Major Gifts Officer

THE OPPORTUNITY

Operation Eyesight is an international development organization working to eliminate avoidable vision loss and bring quality eye health care to communities where it’s needed most. We are seeking two dedicated and enthusiastic professionals to join our expanding team as Major Gifts Officers, helping to grow and strengthen our donor community.

Reporting to the Manager, Fund Development, the Major Gifts Officers will be proactive, self-starters who thrive on building long-term relationships. The primary focus of this role will be securing new gift commitments of $10,000+ by soliciting, cultivating and stewarding new and existing donors. With a strong emphasis on developing new prospects (individuals, corporations and foundations), the successful candidates will show initiative, creativity and persistence in connecting with prospective donors whose values align with those of Operation Eyesight.

The ideal candidates bring proven experience closing major gifts at the five-figure level and above, preferably in the non-profit sector, or in business development in the private sector, and demonstrate the ability to move donor relationships from initial contact to meaningful, lasting partnerships.

The Major Gifts Officers will be part of a high performing and successful Fund Development team that works collaboratively with International and Country Programme colleagues and the Marketing & Communication team to create and deliver donor engagement strategies and materials. Equally comfortable working independently or in collaboration with colleagues and volunteers, the Major Gifts Officers will take ownership of their portfolio, contributing to the overall fundraising strategy while ensuring every donor interaction reflects care, respect, and a focus on shared impact.

While the Operation Eyesight head office is located in Calgary, Alberta, we welcome applications from across Canada as this position can be performed remotely. Occasional domestic travel may be required.

ABOUT OPERATION EYESIGHT CANADA

Operation Eyesight, founded in 1963 in Calgary, is an international development organization working to eliminate avoidable blindness (blindness that can either be cured or prevented) in partnership with local hospitals and governments. Recognized as a leader in its field, Operation Eyesight invests in sustainable eye health treatment, blindness prevention and community development to create a better life for people now and into the future.

We are a global community with more than 65 staff worldwide and a team of more than 4,600 frontline workers and partners. With country offices and boards of directors across four continents, Operation Eyesight offers programs in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Sri Lanka, and Zambia. Within Canada, Operation Eyesight provides awareness, research and advocacy and is currently undertaking projects to improve access to eye care services for medically underserved groups.

Our work contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being, as well as the goals related to poverty, quality education, gender equality, water and sanitation, and partnerships. Click here to learn more.

In 2024, Operation Eyesight was named top 10 Impact Charity and top 10 International Charity by Charity Intelligence for the seventh year in a row.

Global Strategy 2024 – 2028

Moving forward, Operation Eyesight will expand service reach to include more communities, and more determinants of health related to eye health to improve the quality of life for more individuals. This work will be achieved by scaling up interventions while adopting innovative solutions, by creating new partnerships while strengthening existing partnerships, and by generating more awareness and support for the organizational mission across its countries of operation. By the end of 2024, 1,582 villages or communities were declared avoidable blindness-free. By the end of 2028, the goal is to make this declaration for 2,900 villages. Operation Eyesight aims to expand to five new countries by 2028, going from 10 countries at the end of 2023 to 15 countries by the end of 2028.

PRIORITIES

• Community Eye Health
  • We train local community health workers who conduct door-to-door eye health screenings, refer patients for treatment and provide general health education on topics including maternal and newborn health, immunization and nutrition.

• Hospital Strengthening
  • We invest in hospital equipment and infrastructure, provide training for healthcare professionals and establish vision centres at the community level.

• Integrated Eye Health
  • Eye health is linked with a range of other development areas. We’re working to strengthen areas of overlap between primary eye care and primary health care in our countries of operation. In doing so, we’re able to address the root causes of avoidable blindness.

• Disease Control (School Eye Health)
  • We are addressing the major causes of avoidable vision loss: uncorrected refractive error, cataract, trachoma, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and other conditions. From eye screenings and prevention to treatment and follow-up care, our partners provide comprehensive eye health services.

• Research & Advocacy
  • Driven by a wealth of community-based data, we are contributing to a global body of health research and informing national eye health policies.
  • In Canada, we are advocating for eye health care to be incorporated in universal health care. We are part of a coalition of eye health organizations collaborating to inform Canada’s National Strategy for Eye Care Act, which was passed by the federal government in November 2024.

