Senior Development Officer, Planned Giving

About the Development Department

The Development team sets ambitious targets to support Mount Royal's growth. Promoting Mount Royal's goals, achievements and values, the Development team fosters positive relationships with community members and donors while growing Mount Royal's network. This team works to continuously increase Mount Royal's endowment portfolio, alumni philanthropy and the value of scholarships available to current students.

About the Role

The Senior Development Officer, Planned Giving reports to the Director of Development, Major Gifts, and is responsible for managing a portfolio of individual donors for both major and planned gifts, as well as building and leading Mount Royal University's planned giving program. The person in this role plays a key role in identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding planned giving donors and prospects in collaboration with the Director, senior administration, faculty, and institutional partners. This role requires managing a high volume of work and competing priorities, supporting education and training for staff in the area of planned giving, attending community and institutional events to engage with current and prospective donors.

Responsibilities

Raising funds to support institutional fundraising priorities (70%)

• Create and execute strategies for planned giving donor identification, cultivation, and solicitation of new donor prospects
• Manage a portfolio that includes both planned giving and major gift donors and prospects, recognizing that many relationships evolve over time and may include current, deferred, or blended gifts; steward current major gifts while fostering deeper engagement toward future legacy commitments
• Cultivate relationships with donors to align their philanthropic interests with institutional priorities
• Lead or support solicitation conversations for both current and planned gifts, including preparing proposals, materials, and strategic talking points
• Network to engage with new, existing, and prospective donors
• Develop and initiate customized stewardship plans that reflect donors’ values and commitments
• Coordinate the participation of institutional leaders, faculty, and volunteers in cultivation, solicitation and stewardship efforts
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of institutional fundraising priorities and opportunities
• Develop customized gift strategies in collaboration with donors and professional advisors, including complex and non-cash gifts, to maximize impact for both the donor and the institution
• Craft donor-facing correspondence and materials, such as proposals, letters, emails and other communications, with exceptional polish, clarity, and nuance, ensuring they reflect the highest standard of professionalism and institutional voice
• Create, monitor, and manage gift agreements in coordination with donors and Advancement Services
• Collaborate closely with colleagues in Major, Leadership and Annual Giving, Alumni Relations, Advancement Services, and Faculties to identify prospects and to ensure coordinated engagement strategies and seamless donor experience

Building, leading and advancing the planned giving program (30%)

• Oversee the creation, coordination, and updating of planned giving materials across platforms, including website content, informational brochures, donor guides, and internal procedures for gifts of securities and other non-cash assets
• Participate actively in divisional and team strategy meetings to align planned giving with broader development efforts
• Prepare impeccable briefing materials for senior leadership that are concise, accurate, and strategically tailored to support high-level donor engagement
• Design and implement targeted stewardship and engagement activities for members of the 1910 Legacy Society (e.g., events, newsletters, recognition programs)
• Provide guidance, resources, or informal training to staff, volunteers, and colleagues to support broader understanding and identification of planned giving opportunities
• Build and maintain relationships with a network of allied professionals (e.g., legal, financial, and estate advisors) to support planned giving efforts
• Ensure appropriate handling, documentation, and storage of estate-related materials (e.g., wills, bequest letters), in accordance with privacy legislation (FOIP), donor intent, and institutional rights as a beneficiary
• Collaborate with the Compliance Officer and institutional legal counsel on the review and resolution of complex or potentially sensitive planned gifts
• Stay informed about relevant legislation, tax laws, and industry best practices related to planned giving, and proactively apply this knowledge to enhance program effectiveness and ensure compliance
• Maintain accurate and timely activity records, donor interactions, and documentation in the CRM system

Qualifications

• University Bachelor’s Degree
• Professional fundraising designation preferred
• 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in a complex organization, with proven success in both major and planned gifts fundraising
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to diverse audiences
• Strong working knowledge of established fundraising principles and best practices, reflecting proven and widely recognized fundraising methodologies
• Proficiency with Google Workspace tools (Gmail, Calendar, Google Meet, Drive, etc.)
• Experience using Raiser's Edge NXT or comparable CRM platforms
• Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively and work collaboratively across teams
• Ability to use data to inform strategies and measure outcomes
• A basic or moderate familiarity with legal and compliance considerations related to planned giving, paired with the initiative to recognize when further understanding is needed and to seek out expert guidance accordingly
• High level of discretion, professionalism, and ethical standards in donor relations

Salary: $102,749.00 - $114,000.00

Closing Date: October 20, 2025

A cover letter and resume should be submitted in one .pdf document. Please title your .pdf document as follows: [Last Name], [Requisition Number], [Document Title].pdf (ex. Smith, 999999, CV.pdf).