Annual Giving & Donor Stewardship Officer

at  Friends of Ruby

Friends of Ruby (FoR) is dedicated to the journey and well-being of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, aged 16-29 through mental health services, social services, and housing. FoR offers Youth Mental Health services, a Youth Drop-In Centre, and a Transitional Home. The Centre provides access to barrier-free counselling and therapeutic groups, case management and a drop-in space with hot meals, community, and comprehensive programming. The Home provides transitional and emergency housing, mental health, and life-skills to support youth moving towards independent living.
FoR recognize that a diverse work force is critical to accomplishing our mission. Our goal is to attract and develop incredibly talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. We strongly encourage applicants from the 2SLGBTQIA+, Allies, BIPOC and ACB communities, and those with diverse backgrounds meeting the requirements of the role.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Annual Giving & Donor Stewardship Officer will play an integral role in supporting the Development and Communications team’s fundraising goals by supporting annual giving efforts, donor stewardship and data management. The successful candidate will have experience in, for example, year-round donor acquisition, proposals, email campaigns, direct mail campaigns, 3rd party fundraising, in-kind donations.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum three (3) years of related experience in annual giving, fundraising, and/or donor relations.
• Proven track record in planning and executing successful annual giving programs and crafting effective and compelling solicitation and stewardship communications.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and inspire donors, building long-term relationships using tact and discretion.
• Proven ability to work in cross-functional teams to support budget, content, strategies, and reporting requirements.
• Proven ability to multi-task in a busy environment, to work well under the pressure of deadlines, and to prioritize tasks appropriately while meeting time sensitive demands.
• Experience working with a diverse team and promoting a positive brand image.
• Knowledge or lived experience with the diversity of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is an asset.
• Experience working for a social service, mental health and/or housing non-profit is an asset.

Additional Requirements:

• Satisfactory clearance under the Vulnerable Sector Police Check Program.
• Must be qualified to legally work in Canada.
• Willing to work onsite regularly at our Friends of Ruby office located in downtown Toronto.
• Willing to work on a flexible schedule to accommodate the needs of the organization, working evenings on occasions.
• Ability to travel to other community-based settings as needed.

Location: Hybrid Model; Downtown Toronto, Ontarion
Friends of Ruby is dedicated to fostering an inclusive selection process and work environment, guided by the Employment Equity Policies. If selected for an interview, please inform the People and Culture team of any accommodation you may require during the interview process

Annual Giving:

• Develop strategies and campaigns to secure contributions from potential donors.
• Collaborate with colleagues to plan and execute the annual giving activities, including year-round solicitations and campaigns targeting diverse constituents (such as Pride Campaign, Chosen Family Campaign, End-Year Campaign).
• In collaboration with the Marketing team, develop and implement communication strategies for annual campaigns, including direct mail, email, and social media content
• Recognize and appreciate annual donors, including writing thank-you letters and social media posts and making thank-you phone calls.

Donor Stewardship:

• Develop and implement a plan for donor acquisitions and renewals
• Cultivate relationships with donors and prospects through e.g., targeted appeals, donor asks and proposals, campaigns, and personalized contacts.
• Assist in qualifying prospective major individuals and corporate donors
• Contribute to major gift solicitation efforts, including preparing donor asks, briefings and proposals.
• Support and collaborate with donors and internal stakeholder to manage gifts in kind, donor events and third-party fundraising initiatives, including developing toolkits, attending and speaking at events.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for donor inquiries, addressing questions about Friends of Ruby.
• Write, edit, and execute gift agreements.

Data Management & Reporting:

• Ensure accurate and timely entry, reporting, and stewardship of donor data in the CRM system.
• Collaborate with others on the team and the Finance department to support internal fundraising proposal and reports with accurate data on annual giving efforts.

Additional Duties:

• Perform other duties as directed to support the department’s strategic priorities and key deadlines