Specialist, Donor Events

The Baycrest Foundation

has an exciting opportunity for a

Specialist, Donor Events

Posting Number: 9979

Position Type: Permanent Full Time

Shift Type: Days

Bi-Weekly Hours: 70 Hours, 7 hrs/shift

Union: Non-Union

Date Posted: June 9, 2026

Internal Closing Date: June 16, 2026

About Us

The Baycrest Foundation inspires giving to shape the future of aging and brain health. It connects generosity with purpose by supporting research, care and education that improve the lives of older adults and their families.

Building on more than a century of leadership in aging and brain health, the Foundation empowers donors to advance breakthroughs in the prevention of cognitive decline and dementia, earlier detection and improved diagnostics, new treatments and therapeutics, and innovative approaches to dementia care.

Rooted in community and inspired by possibility, the Baycrest Foundation helps donors make a lasting difference in how people live, age and thrive.

Job Summary  

The Donor Events Specialist plays a key role in advancing major giving strategies through the planning and delivery of high ‑ touch donor cultivation and stewardship activities, with a primary focus on donor events. This role supports relationship building with major donors and prospects by designing personalized, mission ‑ aligned experiences that deepen engagement and move donors along the major gifts pipeline.

Reporting to the Manager, Donor Events, the Specialist works closely with the Major Gifts Team, bringing a high degree of professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment to all interactions. While events are a core responsibility, the role is positioned within the broader context of major gift stewardship, pipeline support, and donor engagement strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gifts Event Strategy & Execution

• Support the planning and execution of donor events, including cultivation, stewardship, and select recognition opportunities.
• Support the design of events as strategic stewardship tools aligned with major gift objectives and individual donor interests.
• Assist in developing comprehensive event plans, timelines, and logistics to ensure seamless execution and an exceptional donor experience.
• Prepare detailed run‑of‑show documents, speaker notes, and briefing materials for the Major Gifts Team and key stakeholders.
• Coordinate on‑site event delivery, maintaining a calm, organized, and professional presence.

Donor Stewardship & Relationship Support

• Support the delivery of highly personalized, high‑touch engagement experiences for major donors and prospects.
• At events, interact directly with highly influential donors and philanthropists, exercising exceptional discretion, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Support donor stewardship strategies through thoughtful event design, coordination, and follow‑up.
• Assist in strengthening donor relationships by ensuring events reflect donor interests, recognition preferences, and giving goals.

Major Gifts Team Support & Pipeline Advancement

• Provide dedicated event planning and coordination support to the Major Gifts Team.
• Support major gift pipeline activities by tracking event participation, donor engagement, and stewardship touchpoints.
• Coordinate pre‑event briefings and post‑event debriefs to capture insights and inform future cultivation strategies.
• Assist with follow‑up activities that support ongoing donor engagement and relationship management.

CRM, Reporting & Administration

• Ensure accurate and timely recording of event details, donor interactions, and engagement outcomes in the CRM system.
• Support reporting related to donor participation, event outcomes, and stewardship impact.
• Maintain organized documentation related to event planning, communications, and donor engagement.

Budget & Vendor Management

• Support the budgeting process for targeted donor events.
• Monitor event expenditures to ensure alignment with approved budgets and stewardship goals.
• In collaboration with the Manager, Donor Events, source and coordinate vendors and suppliers, ensuring high-quality service and value.

Qualifications

• Post‑secondary diploma or degree in Fundraising Management, Event Management, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field, or a recognized equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Fundraising or event-related certifications (e.g., AFP, CFRE coursework, Event Management certificates) are considered an asset.
• Minimum three (3) to five (5) years of progressive experience supporting major gifts, donor relations, stewardship, or high‑profile fundraising events within a non-profit, healthcare, academic, or foundation environment.
• Demonstrated experience planning and delivering donor-facing cultivation or stewardship events requiring a high degree of professionalism, discretion, and attention to detail.
• Experience working with high‑value donors, prospects, philanthropists, or other influential stakeholders.
• Proven experience collaborating closely with a Major Gifts or Advancement team, supporting donor engagement strategies and pipeline activities.
• Experience managing event logistics end‑to‑end, including planning, run‑of‑show development, on‑site execution, and post‑event follow‑up.
• Experience proposing, managing, and monitoring event budgets and coordinating vendors and service providers.
• Familiarity with CRM systems used in fundraising (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, or similar) for recording donor interactions and event activity is an asset.  

Compensation

At Baycrest, we take pride in ensuring our compensation structure is internally equitable and compliant with pay equity legislation. We believe compensation should be transparent, equitable, and reflective of your experience and growth. Our salary ranges are structured to support progression, from learning the role to demonstrating full proficiency.

The salary range for this position is $71,208 to $89,010 per year. 

Your placement within the target hiring range will depend on your job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, and relevant education and experience, as well as considerations such as market conditions and internal equity. The starting salary will be determined using these factors to ensure fairness and consistency across the organization.