Major Gifts Officer

Reporting to the VP, Advancement, the Major Gifts Officer supports the growth and momentum of the Werklund Centre Transformation Capital Campaign by fostering meaningful philanthropic partnerships and delivering exceptional donor experiences.

This role plays an important part in connecting donors to the long-term vision of Werklund Centre through thoughtful engagement, strategic relationship management, and collaborative campaign initiatives. Working collaboratively with senior leadership, campaign volunteers, and internal teams, the Major Gifts Officer contributes to a culture of philanthropy that strengthens community investment in the arts and supports transformational impact.

You’re a collaborative and proactive fundraising professional who brings strong relationship-building skills, sound judgment, and a donor-centered approach to their work. You are comfortable engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, managing multiple priorities, and navigating evolving campaign needs with professionalism and discretion. With strong communication, organizational, and strategic thinking skills, you thrive in a fast-paced environment and understand the power of personal connection in inspiring support, building trust, and fostering long-term donor engagement.

WHO WE ARE

Werklund Centre (formerly Arts Commons) is the steward of Western Canada’s largest arts centre and the artistic and civic cornerstone of Calgary’s downtown core that fosters the arts through live performance, educational opportunities, and artist development. For 40 years, it has been a key contributor to the social, economic, cultural, and intellectual life and well-being of Calgarians—a commitment that is being renewed through the Werklund Centre Transformation project, the largest cultural infrastructure project in Canadian history.

Our Belief : That equitable access to the arts is a human right

Our Responsibility: To redefine a bold and adventurous Calgary by championing and investing in creativity

Our Mission: We pursue artistic leadership through shared cultural experiences—creating opportunities that bring people together to celebrate who Calgary is today and spark the conversations that will shape our city’s future

WHAT WE OFFER

Employee Promise

We cultivate a diverse community that encourages collaboration, connection, and empowerment.

On top of the excitement of working with a team of committed performing and visual arts professionals & enthusiasts at one of Canada’s top performing arts facilities, Werklund Centre offers:

• A collaborative, engaging and values driven work environment
• An annual salary of $80,000 - $95,000
• A comprehensive health and dental benefits package, with RSP matching and access to an Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
• A positive working culture, keeping employee health and wellness a priority with generous paid time off policies and an annual lifestyle allowance
• A dynamic role that will have you engaging with the arts and communities in many different areas, and through different types of events and productions

WHAT WE VALUE

We are looking for individuals who share our vision of building a creative and compassionate society, inspired through the arts. Our team is made up of people with a diverse range of interests — singers, actors, musicians, playwrights, coaches, teachers, gamers, bakers, photographers, athletes, dancers. People whose interests encompass the widest spectrum. We even have furry, four legged friends in the office. We value people who strive to do the right thing, and work to be their best. People with open minds, hearts, and arms.

WHAT YOU WILL GET TO DO HERE

As the Major Gifts Officer, you will play a key role in advancing the Werklund Centre Transformation (WCT) fundraising campaign through the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major philanthropic gifts. Reporting to the VP, Advancement, you will manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors while supporting campaign strategy and relationship-building initiatives that help achieve Werklund Centre’s transformational goals.

In this role, you will build and strengthen relationships with donors, prospects, and community stakeholders, primarily focusing on gifts of $100,000+. Additionally, you will guide donors through all stages of the giving journey – from identification and cultivation to solicitation and stewardship – while helping them understand the impact of their support.

You will coordinate donor meetings and campaign activities, prepare proposals and briefing materials, maintain confidential donor records and reporting, and support volunteer engagement initiatives, including activities involving the Board of Directors and Campaign Advisory Committee. Through a collaborative, relationship-focused approach, you will help grow long-term philanthropic partnerships that advance Werklund Centre’s mission, vision, and future growth. Strong communication skills and the ability to build trust and meaningful relationships will be essential to success in this role, along with your ability to collaborate across departments and support strategic fundraising activities that strengthen donor engagement and advance both the organization and the WCT campaign.

Strategic Goals: Drive the success of the Werklund Centre Transformation Capital Campaign by securing and stewarding major philanthropic support, strengthening donor relationships, and advancing fundraising strategies that contribute to long-term organizational sustainability and community impact.

WHERE YOU FIT WITHIN OUR ECOSYSTEM

The Major Gifts Officer is a key member of the Development & External Relations team, working closely with Brand & Audience Development, Event Services, Production, Programming, Finance, and senior leadership, as well as campaign volunteers, board members, community partners, and external stakeholders. You will play a central role in advancing donor engagement and fundraising initiatives in support of the Werklund Centre Transformation project, while ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and campaign objectives.

YOU WILL BE A GREAT FIT IF YOU…

Must haves

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive fundraising experience with demonstrated success in major gift fundraising
• Post-secondary education in fundraising, communications, business, arts administration, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience)
• Proven track record securing and stewarding gifts of $100,000+
• Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Strong management, analytical and organizational skills necessary to manage a portfolio of 100-150 active major gift prospects/donors
• Strong writing and presentation skills, including experience preparing proposals, donor materials, and briefing notes
• Experience working with donor databases and fundraising CRM systems (Tessitura experience considered an asset)
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality
• Values-driven and collaborative approach to relationship management and teamwork

Nice to have

• Experience in non-profit sector, an asset
• Post-secondary education in event planning and business administration, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience)
• A passion for the arts!

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• Occasional work on evenings, weekends and holidays as required for a schedule of shows and events
• Lifting (up to 25 lbs)

Employment: Permanent, Salaried

Hours: FT (40 hrs); includes weekend and evening work as based on a schedule of shows and events

Start Date: ASAP

Salary: $80,000 - $95,000 annually

Location: Calgary (on-site)

To apply, send your resume and cover letter to: ***email_hidden***

If you are interested in applying to this exciting opportunity, please forward your resume and cover letter to the email noted below. In your cover letter, please provide examples of demonstrated success in securing major gifts, and outline both the results achieved and your individual contributions. Applications submitted without a cover letter addressing these requirements will not be considered.

Human Resources

Werklund Centre

205 - 8th Ave SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Email: ***email_hidden***

Interviews will be conducted on an on-going basis and the job posting will officially close when a suitable candidate is found. For best consideration, please apply by the deadline date. While we hope to fill this position as earliest as possible, our commitment to finding the right candidate may require more time. We thank all interested applicants in advance but will only be contacting those selected for an interview. If you have any specific questions to ask in relation to the role, please send them to the email address above and a member of our team will do our best to respond to you in a timely manner. 

Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility

As part of our organization’s commitment to IDEA, we work to remove barriers in collaboration with a broad range of voices. Removing these barriers begins with the hiring process. To that end, we are committed to recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and providing accessible employment practices. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process, and applicants are asked to make their accommodation needs known.

We strongly encourage applicants who identify as part of underrepresented groups, including women, people of colour and those with disabilities to apply. Even if your past experiences do not align perfectly with every qualification, we strongly encourage you to apply anyway! An excitement and passion for Werklund Centre can go a long way here, whether it’s in this role or another.