Communications Associate

McGill University; Montreal (administrative region); Hybrid; CAD 43,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Defined contribution pension plan

Group RRSP & TFSA

Generous vacation policy

Personal days

Floating holidays

Summer Fridays

Job summary

McGill University located in Montreal seeks a Communications Associate to oversee donor acknowledgements, drafting letters for gifts from $1K to $999,999 and coordinating with senior offices. The role supports the Office of the President, Vice-Chancellor and Advancement units, ensuring high-quality, timely communications.

The position requires strong writing, confidentiality, and collaboration across university teams, with bilingual English/French capabilities and comfort in a dynamic

Qualifications

• DEC III with 3 years related experience or equivalent.
• Undergraduate degree in Journalism, Communications, Digital Communications, English, History, or Liberal Arts preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of donor relations and stewardship in fundraising.
• Excellent written communication and ability to handle confidential information.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Oversee a comprehensive Acknowledgements Program to deepen donor engagement and strengthen relationships.
• Provide guidance on gift acknowledgement standards for centralized and decentralized units.
• Update policies with industry best practices to meet unit needs.
• Liaise with prospect managers to draft timely, high-quality letters for various gift levels.
• Draft personalized correspondence on behalf of senior university leaders.

Skills

Excellent written communication skills

Bilingual English and French

Ability to manage multiple projects

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Education

DEC in Literature & Communication

Undergraduate degree in Journalism/Communications/Digital Communications/English/History/Liberal Arts

Tools

MS Office

Job description

About University Advancement

University Advancement (UA) promotes McGill to its global community and to the public, engaging alumni, volunteers and friends of the University, and building on McGill’s record of fundraising success in support of University priorities.

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Donor Communications Manager, the Communications Associate will oversee a comprehensive Acknowledgements Program in support of the Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Office of the VP Advancement, and other University Advancement (UA) Units. The incumbent will provide guidance on processes and best practices with respect to gift acknowledgements for partners across the University and within UA.

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversee a comprehensive Acknowledgements Program to deepen donor engagement and strengthen relationships between the University’s donors and prospects and McGill. This includes, but is not limited to, researching information pertaining to the donor and their gift and creating acknowledgement letters of $100K-$249,999 gifts from the VP of University Advancement and acknowledgement letters from the President for gifts of $250K-$999,999, drafting ad-hoc acknowledgements ($1K-$99,999) on behalf of the VP University Advancement and creating letters for university-wide gifts of $25K - $99K.
• Provide information and expertise on gift acknowledgement standards and best practices for all colleagues located centrally in Advancement and throughout all decentralized units.
• Ensure the Acknowledgement Program policies and procedures are updated based on best practices within the industry and in accordance with then unit’s business needs.
• Liaise with prospect managers to provide support in drafting acknowledgement letters and to ensure that strategically considered, high-quality acknowledgement letters are delivered in a timely fashion.
• Research and write personal customized correspondence on behalf of the President and Vice-Chancellor and Vice-Principal, University Advancement, this may include, but is not limited to, drafting congratulatory notes, letters of condolences and other general correspondences addressed to donors and prospects.
• Provide guidance to a work-study student in the execution of mailing and ad-hoc projects, including drafting initial letters, data maintenance, mailing, and preparation of other materials.
• Undertake special projects and perform related duties.

Other Qualifying Skills and/or Abilities

• DEC in Literature & Communication.
• Undergraduate Degree Journalism, Communications, Digital Communications, English, History, or Liberal Arts a preferred asset.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience of the function of donor relations and stewardship in fundraising.
• Work experience in advancement communications, marketing communications or journalism.
• Excellent written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment and to manage multiple projects within tightly prescribed timetables.
• High detail orientation.
• Demonstrated ability to monitor and double-check work and information for accuracy and quality.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a PC environment using MS Office.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work with sensitive information; evidence of initiative, independent judgment, tact, diplomacy, creativity, curiosity, and tenacity.
• Ability to work as part of a team and the ability to manage relationships with a diverse group of colleagues with differing mandates and objectives.
• Ability to work collegially in a decentralized organization.
• English and French, spoken and written.

Additional Information

Testing may be administered. This is a term appointment until October 2027.

Competitive benefits package

• Health, Dental, Life Insurance (if eligible)
• Defined contribution pension plan (with employer contribution up to 10%) (if eligible)
• Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)
• Competitive vacation policy
• Two (2) personal days
• Two (2) floating holidays
• Nine (9) "Summer Fridays" - paid days off between the St-Jean Baptiste holiday and Labour Day
• Paid time off over the December holiday period
• Tuition waiver for regular employees and their dependents
• Up to two (2) days of remote work per week where the position permits

Minimum Education and Experience

DEC III 3 Years Related Experience / Hourly Salary: (MUNACA Level G) $31.19 - $38.65 Hours per Week: 33.75 (Full time)

Supervisor

Donor Comunications Manager

Position End Date (If applicable)

2027-10-01

Deadline to Apply

2026-08-28

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities.

McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, [e-mail].

Located in one of the world’s great multicultural and multilingual cities, McGill University is internationally recognized for its excellence as a leading institution of higher education and research. For nearly 200 years, through the work of dedicated people, McGill has been breaking ground in diverse fields and contributing solutions to some of the world’s most significant issues. McGillians are proud to be part of a community that is both global and local, inspired by challenge and committed to shaping a better future.