Position: Development Officer Reports to: Manager, Major Gifts
Start Date: Immediate Vacant Position
Unionized Role
About The Stop
From our origins as one of Canada’s first food banks in the 1980’s, The Stop has blossomed into a thriving community hub where neighbours participate in a broad range of programs that provide healthy food, foster social connections, build food skills, and promote civic engagement. We believe that nutritious, sustainable, and culturally appropriate food is a human right for all.
At The Stop, we hire people who are passionate, dedicated and love what they do. We have a mindset of community support and a culture of collaboration, passion and dedication. Our goal is to deliver, both to our community and to our employees. We are excited to foster an environment that allows people to meet challenges and provides the opportunity to make an impact on the community within which we operate.
Position Overview
Reporting to the Development Manager, the Development Officer is responsible for managing and growing a portfolio of current and prospective individual donors, with a focus on small, mid-level and monthly giving.
This position plays an important role in building meaningful relationships with donors and ensuring they feel valued, informed and connected to The Stop's work. The Development Officer coordinates individual giving campaigns and donor stewardship initiatives, manages donor relations and database activities, and uses data and insights to strengthen fundraising results.
Working collaboratively with colleagues across the Development, Communications and Program teams, the Development Officer helps bring The Stop's impact to life through compelling donor communications and fundraising initiatives. This is an ideal opportunity for a highly organized, technically capable and people-oriented individual who enjoys learning, problem-solving and contributing to a mission-driven team.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Individual Giving and Fundraising
- Work closely with the Development Manager to plan and execute individual giving strategies and campaigns that grow revenue, engage donors and strengthen donor retention.
- Coordinate The Stop's individual giving programs, including monthly, small and mid-level giving, with responsibility for donor engagement, stewardship, upgrades, renewals and program growth.
- Manage fundraising campaigns across multiple channels, including digital, direct mail, telephone and SMS, and oversee relationships with third-party vendors to ensure effective and cost-efficient execution.
- Monitor campaign performance, research emerging trends and identify opportunities to improve fundraising results and donor engagement.
Donor Relations and Stewardship
- Provide excellent donor service, serving as a primary point of contact for individual donors and prospects giving under $5,000. Respond to inquiries with professionalism, empathy and care, ensuring donors feel valued and connected to The Stop's work.
- Manage the donor stewardship cycle, including timely acknowledgements, tax receipting, personalized communications, donor reporting and other activities that strengthen donor relationships.
- Coordinate volunteers supporting donor stewardship initiatives.
Database Management and Reporting
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records in The Stop's CRM database, ensuring gifts, donor interactions and relevant activities are properly recorded.
- Generate database queries and reports, analyze fundraising and donor data, and monitor campaign performance to support decision-making and identify opportunities for growth.
Communications, Collaboration and Events
- Work collaboratively with the Communications & Marketing Manager and Program teams to develop compelling donor communications, gather stories and impact information, and support fundraising campaigns and stewardship initiatives.
- Assist with the planning and execution of donor cultivation events and support broader Development team activities, including peer-to-peer fundraising and special events. Some evening and weekend work may be required.
- Contribute to a positive and collaborative team environment, taking initiative and supporting colleagues in achieving shared departmental and organizational goals.
- Other tasks as required
Qualifications and Skills
We are looking for someone who combines strong technical and organizational skills with a genuine interest in people, relationship-building and community impact.
- Experience: Minimum three years of experience in a technical and/or customer service role. Experience in fundraising, donor relations or the non-profit sector is an asset.
- Technical aptitude: Comfortable working with databases, CRM systems and digital platforms, with the ability to learn new systems and tools quickly. Strong data management and analytical skills, including experience generating reports and working with spreadsheets.
- Communication and relationship-building: Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, with a strong customer service orientation and the ability to build positive relationships and communicate impact through thoughtful, compelling and dignified storytelling.
- Organization and accountability: Strong attention to detail, sound judgment and the ability to manage multiple priorities, take initiative and follow through on commitments.
- Collaboration and adaptability: A positive, team-oriented approach, with the ability to work independently, collaborate effectively with colleagues and external partners, and adapt to changing priorities.
- Values and community commitment: A genuine interest in The Stop's mission and a desire to contribute to positive change in the community. Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, anti-oppression, equity and ethical, community-centred fundraising practices.
Perform all duties as assigned. This position is hybrid with four days a week in the office required.
