Philanthropy & Fund Development Manager

United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Limited; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work options

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Limited is seeking a Philanthropy & Fund Development Manager to design and implement fundraising strategies for a newly established rural-focused charity. You will cultivate donors, sponsors, foundations, and community partners across Alberta and Western Canada.

The role emphasizes relationship-building, travel to communities, and building a sustainable funding model to achieve long-term impact in rural and agricultural communities.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in Business, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Nonprofit Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 5–10 years of experience in philanthropy, fundraising, sponsorship acquisition, or related areas.
• Experience securing revenue via sponsorships, grants, or major gifts.
• Experience building external relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience with charitable/nonprofit organizations is required.
• CFRE designation or progress toward it is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive philanthropy and fund development strategy aligned with the charity's mission and growth objectives.
• Build and maintain a diversified funding portfolio including individual giving, major gifts, corporate sponsorships, grants, and foundations.
• Identify funding trends, partnerships, and opportunities for long-term sustainability.
• Travel regularly to meet with donors and stakeholders across Alberta and Western Canada.
• Represent the charity at community events, industry conferences, and stakeholder meetings.
• Develop donor engagement and stewardship strategies and reporting practices.

Skills

Relationship-building

Networking

Interpersonal skills

Storytelling

Proposals

Strategic thinking

CRM experience

Grant funding knowledge

Education

Post-secondary education in Business/Communications/Marketing

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

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Job Summary:

Reporting to the Sr. Manager, Community Impact, the Philanthropy & Fund Development Manager is responsible for developing and implementing fundraising and philanthropic strategies that support the growth, sustainability, and impact of a newly established charitable organization focused on strengthening rural communities and supporting the people and communities connected to agriculture.

This role provides dedicated fundraising, donor engagement, sponsorship, and grant development support to the charity while remaining an integral member of UFA's Community Impact team. The position will cultivate relationships with donors, sponsors, foundations, community organizations, and industry stakeholders while helping establish a sustainable funding model that enables the charity to achieve its mission and long-term impact goals.

This is a unique opportunity to help build a charitable organization from the ground up and play a key role in shaping its long-term success and impact across rural and agricultural communities.

Success in this role requires a passion for relationship building and a willingness to spend time in the communities the charity serves. The successful candidate will be energized by connecting with donors, producers, community leaders, industry partners, and stakeholders across Alberta and Western Canada.

Key Responsibilities:

Philanthropy & Fund Development Strategy

• Develop and implement a comprehensive philanthropy and fund development strategy aligned with the charity's mission, strategic priorities, and growth objectives.
• Build and maintain a diversified funding portfolio that includes individual giving, major gifts, corporate sponsorships, grants, foundations, community fundraising, and emerging revenue opportunities.
• Identify and evaluate funding trends, partnerships, and opportunities that support long-term sustainability.
• Establish fundraising goals, performance measures, and stewardship practices.
• Support the development of fundraising policies, processes, and procedures aligned with philanthropic best practices.
• Monitor fundraising performance and recommend adjustments to achieve annual revenue targets.

Donor & Philanthropic Relationship Management

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and philanthropic prospects.
• Build and manage a pipeline of individual, corporate, foundation, and community-based supporters.
• Develop donor engagement and stewardship strategies that encourage long-term support and retention.
• Create meaningful recognition and reporting practices that demonstrate the impact of donor investments.
• Travel regularly to meet with donors, supporters, and prospective funders across the regions served by the charity.
• Represent the charity at community events, industry conferences, agricultural gatherings, and stakeholder meetings.

Corporate Sponsorship & Community Investment - Charity

• Develop and manage relationships with agricultural businesses, suppliers, industry partners, cooperatives, community organizations, and prospective sponsors.
• Create compelling sponsorship and partnership proposals that align partner interests with community impact objectives.
• Secure financial and in-kind support for charitable initiatives and programs.
• Ensure sponsors and supporters receive meaningful recognition and engagement opportunities.
• Serve as an ambassador for the charity by maintaining a visible presence within rural and agricultural communities.
• Research, evaluate, and pursue grant opportunities from foundations, charitable trusts, government programs, and other funding organizations.
• Lead the development, coordination, and submission of grant applications and funding proposals.
• Support reporting and compliance requirements associated with funding agreements.
• Maintain strong relationships with grantors and funding partners.

Charity & Board Support

• Work collaboratively with the charity's leadership and Board of Directors to advance fundraising priorities.
• Prepare fundraising reports, presentations, and updates for Board and committee meetings.
• Support volunteer engagement activities related to fundraising and donor stewardship for the Charity.
• Provide recommendations and expertise regarding fundraising opportunities and best practices.
• Support Board members in donor, sponsor, and community engagement activities where appropriate.

Data, Reporting & Administration

• Establish & maintain accurate donor, funder, and prospect information within CRM and fundraising systems.
• Develop and monitor fundraising metrics, dashboards, and pipeline reports.
• Track fundraising performance against goals and provide regular status updates.
• Ensure appropriate documentation, stewardship records, and donor reporting are maintained.
• Analyze fundraising results and identify opportunities to improve effectiveness and donor engagement.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Post‑secondary education in Business, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Nonprofit Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 5-10 years of experience in philanthropy, fundraising, business development, sponsorship acquisition, account management, relationship management, or partnership development.
• Demonstrated success in securing revenue, sponsorships, grants, donations, major gifts, or strategic investments.
• Experience building and managing external relationships and influencing diverse stakeholders.
• Experience working with charitable or nonprofit organizations is required.
• Experience presenting to Sr. Leaders and/or Board members is considered an asset.
• CFRE designation, or progress toward a CFRE designation, is considered an asset.

Knowledge & Skills

• Exceptional relationship-building, networking, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and storytelling abilities.
• Experience developing proposals, sponsorship packages, business cases, grant applications, or funding proposals.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate ideas into action.
• Experience using CRM, donor management, sales, or relationship management systems.
• Knowledge of Canadian charitable fundraising practices and donor stewardship principles is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships across geographically dispersed communities and stakeholder groups.

Working Conditions

• Regular travel throughout Alberta is required.
• Periodic travel throughout Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Manitoba and other locations is required.
• Some evening and weekend work is required to support community events, donor meetings, conferences, and Board activities.
• Occasional overnight travel is expected.
• Valid driver's license and the ability to travel independently are required.

You and UFA. Let’s Grow Together.

UFA is one of Canada’s largest and most progressive agricultural co-operatives. We’re a multi‑billion‑dollar organization that offers the products, services, and support our 127,000+ members need to build, grow and succeed. While our roots will always be in agriculture, we’re proud to support the industries and communities that drive Western Canada’s economy. We need your skills, expertise and ideas to help us keep growing.

• A Business with a Purpose - Join a member‑owned co‑operative with a mission that matters: improving the well‑being of our members, helping them feed the world, and enabling investment in local communities.
• Recognized and Rewarded for Your Performance - At UFA, success is shared. You’ll own your work and be recognized for both individual and organizational results.
• Work‑Life Success - We prioritize safety, respect your time, and offer flexible options and comprehensive benefits to support your life inside and outside of work.
• We Help Each Other Grow - Our collaborative culture fosters growth through hands‑on experience, mentorship, training, educational support, and diverse career paths.

Diversity Equity, and Belonging

At UFA, we care about our employees and what makes them unique. We strive to create an inclusive environment that welcomes employees from diverse backgrounds, where everyone can do their best work. If you require accommodation during the application or selection process, please contact [e-mail] .

Stay Connected

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.