Development Officer

About the role

Reporting to the Director, Development, the Development Officer is responsible for managing all aspects of the donor development cycle, including identification, engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for leadership level gifts below $25,000. The role will successfully meet/exceed their annual and multi-year fundraising goals, while serving as a key member of the Development and Donor Relations team and working to deliver exceptional results for the University. The Development Officer will implement proper recognition and stewardship practices based on the level of donation and gift direction. The Development Officer will: Implement activities for all aspects of the donor development cycle (i.e., understanding the University's strategic priorities and goals, achieving/exceeding annual and multi-year fundraising and performance targets and goals, etc.); Identify, engage, cultivate, solicitate and steward major gifts (between $1,000 to $25,000) prospects to support the needs of the Brock University; Manage an active leadership gifts prospect portfolio as approved through the Prospect Management Guidelines including the development and implementation of cultivation and solicitation strategies for each prospect; Build and cultivate relationships with alumni, key community partners, and members of the community; Liaise with the Development research team to develop and provide background and briefing materials to individuals attending donor meetings; Identify opportunities for senior leaders and other University representatives to participate in development activities; Provide input and support the Development team in formulating and recommending multi-year campaign goals; Prepare updates and reports on major gifts activities and donor visit calls; Coordinate fundraising activities and events and execute marketing and communications plans by identifying sponsorship opportunities and potential donors. Please note this position may be required to attend events and meetings outside of regular business hours to support operational needs. Key Skills and Experience: Undergraduate Degree in a relevant discipline, a valid G class driver's license, and an acceptable driver's abstract; 1-2 years of experience with annual or leadership gifts, fundraising, or other relevant experience with a successful track record soliciting and raising gifts; Proven donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship; Understanding of advancement research and prospect research methodologies; Understanding of fundraising principles and strategies; Strong understanding of relational databases and reporting, and experience with Raiser's Edge NXT database or a similar fundraising database; Solid computer competency including word processing, spreadsheet, database, social media, and internet search engines; Highly developed written and oral communication skills as well as face-to-face relationship building skills; Conflict resolution skills with the ability to communicate tactfully and diplomatically; Team player with the proven ability to build strong relationships and influence individuals at all levels of an organization, as well as external constituents; Strong presentation skills; Excellent time management and organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload in a fast-paced environment with changing deadlines; Strong research, judgement, creative, analytical, and problem solving skills. Preferred or Asset Skills: Experience with an educational institution. Salary and Total Rewards: Job Grade J, Salary Scale ($57,267-91,627); Target Hiring Range: $57,267-$68,000* This is a permanent position that includes: Health & Dental Benefits: Comprehensive extended health, dental, and vision coverage. Pension Plan: Enrollment eligibility in the Brock University Pension Plan. Vacation: Up to 3 weeks per year, in addition to university holidays. Professi