Job Board
Sunnybrook Foundation

Research Officer


Posted On: July 15, 2022
Closing On: August 5, 2022

Location: 2075, Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5
Employment Type: fulltime
Level: intermediate
Salary Range: $65,000 - $80,000


Title:  Research Officer

Department: Knowledge & Systems

Reporting Relationships:

Reports to: Manager, Research

Sunnybrook is a premier academic health sciences centre, fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, with a vision to invent the future of health care. Today, with 1.2 million patient visits each year, Sunnybrook has established itself across three campuses and is home to Canada’s largest trauma centre.

Our mission is to care for our patients and their families when it matters most. Sunnybrook Foundation exists to raise awareness and funds required to ensure that Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre achieves its mission.

As the Foundation embarks upon a three-year growth plan, the Research Officer will work with the Manager, Research on prospect and volunteer research, identification and qualification activities in support of Foundation’s fundraising initiatives. The incumbent will also work collaboratively with team members across the organization to identify areas for growth and recommend strategies for process improvement. The successful candidate will bring a strong understanding of philanthropic giving and donor engagement principles, along with ownership, entrepreneurship, and a service mindset. The ideal candidate for this role is an individual who is strategic, innovative, proactive, adaptive and possesses strong teamwork and communication skills.

This role is currently on a hybrid working model with 1-2 days a week working in person in the office.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Prospect Identification: Use traditional and emerging tools and processes to identify and quality prospects for fundraising priorities and other hospital needs with a focus on major gift level prospective donors
  • Research: Conduct high quality research briefs on donors and prospective donors. Identify key connections and provide strategic recommendations
  • Portfolio Management: Work closely with members of the Philanthropy Team to assist with management of a portfolio of donors and prospective donors and moving them through the pipeline
  • Prospect assignment: involvement of strategic assignment of donor/prospect names to support the Philanthropy team
  • Ratings: specific and detailed ratings on donors/prospects which include Gift Capacity, Inclination and Target Gift Range Amount to support cultivation and solicitation strategies
  • Media Monitoring: Monitor and communicate news, events & issues that may impact the Foundation and / or philanthropic environment
  • Networking and Collaboration: Keep informed on Prospect Research related trends, tools, best practices and innovations by attending webinars, conferences and training sessions and engaging with the APRA network

Skills and Abilities Required:

  • A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in prospect research in a not-for-profit organization and strong understanding of traditional and emerging sources of information for identifying, qualifying, rating and researching major giving prospects
  • Excellent knowledge of the prospect fundraising cycle with demonstrated capacity to create and maintain tools that accurately reflect, monitor, and interpret the activity of the prospect pipeline
  • Proven ability in reading and interpreting financial and trade documents for the purpose of wealth assessment, including annual reports, Factiva, SEDAR and SEDI
  • Extensive computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office software, Raiser’s Edge and Power BI will be an asset
  • Demonstrated professionalism in handling highly sensitive and confidential information ethically and with discretion
  • Able to work in a fast-paced environment, prioritize and multi-task, and work cross-functionally while being organized and detail-oriented, with strong follow through
  • Must have the ability to work both independently and as part of a team
  • Ability to work under pressure, proven ability to set priorities, complete work with minimal supervision and meet deadlines

To Apply:

If you would like to apply for this role, please send a cover letter and a current resume listing your qualifications and experience by Friday August 5, 2022 to foundationHR@sunnybrook.ca.

Please quote “Research Officer” in the subject line of your e-mail. We thank all applicants in advance. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Sunnybrook Foundation is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (‘AODA’).  If you require accommodations for disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please indicate this in your cover letter.

Sunnybrook Foundation is strongly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion within its community and encourages all applicants including but not limited to: Indigenous, Black and other racialized persons, all religions, cultures, and ethnicities, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons and persons of any gender identity and sexual orientation, and everyone who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

Please be advised that in order to be eligible for employment at Sunnybrook, all new hires must have received the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine or combination of COVID-19 vaccines approved by Health Canada (e.g., two doses of a two-dose vaccine series, or one dose of a single-dose vaccine series); AND have received the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days ago. Medical exemptions or any other kind of requested exemption based upon the Hospital’s obligations pursuant to the Ontario Human Rights Code will be considered on a case-by-case basis.