Position Title:   Senior Development Officer

Salary range:     $75,947.05 – $87,492.30

Division:             Executive

Reports To:        Manager, Legacy Giving

Location:            Toronto, Yonge & Eglinton (Hybrid Work: 3 days in office)

TVO Media Education Group (TVO) is a social impact organization devoted to inspiring learning that changes lives and enriches communities. We are an internationally recognized digital learning organization that strives to engage, inform and educate Ontarians of all ages.

A Culture of Inclusion and Belonging

We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to TVO.   We have a diverse workforce and are committed to building a culture  within the workplace that brings out the best in everyone.  As part of our strategic vision, we have adopted five core values; we embrace change, we value bold thinking, we thrive with diverse voices, we are better together, and we honour our commitments.  These values anchor how we work and lay the foundation for a workplace that celebrates differences, encourages self-expression and empowers learning, which we know is a key component to our success.

Who We Are

TVO is an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Education. Through our brands, TVO Kids, TVO Today, TVO ILC and TVO Learn, we provide multi-platform educational programming; ground-breaking original documentaries; in-depth public affairs content; the largest online secondary school in Ontario; and award-winning digital-learning resources that support Ontario’s curriculum.

TVO is a registered charity funded primarily by the Province of Ontario and supported by thousands of sponsors and donors.

The Opportunity

This is a truly exciting time to be at TVO!

The Senior Development Officer will, with the guidance and support of the Manager, Leadership Gifts & Legacy Giving independently manage and build a portfolio of engaged high-level prospects and donors, with a specific focus on the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts and foundations. This role will also support the writing of grant proposals and other fundraising materials.

How you will make an impact

Foundation Fundraising:

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of approximately 25-30 foundation prospects and donors with the capacity to contribute significant grants to support TVO’s mission.
• Research and develop comprehensive donor profiles, ensuring each foundation is approached with the most relevant and compelling information.
• Write clear, persuasive, and well-researched grant proposals to secure funding from foundations, and manage all aspects of the application process, including submission deadlines and follow-up.
• Collaborate with the Director, Philanthropy and Sponsorships, and other senior staff to develop tailored proposals for high-impact projects and to identify opportunities for new funding streams within the Foundation sector.
• Manage a strategic outreach plan for key foundations, maintaining regular and professional communication, and ensuring strong relationships are established and nurtured.
• Monitor and report on the success and progress of funded projects to foundations, ensuring timely reporting and compliance with all requirements.

Major gifts and Donor Engagement:

• The Senior Development Officer will also work with with major gift prospects and current donors identifying, cultivating, stewarding and soliciting major gifts of $5k or more, alongside a primary focus on foundations.
• Support the Manager, Leadership Gifts and Legacy Giving, and collaborate with the Director, Philanthropy and Sponsorships to develop tailored proposals for donors, advancing fundraising efforts and strengthening donor relationships.
• Collaborate across departments to understand the strategic priorities of the organization, aligning fundraising efforts to support those initiatives.
• Develop and execute strategies to engage high-net-worth individuals and foundations, ensuring an integrated approach to major gifts and foundation funding.
• Participate in bi-weekly major gifts prospecting and strategy meetings with the team, keeping a clear focus on securing and stewarding large gifts.
• Writing & Communications:
• Write compelling and strategic grant proposals, donor letters, reports, and other fundraising documents.
• Work closely with the Communications to develop key messaging for foundation proposals, and leverage TVO’s communications channels to enhance engagement and support.
• Ensure all donor communications, including foundation proposals and reports, are timely, accurate, and tailored to the specific interests of the funder.
• Administrative & Database Management:
• Maintain detailed and accurate records of foundation donor interactions, strategies, and progress through effective database management.
• Ensure all donor strategies and communications are tracked and documented in the appropriate systems to facilitate donor engagement and reporting.
• Support event planning and donor stewardship by identifying and inviting key foundation representatives and major gift donors, ensuring both prospective and current donors are invited to events designed as engagement opportunities to strengthen relationships and deepen commitment.

What you will bring to TVO

• University degree in a related discipline preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in fundraising, with a proven track record in Foundation fundraising, grant proposal writing, and relationship management.
• Excellent understanding of major gift and foundation fundraising practices, including moves management and effective grant writing.
• Proven experience in writing successful grant proposals for foundations and other funding organizations.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to interact professionally and effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage donor relationships and provide excellent stewardship, particularly with senior volunteers and high-level donors.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• An entrepreneurial mindset, with creativity and problem-solving ability to identify and secure new funding opportunities.
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and donor databases; experience with Raisers Edge is preferred.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
•  Demonstrates TVO’s core values of Excellence & Innovation, Ownership, Collaboration, Trust and Respect.

TVO & YOU

We are a learning organization. Learning is at the core of everything we do. As part of this commitment, TVO invests in the learning goals of our employees and everyone at TVO commits to developing our own knowledge as well as elevating each other’s through peer-to-peer learning, workshops and lunch and learns.  All employees have the option to join the Public Service Pension Plan right on day one and we offer an array of services through our Employee and Family Assistance Plan.

We would be thrilled to have you join us. We’re a tight-knit community – whether you’re a recent graduate or  further along in your career, you will get to meet, work with, and be supported by talented and diverse colleagues at all levels. Maybe you’ll even get to meet Polkaroo!

Come build with us.

Find and follow us on: LinkedIn (@tvontario), and X (@TVO).

We invite you to submit your application by March 7, 2025 at 5 pm. Not sure you have everything we’re asking for, but know you can make a big impact? Tell us your story and we will be happy to consider you.

To learn more about us and our culture, please visit us at https://tvo.me/work-with-us/ .

Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process (e.g., including alternate formats of materials, accessible meeting rooms). If you are seeking accommodations during the application or interview process, please advise us as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made by sending your request to accommodations@tvo.org.