Major Gifts Officer

Outward Bound Canada; Canada; Remote; CAD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Outward Bound Canada is seeking a Major Gifts Officer to enhance philanthropic support through strategic donor engagement. This remote full-time role involves cultivating relationships with major donors and requires strong communication and organizational skills. The ideal candidate will contribute to expanding access to outdoor education for youth across Canada, particularly those facing barriers.

Benefits

Three weeks of paid time off

Additional sick and wellness days

Group RRSP plan

Employer-paid extended health and dental care

Qualifications

• 5–7 years experience in fundraising with major gifts.
• Proven track record in cultivating and closing gifts at $25,000+.

Responsibilities

• Grow philanthropic support through major gifts.
• Cultivate and steward a portfolio of 75–125 donors.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal Skills

Organizational Skills

Education

CFRE or Certificate in Fundraising Management

Tools

NetSuite

Salesforce

Raiser’s Edge

GSuite

Job description

Outward Bound Canada is committed to inclusion and strives to have broad representation that reflects the diversity of Canada. We encourage applications from candidates who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Colour or People of the Global Majority, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and all other equity-deserving groups.

WHO WE ARE

Outward Bound Canada (OBC) is a charity that equips youth for the future through transformative adventures in nature. These experiences develop resilience, social and emotional intelligence, and environmental leadership, preparing youth with skills to contribute to a better, more compassionate, and resilient society.

We are deeply committed to addressing barriers to access and creating opportunities for marginalized populations. We believe in fostering diversity and inclusion so that the outdoor sector reflects the rich diversity of Canada.

THE ROLE

Outward Bound Canada (OBC) is seeking a results-driven and relationship-focused Major Gifts Officer to play a key role in advancing our mission by growing philanthropic support from individuals, foundations, and partners. Reporting to the Co-Executive Director, the Major Gifts Officer will work closely with the development team and staff across the organization to build and steward a robust portfolio of major donors and prospects.

The ideal candidate brings experience in cultivating and soliciting major gifts, excellent communication skills, and a passion for expanding access to transformative outdoor learning experiences. This is an exciting opportunity for a fundraiser who thrives in a collaborative environment and wants to make a meaningful impact on youth across Canada, especially those facing barriers to accessing nature-based education.

what we offer

Location: Remote, with occasional travel to OBCs operating areas
Salary: $70,000-$80,000 annually
Benefits: OBC provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes three weeks of paid time off, additional sick and wellness days, a group RRSP plan, and employer-paid extended health and dental care.
Term: Full Time (37.5 hours/week)
Supervisor: Co-Executive Director
Application Deadline: May 30 th , 2025. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may be scheduled on a rolling basis.
Anticipated Start Date: June 2025

Opportunity for Impact

Major Gifts Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight and growth of OBC’s major gifts portfolio ($25,000+), including five- and six-figure gifts.
• Cultivate and steward a portfolio of 75–125 donors and prospects with a focus on long-term, multi-year giving.
• Use moves management principles to strengthen donor engagement and upgrade giving levels.

Legacy Giving & Special Projects

• Collaborate with the Development Team to align major gifts strategies with broader fundraising and organizational goals.
• Provide donor engagement insights to senior leadership, the Executive Director, Board members, and volunteers.
• Assist with the creation of compelling donor communications and fundraising materials in partnership with Marketing.

Operations & Reporting

• Ensure accurate tracking of donor activity and maintain up-to-date records in the CRM (NetSuite).
• Conduct prospect research and qualification to grow the major donor pipeline.
  Provide timely, relevant reporting and stewardship touchpoints for donors.
• Ensure systems are in place for acknowledgment, recognition, and effective communication.

What You Bring

OBC recognizes relevant skills and knowledge can be gained through volunteer and life experiences as well as professional and educational backgrounds. Please outline in a brief cover letter how you have gained the following experiences, and how you would apply them to this role:

Required Qualifications

• 5–7 years experience in fundraising, with a proven track record in major gifts and/or gift planning.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting, and closing gifts at the $25,000+ level.
• Familiarity with donor cultivation strategies, moves management, and the full donor life cycle.
• Experience working with senior volunteers, executives, and fundraising committees.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build authentic, long-lasting donor relationships.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with donor databases (e.g., NetSuite, Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge), and GSuite.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Flexible, proactive, and able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Willingness to travel, work occasional evenings/weekends, and represent OBC at events.

Assets

• CFRE or Certificate in Fundraising Management
• Familiarity with the Canadian philanthropic landscape
• Passion for the outdoors and youth development

At Outward Bound Canada we believe that communities that have been historically underrepresented in outdoor recreation must be centered in the work we do. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from people who will increase representation, and invite applicants to outline how they will contribute to this in their application.

Application deadline: May 30th, 2025. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may be scheduled on a rolling basis.

Submit your cover letter and resume as one PDF using the application form above. Tell us not just about your qualifications—but how your personal and professional journey aligns with our mission to create more equitable access to the outdoors.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Please let us know if you require accommodations at any stage during the hiring process, please inform us at [e-mail] in advance to arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodation.