Senior Development Writer, Office of Development and Alumni

Description

The Office of Development and Alumni is currently seeking a Full-time Staff Limited Term Senior Development Writer for approximately 1 year.

The Office of Development and Alumni is dedicated to amplifying the impact of the University of Calgary in our communities. We work in partnership with our academic and administrative colleagues across campus and with a wide variety of community members to expand our collective ability to advance the university's mission to make a transformative contribution to the city, the region, the country and the world.

Reporting to the Associate Director, Development Communications, the Senior Development Writer is a fast-paced, creative position within the Principal Gifts and Strategic Donor Engagement portfolio, which is dedicated to developing and implementing integrated fundraising and stewardship strategies that drive donor engagement and advance philanthropic investment opportunities in support of the university's strategic vision, plan and priorities.

The Senior Development Writer works with leadership, academics, vendors and colleagues across the university to uncover the stories that highlight the impact of education, research and community engagement at UCalgary and connect these stories to our emerging priorities, strengths and vision.

The ideal candidate will be self‑motivated and highly flexible with a commitment to producing high-quality work and the ability to prioritize workflow in response to changing workloads and shifting priorities. They must have the ability to work courteously and professionally under stressful conditions and tight deadlines, using tact and diplomacy while respecting appropriate confidentialities. At times this position may deal with highly confidential materials that call for discretion and sound judgment.

The Senior Development Writer is responsible for developing high‑impact donor‑focused communications, including impact reports, cases for support, proposals, feature and news stories, speaking remarks, video scripts and key messages, that bring our fundraising priorities and UCalgary impact to life. These materials support donor acquisition, retention and growth, and reflect the diversity of people, interests and activities that make up our campus and the community.

The role requires a strong writer with strategic communications experience – someone with a passion for storytelling, an understanding of what motivates donors, and the ability to strategically adapt and refine messaging for different audiences, creating compelling content that reinforces connection and inspires action.

The position will also contribute to the development of strategic plans that support fundraising and stewardship initiatives, and provide editorial support on internal materials, such as communications plans, event briefs and project plans, to ensure clarity and consistency, reflecting the high standard of writing in our donor‑facing communications.

• Research, write, curate, edit and produce high‑quality fundraising and stewardship materials, including impact reports, cases for support, proposals, feature and news stories, appeals, speaking remarks/scripts and key messages, that highlight the impact of giving, strengthen the UCalgary brand and reputation, and inspire donors.
• Tailor messaging to specific audiences and donor segments to maximize engagement.
• Collaborate with creative colleagues and vendors to shape video and visual content, providing editorial direction to ensure clarity, engagement and impact.
• Develop and execute strategies that amplify content across the campus community and advance an internal culture of philanthropy.
• Work closely with the Associate Director, Development Communications, in expanding the established philanthropic narrative and with fundraising colleagues to ensure it's reflected in all donor‑facing communications.
• Collaborate with research experts, fundraisers and communicators across campus to identify relevant information and data to create compelling stories of impact related to fundraising projects, and with subject matter experts to develop key messaging.
• Review and edit…