Philanthropy & Stewardship Officer
About Crow's Theatre
For over 40 years, Crow’s Theatre has been a leading force in the Canadian theatre landscape, recognized for provocative, award-winning new work that premieres in Toronto and often tours nationally and internationally. Crow’s Theatre is distinguished as a preeminent cultural destination for its far-reaching imagination, ideas, exchange, diversity, and grassroots belief that the arts are essential to healthy and thriving communities.
Led by Artistic and General Director, Chris Abraham, and Executive Director, Sherrie Johnson, Crow’s Theatre is located at the corner of Carlaw Avenue and Dundas Street East in Toronto’s east end. Our theatre is comprised of four venues for dynamic cultural and community programming: the Guloien Theatre (225 seats); Studio Theatre (90); the Nada Ristich Studio Gallery (80); the full-service Lobby Bar; as well as an onsite restaurant leased to Piano Piano, which can accommodate 60 seated indoors and 75 on the outdoor patio.
About The Position
Crow’s Theatre is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and donor-focused Philanthropy & Stewardship Officer to strengthen and lead the organization’s stewardship systems and donor experience, with the goal of supporting donor retention, increasing giving, and contributing to long-term revenue growth and pipeline development.
This role will be central to building a more consistent, thoughtful, and accountable approach to donor engagement—ensuring that every donor is acknowledged promptly, recognized appropriately, and meaningfully connected to the impact of their support.
Working closely with the Director of Philanthropy and the broader fundraising team, the Philanthropy & Stewardship Officer will design and implement clear stewardship processes, improve donor acknowledgment and reporting practices, and support the tracking and execution of donor engagement across the organization.
This role will also lead the planning, coordination, and execution of key stewardship events, including Patrons Circle evenings and other cultivation experiences, ensuring they are strategically designed, well-executed, and aligned with donor engagement, retention, and revenue goals.
As part of a small and collaborative team, this position is ideal for someone who is highly organized, takes pride in follow-through, and is motivated by building systems that strengthen relationships and improve the donor experience.
This role plays a critical part in strengthening Crow’s Theatre’s culture of philanthropy by ensuring consistency and accountability in donor interactions, and by supporting the conditions necessary for donor growth and increased philanthropic revenue.
Responsibilities
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Stewardship Systems & Donor Experience
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Design, implement, and maintain a comprehensive stewardship calendar across all donor segments.
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Ensure timely, accurate, and personalized donor acknowledgments.
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Lead the coordination and tracking of donor reporting (impact reports, updates, and tailored communications).
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Manage a structured moves management and stewardship tracking system to support accountability and follow-through across the team.
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Plan, coordinate, and execute donor stewardship events (including Patrons Circle evenings and similar cultivation experiences), ensuring they are thoughtfully delivered, well-attended, aligned with donor engagement goals, and managed within budget. Track attendance, engagement, and outcomes to inform future planning.
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Oversee donor recognition and benefits fulfillment across all platforms (print, digital, and onsite), ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with donor agreements. Maintain up-to-date recognition lists (including programs, signage, and digital materials) and coordinate internal processes to ensure timely and accurate implementation across all touchpoints.
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Collaborate with internal teams to ensure stewardship initiatives and events reinforce donor relationships and support retention and engagement.
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Monitor stewardship workflows and identify opportunities to improve consistency, efficiency, and overall donor experience.
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Work onsite to support donor engagement, including attending performances and events, meeting and hosting donors, and collaborating closely with internal teams to deliver a high-quality, coordinated donor experience.
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Campaign & Acquisition Support
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Support the planning and execution of annual donor acquisition campaigns and renewal mailings, working collaboratively with the Philanthropy team.
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Help coordinate campaign timelines, segmentation, and messaging.
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Track and report on campaign performance metrics, ensuring accurate and actionable insights.
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Assist in identifying opportunities to improve donor retention, increase renewal rates, and grow overall giving through targeted acquisition and reactivation strategies.
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Team & Portfolio Support
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Work closely with Philanthropy team members to support donor engagement strategies across portfolios.
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Help organize and track moves, follow-ups, and cultivation activity across the team.
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Act as a central resource for ensuring donor engagement actions are documented, scheduled, and completed.
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General Responsibilities
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Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams to ensure a cohesive donor experience.
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Attend Crow’s Theatre’s performances to maintain a comprehensive understanding of programming to effectively engage with donors and prospects.
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Support additional projects and initiatives as directed by the Director of Philanthropy.
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Qualifications
- Minimum 2 - 4 years of fundraising experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Demonstrated ability to manage projects, workflows, or systems with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
- Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines consistently.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging for different audiences.
- Comfort working with data, tracking systems, and CRM tools.
- A collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
- Interest in the performing arts and a genuine commitment to creating meaningful donor experiences.
- Proven experience supporting events, campaigns, or donor engagement initiatives, with demonstrated involvement in both planning and execution.
Compensation
This is a permanent full-time employment position with a salary commensurate with experience. The position includes participation in Crow’s extended health benefits package and pension plan. Standard 40 hours, with evening and weekend availability expected, particularly during show runs.
This is an onsite position based at Crow’s Theatre. The successful candidate will be expected to work in-person on a full-time basis, with regular attendance at performances and events, and active participation in day-to-day team collaboration.
Salary Range: $60,000.00 - $70,000.00
Application
To apply, please email your detailed resume and a cover letter, in PDF form, to hiring@crowstheatre.com. Please refer to “Philanthropy & Stewardship Officer” in subject line.
Interviews shall be conducted as soon as a qualified candidate applies and is selected. Applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.
Thank you to all applicants; only those selected for interviews will be contacted.
Crow’s is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis. We are also committed to building a more equitable, inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage submissions from all qualified individuals regardless of gender, age, race, culture, nationality, family status, sexual orientation, and physical ability. If you require any accommodations during the hiring process, please email us confidentially
at sherrie@crowstheatre.com.