Planned Giving Estates Officer (contract)

Doctors Without Borders Canada; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 71,000; Full time

Job summary

A humanitarian organization is seeking a Planned Giving Estates Officer in Montreal to manage a portfolio of over 300 estates. This role involves relationship management with executors and lawyers, ensuring compliance with regulations, and contributing to fundraising goals. Ideal candidates should have experience in fundraising, bilingual proficiency in English and French, and strong communication skills. Offered benefits include flexible work hours, vacation, and health insurance, with a hybrid work model requiring at least 40% in-office presence.

Benefits

4 weeks' vacation

Flexible work hours

Health Spending Account

Group insurance

Qualifications

• Manage a portfolio of over 300 open estates.
• Demonstrate professional experience in fundraising.
• Build strong relationships with executors, lawyers, and advisors.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the administration of estates in the portfolio.
• Work with the Planned Giving Manager on potential issues.
• Devise and implement stewardship plans.

Skills

Proficiency in English and French

Strong database management skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Ability to work independently and in a team

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Understanding of Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression practices

Education

Relevant professional experience in fundraising or direct marketing

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Job description

Planned Giving Estates Officer (contract)

Applications will be accepted until 9:00am EDT on Tuesday, 23 December 2025

Salary Grade: Level 14 - $70,676 in starting year (12 month contract)

At the core of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Canada’s identity is a commitment to medical ethics, independence, neutrality, and impartiality. We go where people’s medical needs are greatest. These ideals have driven every aspect of our work – from medical care and logistical coordination, to finance and communications – since MSF was established in 1971.

The Planned Giving Estates Officer manages the estates portfolio of MSF Canada’s legacy program, overseeing the administration and status of over 300+ estates to contribute to raising over $19 million of unrestricted funding. Using their relationship management, negotiation, and compliance skills, the Planned Giving Estates Officer is responsible for building meaningful relationships with executors, lawyers, and professional advisors, as well as devising and implementing a strong stewardship plan to maintain these relationships.

MSF Canada is looking for someone to:

• Build strong relationships with family and friend executors, as well as lawyers, notaries, and trust officers. Manage these sensitive relationships with tact, empathy and compassion while simultaneously achieving ambitious Fundraising goals.
• Escalate when executors do not operate with integrity and adhere to donor wishes outlined in the will, applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies. Work with Planned Giving Manager to elevate potential issues and outsource decision making to legal counsel.
• Supervise the day-to-day functioning of the estate's portfolio, administration, projects, and stewardship, ensuring the efficient and effective administration of estates.
• Manage a portfolio of over 300 open estates, keeping track of the status of each one, following up with old, extraordinary, and/or complex estates, and escalating when needed.

The successful candidate will bring MSF Canada:

• Proficiency in English and French
• Strong database management skills, specifically in Raiser's Edge
• Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to build excellent working relationships with donors, colleagues, field workers, and suppliers to attain goals.
• Capacity to work both independently and with a dynamic team in a fast-paced office environment
• Ability to analyze and synthesize complex and sensitive material and use it to make sound decisions on behalf of MSF and well-informed messages to donors.
• Demonstrated professional experience in fundraising, planned giving or direct marketing, or equivalent related experience.
• Experience in all aspects of donor cultivation (research, writing, follow-up, and stewardship)
• Experience working with donors, foundation staff, and/or board members.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong understanding of Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression practices and ethics through education or lived experience.

A detailed job description is available HERE.

MSF Canada will provide:

• Starting 4 weeks' of vacation per year
• Access to an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
• Flexible work hours and a hybrid working model (minimum 40% in office)
• An accessible open concept, shared office space with bookable workstations (consisting of sit/stand desks, swivel chair, laptop with dock and double monitors) and various-sized meeting rooms
• A commitment to incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything
• 5% RRSP contributions (no employee matching required)
• Health Spending Account
• Group insurance (Life, Dependent Life, AD&D)
• Peace of Mind plan (prescription drugs, accidental dental, hospital care, etc.)
• A positive and innovative office culture based on core values of humanity, integrity and results

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada; MSF Canada is not able to support or relocate candidates from outside Canada.

NOTE: Any questions or concerns regarding accommodation and accessibility may be addressed to [e-mail].

MSF adopts a safeguarding culture where personnel and communities are and feel safe and valued throughout their involvement with the organization, where individuals know who to go to with any concerns and are confident that they will be listened to and heard without personal or professional repercussions, and where the organization strives to adopt the highest standards of practice across all areas of safeguarding rather than setting for the minimum standard in order to be legally compliant.

The position requires a hybrid working policy: candidates must work at least 40% in office each week (2 days). Candidates residing in Toronto or Montreal must confirm the ability to meet this requirement.

Applicants outside Canada will not be considered.