Development Officer, Individual Giving
Werklund Centre
Employment: Permanent, salaried
Hours: Full-time (40 hours); includes overtime, weekend and evening work based on a schedule of shows and events
Start Date: ASAP
Salary: $60,000 to $75,000 annually
Location: Calgary (on-site)
Closing Date: February 2, 2026
Job Description
Reporting to the director of development, the development officer of individual giving is responsible for building and stewarding meaningful relationships with Werklund Centre’s individual donors. As a donor-centric fundraiser, you help grow and sustain the individual giving portfolio and programs through thoughtful planning, management and engagement.
Passionate about philanthropy, you understand the power of personal connection in inspiring support. You identify, cultivate and steward relationships with individual and mid-level donors, ensuring they feel valued, informed and connected to the impact of their giving. Working collaboratively across teams, you plan and execute donor events, support fundraising initiatives, track donor activity and ensure accurate reporting, while contributing to the overall advancement objectives of the organization and at all times representing Werklund Centre with professionalism and integrity.
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 To be an inspirational force where artists, community and organizations celebrate cultural identities, experience the full breadth of human emotions and ignite positive change.
What We Offer
Salary range: $60,000 to $75,000
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 and enthusiasts, we offer:
- A collaborative, engaging and values-driven work environment.
- An annual salary in the range of $60,000 to $75,000.
- A comprehensive health and dental benefits package, with RRSP matching and access to an Employee and 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 and 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
Thriving in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, the development officer of individual giving supports the growth and sustainability of Werklund Centre by advancing donor relationships and delivering meaningful engagement experiences. You will develop and implement communication, marketing and event strategies that strengthen individual giving programs and inspire philanthropic support.
In this role, you will lead donor relations and manage a portfolio of individual philanthropic donors (under $25,000), ensuring thoughtful stewardship, timely communication and personalized engagement. You act as a key connector between donors and the organization, helping them feel informed, valued and connected to the impact of their giving.
Working closely with the VP of advancement and the director of development, you contribute to the design and execution of individual giving strategies that align with the organization’s advancement goals. You steward your portfolio with care, professionalism and a friendly, approachable manner, balancing strategic planning with personalized outreach. In collaboration with internal teams and external suppliers, you create, plan and execute donor engagement events and additional campaign-related activities. You also ensure departmental and organizational goals are met through collaboration, consultation and clear communication.
Strategic Goals
Strengthen Werklund Centre’s individual giving programs by fostering lasting donor relationships, enhancing engagement strategies and advancing the organization’s philanthropic vision.
Where You Fit Within Our Ecosystem
As part of the development and external relations team, this position partners with internal colleagues to build lasting relationships with external stakeholders and secure financial support for Werklund Centre’s operating and capital priorities. The team’s work includes government and stakeholder relations, government and foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, individual and corporate philanthropic gifts and special event management. The development officer of individual giving collaborates closely with the event services, production, marketing and programming teams as well as external suppliers to ensure seamless operation and execution of events catered to donor retention and growth.
You Will Be a Great Fit If You…
Must-Haves:
- Minimum three-plus years of experience in a fund development role or similar experience.
- A successful record of identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of individual philanthropic donors.
- Strong administrative, analytical and organizational skills necessary to prioritize and manage concurrent assignments.
- Keen understanding of philanthropy and donor engagement best practices.
- Experience with execution of donor stewardship events.
- Strong interpersonal and relationship‑building skills.
- Strong written, verbal and presentation skills with a high degree of initiative, self-motivation and an entrepreneurial spirit.
- Proven ability to successfully address challenges and change in reaching operating and project campaign goals.
- Experience with software packages such as Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Word.
- Positive attitude and comfortable working in collaborative environments.
- Values and patron-service driven.
- A knowledge of and passion for the arts.
Nice-to-Haves:
- Proficiency with Tessitura or other donor management systems.
- Experience with donor marketing plans and implementation, including creating content and campaign assets.
- Experience working with arts organizations.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements
- Event duty as required, which includes evening and weekend work according to a schedule of events and position responsibilities.
- Lifting of boxes up to 25 pounds when setting up for donor events.
If you are interested in applying for this exciting opportunity, please forward your resume and cover letter in confidence to Human Resources Werklund Centre 205 8 Ave. SE, Calgary AB, T2G 0K9, email employment@werklundcentre.ca.
Interviews will be conducted on an ongoing 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 early 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 regarding 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 and 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 under-represented 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.
To apply, send your resume and cover letter to: employment@werklundcentre.ca.
