponsorship prospects, cultivating positive relationships for current and future partnerships.
• Develop and implement strategies for: sponsorship for institutional events such as President’s Dinner, Alumni Awards, Skate for Santa; School-based events such as Industry Nights and inter-collegiate
• Competitions; Golf Tournaments; Affinity Programs (Alumni-related); and Alumni (LINK) magazine advertising.
• Understand the sponsorship opportunities of all SAIT products and audiences to build revenue generating programs that produce assigned financial results.
• Develop and maintain an ongoing inventory of assets and benefits including updating the values and hard costs for these opportunities regularly.
• Facilitate the creation and oversee the development of quality communication materials and custom sponsorship packages, as appropriate.
• Develop and deliver customized proposals based on the needs and interests of the sponsor/partner/advertiser and SAIT
• Identify and make calls on key prospects to sell SAIT sponsorship opportunities as well as update current sponsors on their sponsorships
• Ensure the fulfillment, activation, measurement and stewardship for each sponsor of each SAIT initiative.  Implement measurement tools to ensure profitable ROI is delivered to all sponsors/partners and SAIT.
• Liaise regularly with SAIT Commercial Services, Corporate Engagement, and Purchasing
• Cultivate and maintain positive sponsor and affinity partner relationships, in conjunction with other Senior Development Officers, Alumni and Stakeholder Relations, and with all SAIT Schools and Departments, providing guidance and counseling on sponsorships.
• Establish financial forecasts and targets.
• Ensure an effective infrastructure and business processes are in place to invoice, receive payment (collect), and track progress against financial targets
• Attend SAIT events and public events as appropriate
• Track sponsorship and affinity partnership activity in Banner
• Develop and update the sponsorship strategy and inventory

Major Gifts

• Manage a complementary portfolio (largely corporations) of 50+ major gift prospects, securing major gifts of $100,000 or more.
• Actively lead and participate in calls on key prospects and donors
• Develop strategies to build sponsorship relationships into philanthropic relationships
• Record the relationship building process with contact reports filed in Banner to facilitate accountability and open communication within a team based fund raising environment.
• Cultivate, support, communicate and manage leadership volunteers assigned to the fund raising process.
• Manage and supervise the implementation of appropriate donor recognition and stewardship strategies, policies and procedures, for accounts within assigned portfolio.
• Direct the preparation of research to support key accounts with assigned portfolio and participate in prospect management process.
• Identify and evaluate prospects.
• Participate in planning and implementation of fundraising campaigns.
• Attend SAIT events and public events as appropriate.

Qualifications & Experience

Preferred:

• Post-Secondary Degree in business, marketing, communications or related field
• More than Five Years in sales, sponsorship and/or major gifts fundraising
• CFRE designation desirable
• Previous post-secondary work experience
• High degree of business literacy
• Evidence of ongoing upgrading of skills in communications, marketing, business or fundraising

Minimum Required:

• Post-secondary Diploma in business, marketing, communications or related field
• Five Years in sales, sponsorship and/or major gifts fundraising
• Eligibility for membership in AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals)
• Driver’s license and own vehicle
• Ability to travel and to conduct evening and weekend work
• English fluency (written and spoken)

Job classification :  Senior Development Officer

Salary range: 95,000.00 – 105,000.00

Paid Leave: 4 Weeks Vacation / 14 Flex Days per year # of positions: 1

Hours Per Week: 37.5

Posting closing date: 2025-04-03

For full details and to APPLY at this link

About SAIT

SAIT is a global leader in applied education. Named one of Alberta’s Top Employers , we offer the chance to work with a purpose — preparing the next generation of industry leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates and explorers.

Building on our 100+ year history, we’re looking for innovative, bold and collaborative employees who embrace change and deliver world-class customer experiences. Your future starts now at SAIT.

Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is essential to achieving SAIT’s vision to be a global leader in applied education. It creates the conditions for a healthy campus where everyone feels welcome, respected and empowered to succeed. SAIT values fairness, shared accountability and the importance of representation. The institution expects a commitment from its students and employees to continuously develop an equitable and inclusive mindset that celebrates diverse experiences and perspectives. Learn more about EDI at SAIT.

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