• Fundraising at Operation Eyesight
  • From 2022 to 2024, Operation Eyesight had an average annual global revenue of over $7 million. In 2024, major gifts contributed $800,000, alongside revenue from annual giving, grants, international partnerships, and legacy giving, including a generous bequest left in 2024.

Operation Eyesight is investing in its future through fundraising infrastructure and technology, growing the team, expanding capacity, and increasing awareness about the organization and its mission. In 2024, the fundraising team grew by four to increase efforts to build our donor base across generations and geographies. We have also laid the foundation for global revenue growth by investing in IT systems for global donations and staff training.

Currently, Operation Eyesight has charitable status and board of directors in Canada, Ghana, India, Kenya, the UK, the US and Zambia.

Examples of top fundraising priorities in 2025:

• Bringing world-class cataract care to Nandi and Isiolo Counties, Kenya.
• Donor support has enabled Operation Eyesight to invest in rural Eye Units across Kenya to reach some of its most underserved communities.

Now, the focus is on two counties where the need is especially urgent: Nandi and Isiolo. Patients in these regions must travel over 100 kilometres to receive cataract surgery, an impossible journey for many, especially women, children and seniors.  Fundraising efforts will equip Miteitei Sub County Hospital in Nandi County and Garbatulla Sub County Hospital in Isiolo County with the tools and training needed to perform cataract surgeries locally.

Life-changing cataract surgery to nine countries Cataracts are the leading cause of avoidable blindness, affecting over 100 million people worldwide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where access to treatment is limited.

In many rural areas of Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal and Zambia, eye health services are scarce, and many mistakenly believe blindness is an inevitable part of aging.

With donor support, Operation Eyesight can provide accessible cataract surgeries to ensure that people can continue to work, attend school, and actively participate in their communities—empowering them to build brighter futures.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Identify, cultivate, and solicit philanthropic support by developing and maintaining relationships with current donors and prospects ($10,000+), including individuals, corporations and foundations.
• Develop and implement individual donor strategies to guide donors through the fundraising cycle.
• Increase donor contributions by establishing and nurturing meaningful relationships, understanding donor interests and capacity to give.
• Actively identify and qualify new major donor prospects, securing discovery meetings to establish and strengthen relationships.
• Where appropriate, liaise with senior leadership to effectively cultivate, solicit and steward relationships.
• Prepare related briefing notes and call reports, individualized solicitation proposals, presentations and other correspondence.
• Provide ongoing stewardship and high touch experiences to our major donors, with a focus on reporting and donor retention.
• Maintain donor and prospect records including entering and maintaining solicitation and donor information, call reports, proposals and referral tracking.
• Monitor and evaluate fundraising performance, track donor interactions, and maintain accurate records in the database.
• Stay informed on best practices, trends, and regulations in philanthropy and fundraising and share knowledge and insights.
• Work collaboratively with other departments and model behaviour that encourages a mutually supportive team environment.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated fundraising experience, with a proven track record of success in major gift development from high-capacity individuals, foundations and/or corporations. Senior sales experience with a successful track record in business development and client relationship management will also be considered.
• Demonstrated initiative, enthusiasm and a tenacity in achieving revenue targets.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across and outside of the organization.
• Experience in working collaboratively across multiple departments and with high-level stakeholders.
• A high level of maturity and aptitude for working in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work autonomously, competently handle multiple tasks, set priorities and reliably deliver on commitments.
• Exceptional diplomacy skills and tact, including discretion and ability to manage confidential information appropriately.
• Superior attention to detail.
• Previous experience in international development fundraising an asset.
• Experience with grant writing an asset.
• Experience working with a donor or CRM database.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office – PowerPoint, Excel and Word.
• A university degree is required or a related mix of education and experience.
• Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) designation or willingness to work toward is considered an asset.
• Ability to travel domestically occasionally, as needed.
• Comfortable and adaptable in a remote work model (if not located in Calgary, AB).

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How to Apply:

KCI Search + Talent has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of Operation Eyesight Canada. For more information about this opportunity, please contact Jody Jacobson, Senior Consultant, KCI Search + Talent by email at [email protected].

All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence. Interested candidates should send resume and letter of interest to the email address listed above by November 3, 2025.

The hiring range for this position is $80,000 – $90,000 based on experience, with comprehensive benefits.

Operation Eyesight Canada is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified individuals.

Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require any accommodations, please notify the Search Consultant.

Only candidates who are currently legally eligible to work in Canada will be considered for this role.