Senior Development Officer

Description

About us:

U of T Mississauga—the second largest campus of Canada’s top-ranked university and the only research university in Ontario’s booming Peel Region—is one of the world’s great catalysts of human potential.

Our employee community hums with the energy of 3,400 faculty, librarians and staff, who power our campus with curiosity, connection and care. We work together to spark life-changing research and innovation, make an indelible mark on the world by building equitable cities and societies, enable healthy lives, create a sustainable future and ignite entrepreneurship. Above all, we prioritize student success, and seek to give our 16,500 students the lift of a lifetime through learning and discovery. We love to open opportunities available nowhere else for our community to achieve their ambitions and make their unique contributions to Canada and the world.

This work all comes together on a spectacularly green campus, alongside the Missinihe-ziibi (Trusting Creek or Credit River), where we seek to honour truth, reciprocity and reconciliation on the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, Seneca and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We’re thrilled to welcome those who want to learn more about us and to be part of what we do.

Your opportunity:

As Senior Development Officer (SDO) you will be a key member of a team of dynamic advancement professionals working under the general direction of the Director of Development. You will also join a distinguished group of specialists who are devoted to the highest standards of work and motivated to advance the mission of the University of Toronto. As a U of T employee, you will enjoy the many benefits that come from working at an institution consistently ranked as one of Canada’s top 100 employers.

As SDO you will be responsible for identifying and cultivating prospective donors at the major gift level. Drawing on your strong relationship building and management skills you will maintain a robust portfolio of donors and prospective donors (individuals and organizations). You will be responsible for solicitations and ensuring proper stewardship takes place following a gift to maintain the donor's interest and support. You will be involved in training and working alongside volunteers in fundraising activities. As the incumbent, you will work closely with other members of the UTM Advancement team, academic leaders, senior volunteers, and Division of University Advancement colleagues to structure gift opportunities and realize the success of the fundraising program. You will be comfortable working in a fast-paced and high-performance environment as the Defy Gravity campaign continues to reach new heights. You will be an individual passionate about working at Canada’s top university, dedicated to inclusive excellence, and driven by a commitment to making a positive impact.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Identifying prospective donors at the major gift level ($50,000 and above); designing and executing the necessary steps to bring a prospective donor to make a major financial commitment to the University
• Collaborating closely with academic leaders to identify and construct compelling funding opportunities
• Meeting face-to-face with current and prospective donors to discuss giving interests and funding proposals
• Working closely with faculty members and volunteers on appropriate prospective donor solicitation strategies
• Managing donor relations by developing and implementing customized stewardship plans and strategies to sustain donor engagement
• Writing donor-facing materials such as funding proposals, acknowledgements and recognition communications; drafting briefing notes, solicitation plans and call reports

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree or acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
• Minimum five years experience in a staff fundraising role with proven track record of success in managing a substantial pool of major gift donors and prospective donors
• Demonstrated experience in the identification, cultivation, solicitation of donors and prospective donors, preferably at the $50,000+ level
• Proven ability to manage and motivate high net worth prospective donors, alumni and volunteers
• Exceptional interpersonal, spoken and written communication skills
• Evidence of strong initiative, tact, diplomacy, judgement and decision making in complex environments with competing priorities
• Strong organizational and analytical skills; keen attention to detail
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and results-oriented environment
• Effective team player who values collaboration

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Accountable
• Communicator
• Goal oriented
• Resilient
• Self-directed
• Tactful

Closing Date: 10/26/2026, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 15 -- $101,242 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $129,471. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.
Job Category: Administrative / Managerial

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

Job descriptions are available upon request for internal applicants.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.

Job Segment: Sustainability, Fundraising, Equity, Energy, Nonprofit, Research, Finance

Organization

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, recognized as a global leader in research and teaching. U of T's distinguished faculty, institutional record of groundbreaking scholarship and wealth of innovative academic opportunities continually attract outstanding students and academics from around the world.

U of T is committed to providing a learning experience that benefits from both a scale almost unparalleled in North America and from the close-knit learning communities made possible through its college system and academic divisions. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world's most diverse regions, U of T's vibrant academic life is defined by a unique degree of cultural diversity in its learning community. The University is sustained environmentally by three green campuses, where renowned heritage buildings stand beside award-winning innovations in architectural design.

U of T is one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. U of T is one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers.

Are you looking for a challenging, meaningful career in a supportive and diverse environment? We offer challenging work within an open environment that celebrates diversity in all its forms. Our focus is on creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains excellent employees through a combination of competitive compensation, favourable working conditions, opportunities for career growth and development and a unique organizational culture.

Employees have access to:

• Excellent health and dental benefits;
• On-site support for training and career development;
• Flexible work arrangements;
• Childcare subsidy;
• Tuition waivers;
• Scholarships and/or tuition waivers for dependants;
• Generous paid time off;
• Support on equity and diversity issues;
• On-site child care;
• University Pension Plan;
• Subsidized athletic facility membership;
• World-renowned libraries;
• Confidential counselling services;
• Parking and TTC Metropasses;
• Employee and Family Assistance Plan;
• Continued health benefits for pensioners.