Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE) is a community of learning grounded in scholarship and academic freedom, preparing students to be independent thinkers, ethical leaders and citizens for the common good.
CUE campus is situated on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton’s historic Highlands neighborhood. Supporting a student body of nearly 3,000, we are known for our small class sizes and our excellence in teaching. Our small classes and diverse student population provide an excellent opportunity for engaging with students in a sustained and nurturing way unique within the Canadian university system. CUE is an institution that values research in the sciences, social sciences, humanities and management. Our vision is to become Canada’s preeminent small university.
CUE is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for work, study, and living. We actively promote dignity for all, rejecting action and language that are harmful to mutual respect.
Reporting to the Manager, Community Relations, the Donor Engagement Specialist supports Concordia University of Edmonton’s philanthropic initiatives by managing donor relationships, coordinating grant activities, and executing donor stewardship programs. This role ensures that donors are engaged, recognized, and inspired to continue supporting the University, while maintaining accurate donor data to inform strategy and measure impact.
Responsibilities:
Donor Engagement & Stewardship
- Build and maintain strong relationships with individual, corporate, and alumni donors through personalized communications, recognition, and follow-up activities.
- Coordinate stewardship programs, ensuring donors are acknowledged promptly and informed of the impact of their contributions.
- Support the development and execution of donor campaigns, including major gifts, annual giving, and targeted appeals.
- Assist in crafting donor-facing communications, including impact reports, proposals, newsletters, and personalized correspondence.
- Collect and share donor stories and testimonials to strengthen engagement, highlight the impact of philanthropy, and inspire ongoing support.
Database & Donor Records Management
- Maintain the integrity and accuracy of the donor database (e.g., Raiser’s Edge), ensuring timely updates, accurate gift entry, and proper segmentation.
- Generate reports, queries, and lists to support fundraising campaigns, stewardship initiatives, and reporting requirements.
- Track and reconcile gifts, pledges, and grant funding to ensure accurate records and reporting.
- Oversee the financial acknowledgment process, including the timely issuance of monthly official tax receipts and formal thank-you letters to donors in compliance with university policies and Canada Revenue Agency guidelines.
Grants & Funding Support
- Support the grant lifecycle by assisting with workflow coordination, tracking deadlines, and maintaining the internal grants calendar.
- Collaborate with the Community Relations team to gather supporting documentation, data, and donor impact stories for grant applications and reports.
- Assist in tracking grant outcomes and compliance timelines to support internal and external reporting requirements.
Strategic Donor-Focused Event Planning
- Plan, coordinate, and execute strategic donor-focused events that strengthen relationships, foster engagement, and support philanthropic goals.
- Collaborate with the Community Relations team to ensure donor events are aligned with campaign strategies and CUE priorities.
- Evaluate donor events for outcomes, impact, and opportunities to improve engagement.
Support for Departmental Priorities
- Provide assistance and contribute to other Community Relations initiatives and projects as needed to support departmental goals and strategic priorities.
- Collaborate across the team to ensure alignment and consistency in donor engagement, alumni, and community activities.
- Step in to support events, communications, or campaigns outside of core responsibilities when required.
Requirements:
- Completion of a post-secondary degree in communications, public relations, marketing, business, or a related field is required.
- Three to five years of relevant experience in fundraising, donor relations, stewardship, grant writing, or non-profit development is required.
- Experience in a post-secondary institution or non-profit environment is an asset.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, take proactive initiative, and manage shifting priorities, while maintaining a strong commitment to working collaboratively within an integrated advancement team, is required.
- High degree of resourcefulness and creativity, with a proven track record of maximizing resources to build fundraising, donor recognition, and stewardship initiatives, is required.
- Exceptional organizational skills and a high attention to detail, paired with excellent customer service and public relations skills to represent the university positively, is required.
- Direct experience using fundraising databases or CRM systems (specifically Raiser’s Edge) is strongly preferred.
- Ability to pass a clear criminal record check is required.
- A valid class 5 drivers license is preferred.
Closing Date: Application review will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Please direct all questions and inquiries to Human Resources at Concordia University of Edmonton [email protected].
Concordia University of Edmonton encourages applications from members of racialized groups, visible minorities, First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, women, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expression, and others who may support a diversity of perspectives at CUE. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
