Major Gift Officer
Who We Are:
The University of Windsor (the University or UWindsor) is a globally relevant, regionally focused University that welcomes over 16,000 students in a range of comprehensive and research-intensive graduate and undergraduate programs. The University consists of eight academic faculties, which include Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Science; Human Kinetics; Education; Law; Engineering; Nursing; and Business. The UWindsor campus is home to a medical program offered by Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. The University employs a passionate and dedicated faculty and staff, numbering approximately 2,500, of whom approximately 600 are tenured or tenure-track faculty.
The University’s unique position on an international border between Canada and the United States has contributed to its identity as a diverse university community providing rich cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities for faculty and students. The University is a key player in a wide range of distinctive industrial, entrepreneurial, and cultural activities throughout the City of Windsor and Essex County, and in an evolving network of international academic and industrial partnerships, particularly with leading American universities in Michigan.
PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Major Gift Officer is an integral part of the Faculty of Law and the Development team whose focus will be on fundraising plans to support the University’s capital expansion as well as student scholarships, endowment and faculty and research development. This position will have responsibility for raising funds for the Faculty priority projects and plans.
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:
The successful candidate will have:
- A University degree in an appropriate discipline, for example Law, Business, Communications, Arts or Science combined with three (3) to five (5) years of major gift fundraising experience
- Must have a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification or be willing and able to obtain certification
- Demonstrated performance success in cultivating, securing and stewarding major gifts
- Demonstrated success in developing and implementing fundraising plans and related documents
- Demonstrated commitment and success in working to create a fair, inclusive, anti-racist environment, and to supporting diverse constituencies and populations.
- Experience in writing proposals and other persuasive documents
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and exceptional interpersonal skills
- Experience working with senior level staff and volunteers
- Superior listening skills and the ability to interpret the concerns and interests of potential stakeholders and translate them into attractive opportunities for investment in UWindsor’s priorities
- Must have demonstrated work experience with Microsoft Office products including Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as Raiser’s Edge fundraising software (or equivalent)
- Must be willing to travel and work as needed on evenings, weekends and holidays and must have a valid Driver’s license
- Ability to work independently with minimal direction, while working within the framework of an integrated development program and team-oriented environment
- Knowledge of the University of Windsor, its programs, services, fundraising priorities and related government funding. Ability to work in partnership at all levels within a University environment.