University of Waterloo

Senior Development Officer

University of Waterloo$87K — $109K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • University degree or equivalent education or experience
  • 3-5 years of progressive fundraising experience
  • Successful record of developing and implementing major gift strategies
  • Understanding of the university environment and fundraising vehicles
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain knowledge of faculty and university activities
  • Coordinate fundraising strategies for various donor sectors
  • Identify and research new prospects for the faculty
  • Create tailored fundraising materials and proposals
  • Establish and maintain relationships with corporate donors

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work within a prestigious academic environment
  • Collaborative team atmosphere
  • Engagement with interdisciplinary projects
  • Professional development opportunities
  • Flexibility in a challenging and fast-paced environment
Full Job Description
Job Requisition ID:


Time Type:
Full time

Employee Group:
Staff

Job Category:
Advancement and Alumni Engagement

Employment Type:
Permanent

Department:
Faculty of Mathematics - Dean of Mathematics Office - Development

Hiring Range:
$87,620.25 - $109,525.32

Posting Information:This posting is for an existing vacancy.

The internal posting deadline for this position is June 25, 2026 at 11:59PM

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

Accountable to the Director of Advancement, Faculty of Mathematics, and working in cooperation with the Development and Alumni Affairs team, the Development Officer will be responsible for the corporate and individual fundraising of gifts within the Faculty of Mathematics. Primary responsibilities carried out as a member of the Development team and as a member of the Faculty of Mathematics, will include: identification, evaluation, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of corporate, foundation and individual donors for the University of Waterloo's Faculty of Mathematics, and interdisciplinary priority projects.

Key Accountabilities

Portfolio & Prospect Management
• Develops and maintains a good working knowledge of the faculty, and the University of Waterloo's activities, priorities and needs in both teaching and research.
• Has a thorough working knowledge of the Faculty of Mathematics fundraising priorities and the University of Waterloo's priority projects and progress.
• Using this knowledge, and in consultation with the Director, coordinates fundraising strategies for the corporate, foundation, and individual sectors, including cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of prospects.
• Actively seeks out new prospects for the faculty and coordinates prospect identification and research activities.
• Has knowledge of giving vehicles and non-complex gifts, refers planned giving.

Communications & Coordination
• Creates fundraising materials suitable for presentation to prospective contributors by soliciting technical content from faculty members and working with the Faculty of Mathematics Communications team, Office of Advancement, Creative Services, and University Relations as required.
• Develops proposals for projects tailored to the specific interests of corporations, foundations, individuals and associations in conjunction with the faculty.
• Maintains/updates the database by ensuring that meeting notes are recorded and significant moves are tracked in the system.
• Gives direction and advice to student fundraising initiatives (including sponsorship) within the Faculty.
• Coordinates special projects and campaigns as assigned.
• Provides functional direction to administrative staff involved in these activities, where applicable.

Relationship Management
• Establishes and maintains relationships with the corporate sector (donations officer, senior officers, etc.), including calls to companies, arranging site visits to campus, special events, announcements, information exchanges.
• Recruits, trains and manages volunteer teams as assigned.
• Supports the work of the Senior Advancement Officer in coordinating communications and building relationships with students, young alumni and graduates.

Required Qualifications

Education
• University degree or equivalent education or experience

Experience
• 3-5 years of progressive fundraising experience in securing major gifts and volunteer recruitment and management and experience with the full scope of development activities including discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, recognition and stewardship at the major gift level.
• Successful record of accomplishment of developing and implementing strategies for major gift solicitations with demonstrated success in personally securing and closing major gifts.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
• Understanding and appreciation of the key role of a university education and in particular Mathematics, and the crucial importance of attracting and retaining the very best talent available (students, faculty, staff).
• Understanding of the university environment including the integration of research and teaching.
• Knowledge of giving vehicles and non-complex gifts.
• Proven competence in project management, multi-tasking, planning, analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, oral and writing skills including the expertise to create promotional materials and proposals.
• Political acumen and problem solving skills are required.
• Willingness to travel and work extended hours as required (some weekends and evenings).
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently and effectively as part of a team with a broad mandate in a fast-paced, highly computerized and challenging environment.
• Knowledge and excellence in working with fundraising software is an asset.
• Demonstrated relationship building skills, excellent time management and proven ability to meet competing deadlines in an organized manner.
• Must have strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Computer literacy and working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Constituent Management Software.
• CFRE or fundraising certificate an asset but not required.
• Willingness to travel and occasional evening and weekend work.

About University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is a public research university with a main campus in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is on 404 hectares of land adjacent to "Uptown" Waterloo and Waterloo Park. The university also operates three satellite campuses and four affiliated university colleges. The university offers academic programs administered by six faculties and thirteen faculty-based schools. Waterloo operates the largest post-secondary co-operative education program in the world, with over 20,000 undergraduate students enrolled in the university's co-op program. Waterloo is a member of the U15, a group of research-intensive universities in Canada. The institution originates from the Waterloo College Associate Faculties, established on 4 April 1956; a semi-autonomous entity of Waterloo College, which was an affiliate of the University of Western Ontario. This entity formally separated from Waterloo College and was incorporated as a university with the passage of the University of Waterloo Act by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1959. It was established to fill the need to train engineers and technicians for Canada's growing postwar economy. It grew substantially over the next decade, adding a faculty of arts in 1960, and the College of Optometry of Ontario, which moved from Toronto in 1967. The university is a co-educational institution, with approximately 36,000 undergraduate and 6,200 postgraduate students enrolled there in 2020. Alumni and former students of the university can be found across Canada and in over 150 countries; with a number of award winners, government officials, and business leaders having been associated with Waterloo. Waterloo's varsity teams, known as the Waterloo Warriors, compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference of the U Sports.
Learn more about University of Waterloo

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