Senior Specialist, Donor Relations

uottawa; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 96,000 - 121,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Ottawa Advancement seeks a seasoned professional to define high-level stewardship strategies for major donors, analyzing motivations and priorities to align donor interests with institutional goals. The role prioritizes timely, impactful stewardship while managing reputational risks across complex files.

You will tailor recognition approaches, anticipate sensitivities, and shape an integrated donor experience to strengthen relationships and sustainable giving.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent in donor or stakeholder relations.

Responsibilities

• Expert advisory and strategic guidance to stakeholders across the University on donor relations and recognition programs.
• Lead stewardship planning, donor agreements, impact reporting, and signature recognition initiatives for high-level donors.
• Analyze donor regulations, procedures, and DR processes and implement improvements with standardized documentation.
• Develop donor proposals and customized impact reports to support stewardship and gifting initiatives.
• Ensure quality assurance of stewardship activities and coordinate DR processes across faculties.

Skills

Donor relations

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Data analysis

Education

Undergraduate communications degree or equivalent

Job description

• Posting Reason: Temporary replacement of a regular position


• Job Type: Employee


• Anticipated Duration in Months (for contracts and temporary assignments): 30


• Job Family: Advancement and Alumni Relations


• # of Open Positions: 1


• Faculty/Service - Department: Donor Relations and Gift Processing


• Campus: Main Campus


• Union Affiliation: SSUO


• Date Posted (YYYY/MM/DD): 2026/08/20


• Applications must be received BEFORE (YYYY/MM/DD): 2026/08/31


• Hours per week: 35


• Salary Grade: SSUO Grade 11


• Salary Range: $95 594,00 - $120 750,00

University Advancement plays a pivotal role in fostering meaningful connections between the University and its alumni, donors, and partners. Our team is dedicated to advancing the University's mission by securing philanthropic support, engaging with our vibrant alumni community, and building partnerships that drive innovation and excellence. Through strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts, we help shape the future of the University, ensuring that it continues to thrive as a leading institution of higher education and research. Together, we empower our students, faculty and researchers to make a lasting impact on the world.

Position Purpose:

The Incumbent is responsible to define high-level stewardship strategies for major and principal donors by analyzing donor motivations, long-term potential, and institutional priorities; tailors recognition and engagement approaches to strengthen alignment between donor interests and the University's strategic objectives; anticipates risks, sensitivities, and reputation considerations in complex donor files; prioritizes actions and adjusts timelines to ensure timely and impactful stewardship; and shapes an integrated stewardship experience that deepens trust, enhances donor satisfaction, and supports sustainable relationship growth.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

• Expert Advisory and Strategic Guidance: Provides expert-level advice and consulting services to stakeholders across the University, acting as a subject matter expert in donor relations (DR) processes, stewardship practices, and high-level recognition initiatives. Advises senior administrators, development officers, and faculty partners on the design, implementation, and continual improvement of stewardship and recognition programs, ensuring alignment with sector best practices. Conducts comparative analyses of DR programs at leading national and international institutions to inform strategic decision-making and support the evolution of institutional stewardship practices.


• Project Management and Planning: Identifies opportunities to enhance stewardship and recognition activities across the University. Leads the development, execution of stewardship plans, proposals, donor agreements, impact reporting, and signature recognition initiatives. Collects, analyzes, and interprets data to inform continuous improvement efforts and provides actionable recommendations to senior leadership. Manages a portfolio of high-level donors on behalf of the University leadership, ensuring donor expectations, recognized, and aligned with institutional priorities.


• Process Analysis: Researches improvements to DR regulations, procedures and the development and implementation of enhancements, recommending solutions to meet strategic objectives. Communicates and validates solutions with management and other stakeholders in order to maximize the fit and effectiveness of proposed solutions while minimizing the impact of obstacles. Creates and maintains standardized operational documentation for processes within DR's jurisdiction.


• Donor Agreements and Impact Reporting: Develops donor proposals, and customized impact reports to support cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies. Advises on principle gift agreements such as chairs and pan-university initiatives to ensure alignment with the University strategic goals and successful gift implementation. Ensures that donor intent and commitments are accurately interpreted across the University. Provides expert guidance to internal stakeholders on compliance with institutional, governmental, and sector regulations related to giving. Establishes and implements accountability mechanisms that protect the integrity of philanthropic processes and uphold the institution's obligations to donors.


• Quality Assurance: Ensures the optimal management of stewardship and high-level recognition activities and other responsibilities proper to DR. This entails the development and oversight of procedures and communications to ensure a successful and thriving donor experience. Coordinates University-wide DR processes and provides advice to faculties and other stakeholders to ensure the proper interpretation of DR guidelines and regulations, with a focus on best practices.

What you will bring:

An undergraduate communications degree or equivalent combination of education and related experience in donor or stakeholder relations prefe