Associate Director, Philanthropy & Development

YWCA Calgary; Calgary; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee assistance plan

3 weeks vacation

Personal days

Sick days

Birthday day off

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

YWCA Calgary is seeking an Associate Director, Philanthropy & Development, a senior leader responsible for translating our philanthropic strategy into actionable plans and sustainable revenue growth. You will lead philanthropy operations, build donor relationships, and guide executive-level fundraising initiatives.

The role requires a track record as a fundraiser and people leader, with strategic thinking and disciplined execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with senior fundraising experience.
• CFRE designation and AFP membership are assets.
• Proven success in multi-channel fundraising and donor stewardship.

Responsibilities

• Develop fundraising plans aligned with organizational priorities and strategy.
• Lead multi-channel programs: annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, and events.
• Set annual work plans with measurable goals and monitor results.
• Grow revenue, diversify the donor pipeline, and improve retention.
• Support campaign planning and executive-level donor relations.
• Ensure ethical fundraising practices and compliance.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Donor relations

Strategic planning

Budgeting

CRM systems

Moves management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in fundraising or related field

CFRE designation (assets)

Tools

Fundraising CRM systems

Data governance

Job description

The Associate Director, Philanthropy & Development is a senior leadership role responsible for translating YWCA Calgary's philanthropic strategy into focused plans, strong team performance and sustainable revenue growth. Reporting to the Vice President, Advancement & Engagement, this role provides day‑to‑day leadership for philanthropy operations and works across the organization to build a strong culture of philanthropy.

The successful candidate is an experienced fundraiser and people leader who combines strategic thinking with disciplined execution. They build trusted relationships with donors, prospects and community partners; use data and sound judgement to guide decisions; and bring an equity‑centered, collaborative approach to leadership. The Associate Director also maintains an active donor portfolio and supports the Vice President and CEO with key donor and partner relationships.

What We Offer

• Truly rewarding work; contribute to lasting, positive change for individuals and our community
• A supportive team environment and opportunities for professional development
• Comprehensive benefits including an employee assistance plan
• Paid time off (for eligible roles; prorated based on start date and FTE status) includes:
• 3 weeks of paid vacation
• 6 personal days
• 12 sick days
• A paid day off to celebrate your birthday

What You’ll Do

Fund Development Strategy and Revenue Growth

• Partner with the Vice President, Advancement & Engagement, to develop short-, intermediate-, and long-term fundraising plans aligned with YWCA Calgary's strategy and annual priorities
• Lead the execution of integrated fundraising programs across annual giving, mid-level giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate partnerships, signature and third-party events, grants, and other revenue opportunities
• Establish clear annual work plans, goals, measures, and accountabilities for fundraising portfolios; monitor progress and adjust approaches based on results
• Identify opportunities to grow and diversify revenue, strengthen the donor pipeline, and improve donor retention, renewal, and movement across giving levels
• Contribute to campaign planning and lead assigned campaigns and priority fundraising initiatives
• Ensure fundraising practices reflect donor-centered principles, ethical standards, organizational policies, and relevant regulatory requirements

Donor and Prospect Leadership

• Maintain an active portfolio of priority donors and prospects, with responsibility for discovery, cultivation, solicitation, recognition, and stewardship
• Develop tailored engagement strategies and funding requests that connect donor interests with YWCA Calgary priorities and demonstrate the value of philanthropic partnership
• Support the Vice President and CEO with strategy development, briefing materials, proposals, meetings, and follow-up activities for executive-level donor relationships
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with donors, prospects, foundations, corporations, professional advisors, and community partners
• Represent YWCA Calgary at donor meetings, tours, events, presentations, and community engagements
• Ensure donor commitments, recognition requirements, reports, and stewardship activities are documented and completed accurately and on time

Financial Management and Risk

• Develop assigned revenue and expense budgets in partnership with the Vice President and Finance and manage spending within approved parameters
• Monitor financial performance, forecasts, commitments, and variances; recommend corrective actions as needed

People Leadership

• Provide clear direction, coaching, and accountability so team members understand priorities, goals, decision-making authority, and how their work contributes to organizational strategy
• Build an engaged, collaborative, and high-performing team through strong relationships and by fostering a respectful, trauma-informed, and psychologically safe work environment
• Lead or support recruitment, onboarding, goal setting, performance development, succession planning, and cross-training initiatives

Organizational Leadership and Culture of Philanthropy

• Contribute as a senior leader to organizational planning, change initiatives, and cross-functional projects
• Build understanding across YWCA Calgary of how philanthropy supports the organization's mission and how employees and leaders contribute to positive donor and stakeholder experiences
• Provide thoughtful advice and guidance on donor relationships, fundraising opportunities, ethical considerations, and reputational risk

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in fundraising, nonprofit management, business, communications, public relations, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and senior-level experience
• A CFRE designation and active membership in the Association of Fundraising Professionals are considered assets

Qualifications

• Seven to ten years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including senior leadership, people leadership and accountability for significant revenue goals
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing multi-channel fundraising strategies and achieving fundraising targets
• Proven experience managing donor and prospect relationships through cultivation, solicitation, stewardship and renewal, including major gift relationships
• Experience leading and developing teams, managing change and working effectively across functions
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, revenue analysis and risk management
• Experience with fundraising CRM systems, data governance, moves management and performance reporting

If you want to change lives, we want to hear from you.

Deadline: until a successful candidate is found

YWCA Calgary is committed to providing an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace where all employees, volunteers and clients feel valued and respected, whatever their race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, ancestry, or place of origin.

Privacy statement: Personal information is managed in accordance with Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and other applicable laws and we are committed to safeguarding your personal information. During the recruitment process personal information is collected for the purpose of people practice management. Privacy inquiries can be directed to the attention of the Privacy Officer at [e-mail].