Senior Development Specialist, Major Gifts

Status: Full Time

Hours: Monday – Friday, 35 hours/week

Home Campus: Fennell (hybrid work arrangements available)

Rate of Pay: Payband 10 ($88,983 - $111,230 per year)

Vacancy Status: 1 vacancy available

Posting Date: May 21st, 2026

Closing Date: June 1st, 2026 at 7:00 pm EST

We believe the rich diversity among our students and the communities we serve should be reflected within our workforce. As educators, we believe it is important to act and show leadership in advancing the principles of reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our community.

The Senior Development Specialist, Major Gifts reports to the Director, Development & Strategy, and works closely with College Leaders, the Advancement team, faculty, and departments to develop strategy, cases for support, and timelines to inspire ongoing investment in fundraising initiatives and campaigns.

Building a strong organization-wide culture of philanthropy at Mohawk College, the Advancement team desires authentic, transformative relationships with its donors, alumni, volunteers, and community partners to ensure long term, sustainable funding for Mohawk College. The Senior Development Specialist is instrumental in the planning, development, and execution of fundraising programs in support of the College’s strategic and academic plans, and fundraising priorities.

The Senior Development Specialist is a senior member of the Development team, and will work in a dynamic, fast-paced, innovative, and highly collaborative environment with numerous concurrent projects and competing deadlines. The incumbent is required to be motivated, innovative, donor focused, results-oriented, effective relationship builder and team player. The Senior Development Specialist creates the best possible donor experience by ensuring all donors are confident that their philanthropic gifts are making an impact through ongoing stewardship.

The Senior Development Specialist will have a strong donor-orientated mindset and will help build a well-developed donor pipeline to enhance advancement success. The incumbent will establish strategic partnerships internally and externally to foster a culture of philanthropy and develop strong relationships that inspire giving and donor retention. The Senior Development Specialist will advance the College’s fundraising priorities by executing strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors, with particular focus on corporate partners, sponsors, individuals, and foundations at Major, Planned, and Mid-levels to meet revenue targets.

What you’ll be doing:

Fundraising

• Participates in prospect review and strategy meetings to promote a team approach to fundraising.
• Manages a portfolio of prospects, nurturing relationships and soliciting gifts through personalized cultivation plans from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Develops and implements plans and strategies to acquire new donors.
• Coordinates with other fundraising initiatives, including annual giving, major giving, sponsorships, and gift-in-kind, to maximize donor engagement and revenue generation.
• Achieves successful engagement by building, stewarding and maintaining high level relationships with donors, prospective donors and senior volunteer leaders.
• Develops fundraising plans designed to advance donor support, interest and engagement.
• Supports all financial and other goals of the Advancement team and promotes best practices across all portfolios.
• Oversees the execution of targeted donor engagement activities for high-value constituent groups.
• Leads face-to-face donor meetings, develops strategy for priority areas, and stays abreast of industry trends.

Planning and Strategy

• Develops and executes strategies and plans for overall philanthropic revenue generation.
• Provides senior consultation in the development of strategic direction for the Department and the design of policies and procedures to support those directions.
• Supports the Director, Development & Strategy in the administrative management and sound business practice of Advancement.
• Manages projects in collaboration with cross-functional teams, ensuring initiatives are completed efficiently and effectively.
• Works with the Director, Development & Strategy to develop annual revenue and expense budgets for the Major Giving portfolio.

Relationship Management/College Relations

• Collaborates with Deans, Associate Deans, Faculty, and other internal partners to understand the specific fundraising priorities.
• Devises ongoing strategies to develop relationships within diverse communities to inspire giving and meet revenue targets.
• Represents the College at a variety of functions both internally and externally as required.
• Liaises with peer groups in college and university communities and professional organizations to develop best practices.
• Identifies, recruits, trains and supervises volunteers & faculty partners (internal and external) during fundraising initiatives.
• Ensures assigned volunteers are appropriately engaged in their roles by effectively mobilizing them with information and other tools to optimize their contributions of time, support and connections.

Communications/Stewardship

• Works with Director, Engagement & Stewardship to develop personalized stewardship plans to recognize donors’ contributions and keep them informed about the impact of their gifts.
• Develops and writes fundraising communications materials such as proposals, presentations, cases for support, briefing notes, progress reports, gift agreements, letters, and other documents/materials.
• Works with the Director, Development & Strategy to create inspiring Campaign Cases for Support.
• Demonstrates ability to inspire and raise donor sights, articulate aspirational goals and institutional priorities, and effectively presents philanthropic and partnership opportunities to corporate leadership.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with existing major donors, ensuring their continued engagement and support.
• Works collaboratively with the Marketing & Communication team and Director, Engagement & Stewardship to enhance the donor journey, leading best practice communications strategies.

Administration

• Provides regular reports on major gift fundraising activities, including progress towards fundraising goals, donor engagement metrics, and revenue projections.
• Prepares, monitors, and manages budgets pertaining to areas of responsibility.
• Maintains and updates donor records in the Raiser’s Edge database including contacts with donors, mail, and email correspondence, thank you calls, event attendance, and meetings.

Other duties as assigned.

What you’ll bring to the role:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of related education and business experience.
• A certificate or diploma in fundraising would be an asset. CFRE professional designation or affiliation with AFP, CASE or CAGP would be an asset.
• 5+ years of experience in a major gift fundraising role in a postsecondary institution and/or comprehensive sales environment.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively forge, manage and maintain long-standing constituent relationships.
• Experience working with senior volunteers.
• Demonstrated track record in major individual gift cycle activity.
• Highly developed analytical skills with ability to conduct research and use independent judgement to problem solve.
• Ability to influence, negotiate and manage contentious issues to resolution.
• Ability to coordinate and modify projects, and work with a group of external volunteers.
• Proven ability to take initiative and carry projects to completion with minimum supervision.
• Excellent teamwork, interpersonal and constituent service skills including the ability to work respectfully and inclusively with a diverse employee population and multiple stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills (both written and verbal).
• Experience with MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint as well as Constituent Management Software such as Raiser’s Edge.
• Experience with Mail Chimp, AKA Raisin or other mailing and online giving platforms.
• Experience with ThankView, creating webpages and social media posts would be an asset.
• Demonstrated commitment and understanding of human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
• The ability to communicate and work effectively with diverse students, employees, and communities.

What we offer:

• Progressive vacation plan starting with 22 vacation days per year plus holiday closure.
• Defined Benefit pension plan (CAAT) with contributions matched by Mohawk College.
• 93% top up of maternity and parental leave pay for 52 weeks.
• Annual employee performance incentive program.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, paramedical services (massage therapy, acupuncture, naturopath, psychotherapy and psychology), short-term and long-term disability.
• Ability to take courses at a reduced rate for employees and dependents.

To find out more about working at Mohawk College, including our Employee Value Proposition, please visit https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/about-mohawk/careers-at-mohawk

We are committed to reconciliation and nurturing an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible (IDEA) environment for everyone who learns and works at Mohawk College. We welcome applications from racialized persons, women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

The College is committed to fostering inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources.

To learn more about Mohawk College’s commitments, please visit the Mohawk College strategic plan webpage: https://www.strategicplan.mohawkcollege.ca/