Donor Relations Officer – MLSE Foundation

MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Partnership); Toronto; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus and benefits

Job summary

MLSE Foundation is seeking a Donor Relations Officer to manage an annual major gifts pipeline and support its Major Gifts and Foundations portfolios. You will handle end-to-end donor lifecycle from cultivation to stewardship, helping MLSE Foundation reach its ~$4.5M annual goal.

The role collaborates with Finance, Programs, Communications and senior leadership, coordinates donor experiences, and ensures high-quality proposals and donor communications aligned with our brand.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years in fundraising, donor relations, major gifts, or related fields.
• Exceptional writing skills with donor proposals and stewardship communications.
• Strong relationship building with high-net-worth individuals, board members, and leadership ambassadors.
• Experience with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and pipeline discipline.
• High level of professionalism, sound judgment, and ability to maintain confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Major Gifts Portfolio Management: manage a $1M portfolio with qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Cross Portfolio Fundraising Support: support Leadership Ambassadors and collaborate with teams.
• Proposal Development & Donor Communications: lead or support high-quality proposals and donor reports.
• Pipeline & CRM Leadership: oversee forecasting, movement tracking, and Salesforce data entry.
• Internal Collaboration & Stewardship Excellence: partner with Finance, Programs, Communications and leadership.

Skills

Fundraising

Proposal writing

Donor relations

CRM Salesforce

Stakeholder management

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Powered by Passion. United by Purpose. Build for Impact.

At Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Partnership (MLSE), we exist to deliver the ultimate fan experience by lifting trophies, spirits, and communities – united as one.

We're more than a workplace. We are a team of passionate people, boldly building the future of sport and entertainment, together. We believe in the power of play, the strength of collaboration, and the energy that comes from showing up with purpose.

From the ice to the pitch, the hardwood to the digital arena, we’re proud to be the driving force behind the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), the Toronto Raptors (NBA), Toronto FC (MLS), Toronto Argonauts (CFL) and development teams with the Toronto Marlies (AHL), Raptors 905 (NBA G League), Toronto FC II (MLS NEXT Pro League) and Raptors Uprising Gaming Club, the Toronto Raptors Esports franchise in the NBA 2K League.

We bring these teams – and world-class entertainment – to life at our iconic venues, including Scotiabank Arena, BMO Field, Coca-Cola Coliseum, Ford Performance Centre, BMO Training Ground, and OVO Athletic Centre. Off the field, we serve up elevated dining at e11even, Real Sports, and our signature club spaces like Hot Stove Club, ScotiaClub, and Platinum Club.

Through MLSE Foundation and MLSE LaunchPad, we use the power of sport to help youth facing barriers reach their full potential. Since 2009, we’ve invested more than $45 million into Ontario communities -- and we’re just getting started.

This is what it means to be One MLSE: a culture where everyone plays a role, everyone belongs, and everyone contributes to something bigger than themselves.

So, if you're ready to play with purpose, grow with passion, and win as one, we’d love to have you on our team.

• We know that great candidates come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Even if you do not meet every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply. Your unique perspective, transferable skills, and lived experience may be exactly what we’re looking for.

Job Description

About MLSE Foundation

MLSE Foundation believes in the power of sport to change lives. With the support of MLSE’s teams and community partners, we invest in programming, capital projects, and partnerships that expand opportunity for Youth across Ontario. As MLSE Foundation deepens its major gifts work, this role plays a pivotal part in strengthening donor relationships and fueling long term philanthropic growth.

Position Overview

The Donor Relations Officer manages and advances an annual major gifts pipeline of donors typically in the $25K–$100K range that supports the success of MLSE Foundation’s Major Gifts and Foundations portfolios.

This role contributes directly to the overall ~$4.5M annual Major Gifts target, providing end-to-end donor lifecycle support from cultivation through solicitation and stewardship‑to‑end donor lifecycle support.

The Donor Relations Officer acts as a senior fundraising resource to the Director, Fund Development, supporting leadership ambassador activity, high value donor engagement, and cross portfolio major gift opportunities.

Responsibilities

Major Gifts Portfolio Management

• Manage and advance a $1M portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, ensuring disciplined movement through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Conduct donor meetings, create customized cultivation plans, and collaborate with senior leaders on high value solicitations.
• Identify prospects for multi-year commitments aligned with organizational priorities.

Cross Portfolio Fundraising Support‑Portfolio Fundraising Support

• Serve as a senior resource in preparing Leadership Ambassadors for donor meetings, briefings, and strategic follow-ups.
• Support cross portfolio opportunities by collaborating with colleagues in Community Engagement, Events, and Partnerships.
• Participate in developing donor strategies for fundraising milestones and priority funding opportunities.

Proposal Development & Donor Communications

• Lead and/or support the creation of high-quality proposals, cases for support, tailored donor packages, impact reports, and stewardship materials.
• Draft compelling donor correspondence, briefing notes, and reports.
• Ensure donor communications are timely, personalized, and aligned with MLSE Foundation’s brand and voice.

Pipeline & CRM Leadership

• Lead disciplined pipeline management practices, including forecasting, weekly movement tracking, and portfolio reporting.
• Play a central role in CRM (Salesforce) implementation and optimization, ensuring consistent, accurate data entry.
• Manage donor and constituent data, ensuring accuracy, integrity, completeness, and ongoing database quality through regular reviews and updates.
• Support the adoption of prospect management standards and donor journey workflows.

Internal Collaboration & Stewardship Excellence

• Partner with Finance, Programs, Communications, and senior leadership to ensure seamless donor stewardship and accurate reporting.
• Coordinate donor experiences such as events, site visits, recognition moments, and tailored engagement opportunities.
• Model best practices in donor relations that reflect MLSE Foundation’s values of equity, excellence, and community impact.

Qualifications

Must Have Experience & Skills‑Have Experience & Skills

• 3–5+ years in fundraising, donor relations, major gifts, or related fields.
• Exceptional writing skills with a track record of producing donor proposals and stewardship communications.
• Strong relationship building skills with the ability to work comfortably with high-net-worth individuals, board members, and leadership ambassadors.
• Experience with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and strong pipeline discipline.
• High level of professionalism, sound judgment, and ability to maintain confidentiality.

Nice to Have Skills‑to‑Have Skills

• Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of major gift prospects at the $25K–$100K level.
• Experience supporting or participating in campaigns or multiyear fundraising initiatives.
• Knowledge of sport for development or youth-focused organizations.
• Ability to translate technical, programmatic, or impact data into compelling donor narratives.

Monday, August 31

Job Posting Compensation Range/Rate

$60,000-$70,000

Bonus, vacation, competitive benefits, and many exciting perks are also included.

We’re glad you’re here.

At MLSE, we are committed to building an equitable, diverse and inclusive organization. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. MLSE will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in the job application process. If you have difficulty using our online application system and you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email [e-mail]. This email is only for accommodation requests. Resumes sent to this email address will not be considered.