Major Gifts Officer

Reach Hire; Calgary; On-site; CAD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation entitlement

RRSP matching

Health spending account

Extended health & dental benefits

On-site gym access

Development days & staff fund

Job summary

Distress Centre Calgary seeks a Major Gifts Officer to expand philanthropic support for the Basic Needs Fund Collaborative and Distress Centre’s fundraising initiatives. This full-time role leads donor portfolios, writes proposals, and collaborates with leadership to secure investments that improve community well-being.

You will report to the Director of External Relations & Development, work on foundation and corporate grants, and build lasting partnerships with funders and partners to deliver

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in fundraising, philanthropy, nonprofit management, or related field.
• Minimum 5+ years of major gift fundraising experience with donor portfolio management.
• Experience writing grants, cases for support, budgets, and reports for foundations, corporations, or government funders.
• Experience designing stewardship and recognition activities to grow donor engagement.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and execute major gift strategies to meet revenue goals.
• Manage an active portfolio of donors and prospects.
• Create personalized stewardship and updates to illustrate impact.
• Partner with the CEO on priority donor relationships and executive engagement.
• Research and pursue foundation, corporate, government, and other institutional funding.

Skills

Grant writing

Storytelling

Presentation skills

Interpersonal skills

Cultural competency

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in fundraising or philanthropy, nonprofit management

Job description

The Major Gifts Officer reports to the Director, External Relations & Development and is responsible for growing philanthropic support for the Basic Needs Fund (BNF) Collaborative, a partnership between Distress Centre, CUPS, and Rise Calgary, as well as Distress Centre’s broader fundraising initiatives.

Description

This is a Full-Time permanent position starting as soon as possible.

Location & Hours

Work location: On-site at Distress Centre Calgary (999 8 St SW, Suite 500).

Hours: Monday – Friday 9am-5pm , with occasional evenings or weekends as required.

What We Offer

Generous Vacation Entitlement

RRSP matching and Health Spending Account

Extended health and dental benefits

Access to on-site gym (999 site) at no cost

Paid development days and a staff development fund

A supportive, mission-driven workplace where you can grow, take on new challenges, and collaborate with colleagues that value integrity, hard work, and making a meaningful community impact

Who We Are

For over 50 years, Distress Centre has served Calgary and Southern Alberta by providing 24-hour crisis support, information, and resources at no cost. Distress Centre does not define crisis. We do not judge. Anyone can call us day or night.

We are committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace where employees are valued, experience a sense of belonging, and are confident being their most authentic selves. We welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and members of equity-deserving groups. We value all the ways that our community is diverse – in identity, experience and perspective.

What to Expect

The Major Gifts Officer reports to the Director, External Relations & Development and is responsible for growing philanthropic support for the Basic Needs Fund (BNF) Collaborative, a partnership between Distress Centre, CUPS, and Rise Calgary,as well asDistress Centre’s broader fundraising initiatives. In this role, you’ll be a key connector between funders, our collaborative partners, and Distress Centre, helping secure sustainable investment in work that meets people’s basic needs across our community.

You’ll manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, lead grant development, and build lasting relationships with funders and our collaborative partners. You’ll also help show the real community impact of every investment through clear, transparent reporting.

Working closely with our CEO and leadership team, you’ll find new funding opportunities and partnerships that help the BNF Collaborative grow and thrive. If you love building relationships and turning generosity into meaningful change, we’d love to meet you.

What You’ll Do

This list highlights core responsibilities and is not exhaustive. Additional related duties may arise over time and will be discussed and supported by your supervisor.

Major Gifts & Donor Relationships

Build and carry out major gift strategies that help us reach our annual revenue goals

Manage an active portfolio of donors and prospects

Create personalized stewardship, recognition, and updates that show donors the difference they make and inspire renewed and increased giving

Partner with the CEO on priority donor relationships and executive-level engagement

Grants & Institutional Funding

Research foundation, corporate, government, and other institutional funding opportunities

Write compelling proposals, cases for support, and budgets that reflect BNF Collaborative and Distress Centre priorities

Coordinate submissions and keep a healthy pipeline of funding prospects

Partnership, Reporting & Impact

Work closely with partners, our leadership team, and community stakeholders to align priorities and uncover new funding opportunities

Gather impact stories and data that bring our work to life for funders

Keep accurate records of gifts, grants, commitments, outcomes, and return on investment, and coordinate fundraising-related financial reconciliation

Prepare clear reports, presentations, and recommendations for leadership decision-making

What You Bring

A bachelor’s degree in fundraising or philanthropy, nonprofit management, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

5+ years of major gift fundraising experience, including managing a donor portfolio through identification, qualification, solicitation, and stewardship.

Experience writing compelling grant proposals, cases for support, budgets, and reports for foundations, corporations, government, or other institutional funders

Experience designing stewardship and recognition activities that keep donors engaged and growing their support

Proven interpersonal and cultural competency skills to work effectively and respectfully with people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences

Exceptional writing, storytelling, and presentation skills, with the ability to tailor your message to different audiences

Confidence working alongside senior leaders, community partners, donors, and funders to align priorities and build strategic partnerships

Strong organization and sound judgement, with a sharp eye for accuracy when handling fundraising data, financial details, and confidential information

Additional Employment Requirements

As a condition of employment, all successful candidates are required to complete and maintain a Police Information Check. For those in direct service user-facing roles, a Vulnerable Sector Search is also required.

Distress Centre is an inclusive workplace. If you are invited for an interview and require accommodation, please let us know. If you require accommodation during the application process, please call our main office and ask to speak to Human Resources.

We may also use AI-enabled tools to support aspects of the recruitment process. All hiring decisions are made by people and are guided by our commitment to fairness and inclusion.