Job opportunity: Development Officer

Title: Development Officer

Location: Montreal, Canada

Status: Contract (12 months), Full time, 35 hours/week

Salary range: $53 000 – $60,000

Application deadline: July 3rd, 2026 (Applications are reviewed as they are received)

Contract starting date: July 2026

Be a part of positive social change

Imagine working for an organization whose primary mission is to advance equality, social justice and respect for human dignity. Imagine that your work aligns with your personal values and that you participate every day in creating positive social change through transformative human rights education programs. Alongside 40 like-minded colleagues in Canada and partners around the world, you could help empower people to address inequality and discrimination, and work to build more inclusive and rights-respecting communities with Equitas.

The opportunity

Since 1967, Equitas has been an influential Canadian human rights organization working with individuals, communities, institutions, and organizations in Canada and around the world to address growing threats to democratic rights and values. Through education, Equitas empowers people to understand, claim, and exercise their rights.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Development & Innovation, the Development Officer plays a key role in coordinating and implementing fund development activities to diversify revenue sources and support the success and impact of Equitas’ educational programs in Canada and internationally.

The Development Officer contributes to the development and implementation of Equitas’ Program Fund Development strategies and coordinates fundraising activities. They work closely with the Senior Communications Officer, other members of the Impact & Innovation team, and the Board’s Fund Development Committee.

Main responsibilities

Development of Fund Development Strategies and Plans

• Contribute to the development of a multi-year fund development strategy, with a focus on fundraising, including diagnostic assessments and analysis of current practices.
• Develop annual work plans, including timelines, budgets, and targets across all fundraising streams.
• Develop processes for identifying prospective donors and contribute to strategies for approaching individual and corporate donors for major gifts.
• Participate actively in the work of the Board Fund Development Committee.

Coordination of fund development activities

• Coordinate the annual fundraising campaign.
• Plan and support donor cultivation and fundraising events.
• Prepare donor-facing materials, including presentations, letters, reports, and cases for support.
• Lead donor stewardship activities, including newsletters, donor recognition initiatives, acknowledgements, and tax receipts.
• Collaborate closely with the Senior Communications Officer to optimize online engagement strategies in support of fundraising goals.
• Support targeted fundraising initiatives for specific projects.
• Maintain accurate donor and prospect records and analyze donor data.
• Develop donor profiles and analyze trends to guide fundraising strategies.
• Collaborate with the Senior Finance Analyst to monitor budgets, forecasts, revenues, and expenditures.

Other responsibilities

• Perform administrative and logistical tasks required for the success of Equitas’ fundraising strategy (Salesforce, Mailchimp, Canva, annual report distribution, KPI tracking, budget coordination, etc.).
• Support Equitas’ financial resource mobilization efforts.
• Support Program Fund Development through proposal development, research, and related activities.
• Coordinate and supervise interns or volunteers when required.

Who are you?

You are passionate about human rights and social justice and strongly committed to Equitas’ mission, vision, and values. You are motivated to foster an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the Equitas community.

You possess strong strategic, analytical, and organizational skills, as well as experience supporting fundraising strategies, donor engagement initiatives, and fundraising campaigns. You are an excellent communicator with strong relationship-building skills and can effectively manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.

What is essential for the role

• Commitment to the mission and values of Equitas.
• University degree, diploma, or certificate in a relevant field such as Philanthropy, Communications, Non-Profit Management, Public Administration, Project Management, Marketing, Business Development, International Development, or a related discipline.
• Three to five (3–5) years of relevant experience in fundraising and fundraising campaign implementation, with demonstrated success in securing funds.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to create compelling fundraising materials.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and information technology tools.
• Excellent written and spoken English and French.

Asset for the position

• Experience working in a non-profit organization focused on human rights and social justice issues.
• Experience with event organization an asset.
• Experience with databases, specifically ProDon and/or Salesforce an asset; otherwise interest and ability to master new technological environments and problem solve.
• Experience in the fields of human rights, human rights education, and/or social justice issues.
• Understanding of the human rights-based approach, gender-based analysis, and innovative approaches.
• Experience working in a multicultural environment.

What we offer

• We offer the chance to be a part of and make up a diverse and engaged team of people that are all meaningfully contributing to positive social change in Canada and around the world in their own way.
• We value self-care, inclusion, and empathy towards all team members and place a strong emphasis on work-life balance. In addition to vacation time, we offer 2 weeks off over the winter holidays.
• We’re all about learning and offer all employees the opportunity to participate in Learning Committees based on their interests and participate in a workplace culture that is constantly looking for ways to improve and innovate
• We believe in trust and openness and offer a flexible work environment.
• We believe in creating space for everyone to lead and offer opportunities within our governance structure to allow for individuals in all roles to take on opportunities for leadership.
• We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes a competitive salary for the NGO sector, 3 weeks paid vacation (4 weeks after 3 years), paid personal days, medical, dental, and life insurance, a group RRSP, and much more!

Join us!

Given the nature of our work, Equitas strongly encourages applications from any candidates who have experienced marginalization, in particular, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, 2SLGBTQI+ people, and people living with disabilities. Candidates who wish to do so may self-identify in their application.

At Equitas, we do not tolerate harassment, discrimination, violence, or abuse of any form. All employment offers are conditional on the signing of Equitas’ Human Resources Policy, our Policy on Preventing Sexual Violence, Harassment and Discrimination, and satisfactory references.

Equitas thanks all applicants for their interest. However, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

For further information about Equitas consult our website’s Who are we section at

How to apply?

Please send 1 PDF attachment containing your cover letter and résumé, with your name and “Development Officer” in the subject line, no later than July 3, 2026, to: rhequitas@equitas.org

Applications will be reviewed as they are received.