Philanthropy & Communications Officer

The Mel Jr. & Marty Zajac Foundation • Full-time • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • C$ 62k - C$ 66k / year • 1d ago

Organization Overview:

The Mel Jr. & Marty Zajac Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, located in Vancouver, BC, whose mandate is to support children, seniors, and those with special needs through innovative community projects focused on developing lifelong skills and independence. Our current major focus is Zajac Ranch, a camp in Mission, BC, for children/young adults with chronic, life-threatening, and/or debilitating conditions.

Reports To: Director of Operations

Direct Reports: None

Location: Vancouver Office

Position Summary:

The Philanthropy & Communications Officer plays a critical role in advancing the Foundation’s mission by securing philanthropic support and strengthening donor and community engagement through clear, compelling communications.

This role is responsible for:

Grant writing and institutional fundraising
Managing and stewarding a portfolio of annual and mid-level donors ($10,000 and under)
Supporting Foundation-wide communications, including newsletters, reports, digital content, and campaigns

The successful candidate is both detail-oriented and relationship-driven, able to balance deadlines, donor stewardship, storytelling, and collaboration across departments.

Opportunity:

This is an exciting opportunity for a fundraising professional who thrives in a hands-on environment and wants to see the direct impact of their work. You will work closely with internal teams to identify funding needs, research and secure grants, steward donors, and ensure timely, meaningful communication with supporters.

In addition to philanthropy responsibilities, the PCO supports the Foundation’s communications strategy, working collaboratively with the Marketing Manager and Director of Operations on newsletters, annual reports, campaigns, and digital engagement.

Are You…?

A strong, confident writer who can turn program details and data into compelling funding proposals and donor communications?
Highly organized and deadline-driven, with the ability to manage multiple grants, donors, and reporting timelines simultaneously?
Comfortable building relationships with donors, funders, and partners, and guiding them along a thoughtful stewardship journey?
Energized by both strategy and execution — equally happy planning a campaign and sending the thank-you note?
Detail-oriented with systems, CRM tools, and tracking — but always focused on the human impact behind the data?
Passionate about working in a mission-driven, child-focused organization where your work directly supports life-changing experiences?

If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities:

Philanthropy & Development

Write clear, concise, and compelling grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and funding applications that effectively communicate the Foundation’s mission, programs, and impact.
Research and identify funding opportunities from foundations, corporations, government agencies, and other institutional funders.
Collaborate with Directors, finance staff, and program teams to gather information required for grant submissions.
Tailor proposals to funder priorities, guidelines, and evaluation criteria.
Manage grant timelines and submission deadlines to ensure timely and complete applications.
Maintain accurate records of all grant activity, including submission dates, funding amounts, reporting requirements, and outcomes.
Coordinate grant compliance and reporting, including interim and final reports.
Gather data, stories, outcomes, and metrics from program staff to demonstrate impact to funders.
Cultivate and steward relationships with institutional funders and individual donors.
Actively manage a portfolio of annual and mid-level donors, including individuals and corporate partners.
Implement a moves-management approach to encourage donor retention, upgrades, and multi-year commitments.
Ensure all restricted funds are allocated and used in accordance with grant and donor guidelines.
Stay current on funding trends and opportunities relevant to the Foundation’s mission.

Donor Administration & Systems

Utilize Raiser’s Edge/NXT to accurately record all donor interactions, gifts, communications, and actions.
Process and approve recurring monthly donations.
Generate tax receipts and thank-you acknowledgements within 48 hours of gift receipt.
Provide regular internal updates on donations received.
Produce weekly reporting on donations, acknowledgements, and receipting activity.
Ensure all donor, grant, and prospect tracking is accurate and up to date across Raiser’s Edge/NXT, Monday.com, and other internal systems.
Attend networking events, conferences, and meetings to build relationships and identify new funding opportunities.

Communications

Lead the development of the Spring and Fall Foundation Newsletters in collaboration with the Marketing Manager and Director of Operations.
Coordinate the annual Camp Report (target completion: October).
Support Foundation events and campaigns as assigned.
Collaborate with the Sales & Marketing Manager on social media content planning and scheduling using Social Pilot.
Monitor social media channels for engagement, messages, and comments.
Support the creation of visual assets and templates for digital platforms, in collaboration with internal teams.
Assist with email marketing campaigns across departments.
Draft press releases as assigned by senior leadership.
Support additional communications initiatives as needed.

Qualifications & Experience:

Minimum 5 years’ experience in fundraising, grant writing, communications, or a related role.
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (English, Communications, Nonprofit Management, or related discipline).
Demonstrated success securing grants and managing funder relationships.
Exceptional writing and editing skills with strong attention to detail.
Proven ability to build and steward donor and partner relationships.
Comfort with donor solicitation and stewardship conversations.
Strong research, organizational, and time-management skills.
Knowledge of nonprofit financial operations, budgets, and restricted funding.
Familiarity with fundraising best practices and grant compliance requirements.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively and managing up.
Experience using CRM systems (Raiser’s Edge/NXT preferred) and project-management tools.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Experience working in the nonprofit or social services sector considered an asset.
Sensitivity and experience working with diverse and vulnerable populations.
High level of discretion and professionalism.
Flexibility to work occasional evenings for events or meetings.
Strong alignment with the Foundation’s mission and values.

Compensation & Benefits: