Alumni Affairs & Development (AA&D)’s purpose is to maximize philanthropic support for the University of Guelph’s mission of creating unique solutions for the challenges facing our world. We achieve this purpose by building the kind of deep and sustained relationships with our donors, alumni and friends that increase awareness of, engagement with, and investment in the University of Guelph’s work. As a member of this campus-wide team, the Senior Development Manager epitomizes the department’s shared values of respect, empowerment, integrity, appreciation, and forward focus.

The University of Guelph is currently planning to launch its first fundraising campaign since 2014. The campaign aims to expand on the University’s recent fundraising growth so that AA&D becomes a team that consistently raises $75M a year by 2030 (a record $55M was raised in FY24/25). By aligning donor passions with the university’s ambitious goals, the campaign will boost revenue, elevate the university’s global profile, deepen donor relationships, and create a highly developed culture of philanthropy across the university community. Institutional leaders and volunteers will be highly engaged in advocating for the university’s global impact and the vital role of philanthropy in achieving this vision

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Director, Major Gift Advancement, and working closely with the Major Gift Advancement team, the Senior Development Manager (SDM) is responsible for major gift fundraising (contributions of $100,000 or greater). The SDM is expected to personally generate between $2.5 – $5 million in new major gifts and pledges annually. The SDM works to advance fundraising’s priorities with an external audience ranging from alumni, corporations, and friends of the University of Guelph. This occurs through donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

We believe that fundraising is a group effort, and collaboration with colleagues across the board is essential for success. Working in tandem with senior development managers in other colleges is highly encouraged. More specifically, responsibilities include:

Identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors and prospects through the fundraising cycle.
Maintaining a robust pipeline of 60-80 donors/prospects and undertaking 10-15 meetings per month with donors/prospects.
Preparing briefing materials to support the participation of senior administration in fundraising activity.
Collaborating with the Director, the Dean and other internal partners to advance donor relationships as well to identify university priorities that will resonate with donors including scholarships, faculty/program support, capital projects.
Creating and presenting materials to advance fundraising asks such as generic cases for support and customized proposals.
Negotiating the closure of major and planned gifts, including the creation of gift agreements and other supporting documentation.

Requirements

The university recognizes that no one individual will have the following skills/experience in equal measure but the qualifications below will be used to assess the suitability of candidates throughout the process:

Undergraduate degree, with preference given to demonstrated commitment to professional development, graduate degree, relevant diploma or equivalent combination of education/experience.
A minimum of five (5) years fundraising experience, with a proven track record of success in securing major and planned gifts, or equivalent experience in a related field.
The ability to think and act quickly and effectively under pressure, exercising tact, diplomacy, discretion and good judgment.
A proven ability to interact effectively with senior executives in the corporate community.
Management of large and complex fundraising projects, especially capital campaigns.
Superior written and interpersonal communications skills, including effective relationship building and experience in managing senior volunteers. Proficient use of Microsoft Office Suite and donor databases and/or CRM systems.
Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation is an asset.

Please include a cover letter along with your resume in your application.

University of Guelph

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