Principal Giving Stewardship & Cultivation Officer
Remote / Online - Candidates ideally in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Listing for:
Dalhousie University
Full Time, Per diem, Remote/Work from Home
position
Listed on 2026-03-05
Job specializations:
-
Non-Profit & Social Impact
PR / Communications
Job Description & How to Apply Below
Job Summary Dalhousie University’s Office of Advancement is responsible for all fundraising and alumni engagement activities at the institution. Within the office, the Principal Giving and Campaign Strategy team cultivates relationships with donors who invest $1 million and more. Reporting to the Manager, Principal Giving Stewardship, the Principal Giving Stewardship and Cultivation Officer will play an essential role in supporting stewardship activities, cultivation planning, and principal-level communications.
The Officer will also collaborate closely with the Director of Communications, Principal Giving on communication and design needs, with functional direction from the Senior Director of Development, Principal Giving and Campaign Strategy, ensuring that donors experience thoughtful engagement, timely reporting, and clear visibility into the outcomes of their philanthropy.
Key Responsibilities
Support donor stewardship coordination, managing pipelines, timelines, and reporting deliverables using CRM and Excel to ensure accurate, timely, and personalized donor communications.Prepare customized donor reports and materials by gathering and analyzing student, financial, program, and faculty information, and drafting polished content aligned with strategic objectives.Support donor cultivation and engagement by coordinating meaningful opportunities such as events, milestones, recognition activities, and storytelling initiatives aligned with donor interests. Could include local travel and occasional evenings and weekends.Collaborate with development staff and internal partners to integrate stewardship and cultivation efforts, anticipate engagement needs, and strengthen long‑term donor relationships.Develop and design high‑quality, brand‑aligned donor communications including reports, proposals, visuals, and supplementary assets, ensuring consistency, version control, and production accuracy.Project manage donor‑focused events and experiences, coordinating logistics, communications, materials, and follow‑up while evaluating outcomes to inform continuous improvement.Note
The successful applicant will be eligible for hybrid work (combination of in-person work on campus and remote work from within Nova Scotia) as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements and university guidelines.
Required Qualifications
Undergraduate degree with three to five years’ experience in a role involving project coordination, communications, or stakeholder engagement (or an equivalent combination of training and experience).Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, monitor timelines, and maintain accurate information.Clear writing ability, with comfort drafting or refining text for stewardship reports, proposals, invitations, and acknowledgments.Comfortable with current software platforms, with proficiency in Excel for tracking stewardship recipients, timelines, and reporting commitments. Experience working with CRM systems, particularly for tracking donor-related information or stewardship actions.Ability to format and assemble materials using established templates in Canva or similar digital design tools. Familiarity with Adobe programs is an advantage.Confidence communicating with development staff, faculty partners, and internal stakeholders, using discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment.Assets
Experience preparing or supporting donor-facing or executive-level materials.Experience in the non-profit or academic sector.Knowledge of university procedures, philanthropic trends, donor relations frameworks, and campaign messaging strategies.Awareness of storytelling practices used in stewardship communications, including impact reporting and donor recognition moments.Job Competencies
The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in Dalhousie’s and competencies, in particular:
- Respect & Inclusion
- Adaptability
- Knowledge & Thinking Skills
- Communication
- Service
Additional Information
Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Our total compensation package includes a defined benefit pension plan, health and dental plans, a health…
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