Philanthropy Officer, Community Giving

As we serve vulnerable youth, all employees working for Covenant House Vancouver must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Proof of vaccination status will be required prior to your start date.

Since 1997, Covenant House Vancouver has provided relentless support for youth experiencing, or at-risk of experiencing, homelessness. We provide support to young people age 16 to 24 who have experienced a wide range of early life and ongoing, complex trauma; including physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect. Our purpose is to serve all youth, with absolute respect and unconditional love, to help youth experiencing homelessness, and provide a safe and supportive environment for all youth in need.

Working at Covenant House will be one of the most meaningful things that you’ll do in your life. However, you will be confronted with significant issues in this work and frankly, this work is not for everyone. In the course of doing your work, particularly for those doing frontline work, you will be exposed to the trauma of others. The youth we serve may also experience overdose, physical harm perpetuated by self or others and even death.

Because we provide a relational model of care, the harms our youth experience can impact us in varying degrees.

While we provide training for youth workers on avoiding what we call vicarious trauma (namely, the trauma you can experience or take on by hearing other’s traumatic stories), and a generous allowance for counselling, it is still difficult work that can and does take its toll on many employees. Self‑awareness and self‑care are key. Some candidates and employees decide during the recruiting and probationary periods that this work isn’t for them, and that is totally fair.

We will provide more information on vicarious trauma during recruiting and on‑boarding, to help you decide if Covenant House is the place for you.

As a Philanthropy Officer with our Community Giving Team, you will manage a portfolio of approximately 350 donors. This portfolio focuses primarily on school groups, including students, teachers, school administrators and parents at the elementary, secondary and post‑secondary levels. The portfolio will also include engaging with community donors by supporting their third‑party fundraising efforts, such as through golf tournaments, silent auctions, and other community fundraising activities on behalf of Covenant House.

The Philanthropy Officer will connect with these supporters using strong communication, administrative, organization, and relationship‑building skills. You will engage these supporters in the work of Covenant House Vancouver (CHV), asking them for monetary donations and to initiate and engage in fundraising and awareness‑building activities to support our cause. You will also help share compelling stories to demonstrate the impact of how donors are making a difference in the lives of youth who choose CHV for support.

The Philanthropy Officer will be required to attend speaking engagements and/or events outside of normal working hours and working hours would be adjusted to accommodate.

• This role seeks the engagement of community stakeholders to facilitate:
• Establishment and maintenance of mutually beneficial relationships
• Ongoing community support and engagement, including financial support
• Public understanding of the agency’s mission/goals

• You will build meaningful relationships with community donors through thoughtful questions to understand their interests, passions, and reasons for supporting the youth at CHV
• Your excellent organizational skills will keep you on track and able to manage your portfolio of donors
• You will communicate with donors through the phone, email and mail, and often through in‑person meetings and group presentations
• You will support school fundraising initiatives and events hosted by current community donors, and will also work with new prospects to grow our community donor family
• You will help grow the Sleep Out movement , with a focus on expanding participation in Sleep Out:
  Student Edition
• You will learn about youth stories…