Job Description

At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun!



Sounds pretty great, doesn't it? It is!



The Development team is responsible for both the fundraising and marketing functions of House of Friendship, to grow financial support that sustains the mission of House of Friendship into the future, and to build awareness and affinity for our brand throughout Waterloo Region. The Special Events and Donor Relations Officer will deliver an outstanding donor experience every single time, one that grows donors' commitment to, and affinity for, House of Friendship's mission. The ideal candidate will live and breathe hospitality, and will love building meaningful relationships, using their excellent project management and event management experience. This role will lead, execute and be the public 'face' of House of Friendship special events, and will plan for and provide amazing stewardship for assigned supporter groups to lead them through a deeply meaningful donor journey.

This is a permanent, salaried, full-time (37.5 hours per week) position with paid sick time,

personal days, vacation time; group health benefits and defined contribution pension plan.

Schedule generally Monday to Friday, daytime hours; flexibility required including occasional

evening and weekend hours. Valid G class driver's license and access to a reliable vehicle required; local travel within Waterloo Region.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead and execute House of Friendship special events:

Confirm and document the strategic direction and financial goal of each event annually, executing all details on strategy Lead all event activities to achieve the established objectives, and coordinate effectively with internal team members on roles, timelines, information needs, list pulls and event day details, providing meticulous project management Provide excellent engagement, including coordinating and communicating with, and cultivation and stewardship of, event sponsors, volunteer event committee members, and attendees Be the internal and public face of House of Friendship events, and represent the organization in event related media opportunities Record and maintain current information in Raiser's Edge Lead and maximize the organization's use of event software (Trellis) Review and maintain up-to-date event roadmaps annually for each event and execute accordingly Conduct an annual evaluation of each event, gathering input from key stakeholders and completing a written evaluation within 4 weeks of the event

Deliver top-notch donor experiences for selected supporter groups:

Create amazing supporter journeys and experiences for donor groups as assigned, which may include faith groups (all denominations), monthly donors and/or businesses:

+ Provide heartfelt gratitude and donor love through phone calls, emails, hand written cards, personal videos and in person thanks
+ Grow our understanding of assigned donors through administering surveys, research and other means
+ Create and lead mail and email engagement strategies for these donor groups
+ Manage and execute the new donor experience digitally and over the phone
Be the House of Friendship point of contact for community fundraising events:

+ Strengthen and support community fundraisers in alignment with House of Friendship's Third Party Event Policy
+ Provide website updates, explanatory videos, updated resources for community members to use to make their fundraising a success
+ Provide stewardship for community fundraisers that may include phone calls, video thanks, cheque presentations etc.

Provide back up and ad hoc support as assigned:

Support Development Manager and Development team on strategic initiatives and projects as required Provide backup support for development team members as required for vacations etc.

Job Specific Knowledge/Skills:

Certification in Event Management is a definite asset Strong relational skills that build rapport and genuine trust quickly Ability to interview presenters and effectively write transcripts for their use during events Strong communication skills, both oral and written, that inspire and engage Excellent planning, organizational, follow through and time management skills Self-directed with high capacity to manage multiple shifting priorities and timelines High attention to detail and accuracy Excellent ability to maintain confidentiality at all times Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite Media training and experience is an asset

Education/Experience:

Post-secondary education in Events Management or related field such as Communications A minimum of two (2) years related work experience in service-related positions, or leading high impact fundraising and stewardship events Proven ability to effectively engage a wide variety of constituents, such as media, community leaders/partners, colleagues, sponsors, donors and volunteers, with demonstrated excellent interpersonal and team collaboration skills

Critical Skills:

Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of Friendship Ability to meet a variety of new people, develop genuine warmth and sincere rapport Exemplary emotional intelligence, resilience, communication, conflict management and problem-solving skills required Ability to work professionally as a team member with staff, donors, volunteers and community members Excellent project, timeline and deadline management skills including skills in logistics, planning and detailed record keeping Excellent public presentation, verbal and written skills Proven technical aptitude to learn and effectively use digital tools like event management software, inputting into a database, and digital tools for mass communication Exemplary hosting, relationship building skills Experience or strong interest in working with diverse populations including people from various cultural backgrounds, income levels, and sensitivity to their needs Experience with and commitment to using an anti-racism, anti-oppressive and trauma informed approach to consultation, program design, evaluations of processes and service delivery Must be dependable, professional, flexible, a team player, and have a positive attitude Respectful, supportive and engaging approach to persons with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, addictions, mental illness and other life challenges

Compensation:

At House of Friendship, we know that our team members are the key to the success of our organization and our ability to provide essential services to the community. In support of our mission and in alignment with our values, House of Friendship is committed to ensuring fair, market competitive, and rewarding compensation practices for all of our team members. We aspire to support our team members to create a great work environment where our team is able to thrive, succeed, and have a positive work experience.



House of Friendship compensation practices including our pay grid, have been developed using documented leading pay practices in the not-for-profit sector including Pathways to Decent Work (Ontario Nonprofit Network) and Ontario Living Wage Network. We value the experience that new team members bring to the organization and have a process in place to review previous related experience for placement on our pay grid.



We value the work that you do with fair pay and benefits:

Time off includes three (3) weeks of vacation, 5 personal days (3 for 2025) and sick credits totaling approximately 12 days per year
Full-time benefit plan including Extended Health Care (EHC), Dental, Group Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (ADD), Long Term Disability (LTD), Flexible Spending Account and Employee Family Assistance Program We believe strongly in supporting the mental health of our team members, including providing access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program, $2,000 for counselling services and our workplace Wellness and Psychological Health and Safety programs We help you save for the future by providing a retirement plan that includes a matched Group Pension Plan as well as a Group RRSP and a Group Tax Free Savings Account

Rate of Pay:

At House of Friendship all compensation ranges are categorized under a series of "grades" and we base our payment structure on internal equity. When determining rate of pay, a candidate's past related experience will be taken into consideration.



Grade: 5


Min: $27.31


Mid: $31.34


Max: $35.37

Working Conditions:

37.5 hours weekly; generally daytime, weekday hours (8:30am to 4:30pm) Occasional evening and weekend work to support House of Friendship or Community events Vacation may not be taken two weeks before or after Signature Events Encountering participants at program sites who may be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and/or experiencing symptoms of mental illness can be expected Valid Driver's license required due to events that are hosted off site and require materials to be transported


House of Friendship is open and inviting to qualified candidates with lived experience.



House of Friendship supports justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace. We strive to be a workplace free of harassment and discrimination and we are committed to removing barriers and being an inclusive, work environment. House of Friendship is a place where each person can bring their true selves and feel that they belong. We aspire to be an organization that is anti-racist and anti-oppressive so that our team, and therefore our community, can truly belong and thrive.


We invite applications from all qualified candidates and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to accessing employment including, but not limited to Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.


If you require accommodations to be able to participate fully at any stage in the recruitment process, including applying for this position, please let us know so that we can discuss accommodation options. Accommodations will be provided upon request.



If you are as passionate as we are about serving the community, let's talk.


To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter here:

https://house-of-friendship.hirehive.com/special-events-and-donor-relations-officer-kitchener-on-Ls1iOZ

By end of day

November 28, 2025.