Director of Philanthropic Engagement

DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPIC ENGAGEMENT

PARTNER RELATIONS DIVISION

PURPOSE SUMMARY

The Director of Philanthropic Engagement provides strategic leadership for Compassion Canada's major gift, foundation, and corporate partnership fundraising efforts. This role is responsible for developing and executing philanthropic engagement strategies that deepen donor relationships, expand philanthropic investment, and generate transformational support for children, families, and communities around the world.

As a member of the Partner Relations Leadership Team, the Director leads a team of fundraising professionals, manages a portfolio of key philanthropic partners, and collaborates with organizational leaders to achieve revenue growth, donor retention, and long-term sustainability.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, this role contributes to the strategic leadership of Compassion Canada's fundraising and partner engagement efforts.

MINISTRY FOCUS

Compassion Canada is a Christian organization, committed to being child-focused, Christ-centered, and church driven. Every Staff member at Compassion Canada will:

• Agree with Compassion Canada’s core documents, including a Statement of Faith.
• Conduct themselves in a Christ-like manner at work and outside the workplace.
• Participate in regular Staff Gatherings which include spiritual practices like worship, Scripture reading, and prayer.
• Pray with staff or supporters when requested or deemed appropriate.

WHAT YOU DO MATTERS

TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic:

• In collaboration with the Partner Relations Leadership Team, establish strategies and relationship roadmaps to achieve Key Performance targets for the portfolio.
• Develop actionable strategies for meeting and exceeding revenue goals through gifts, donations, and new revenue streams.
• Develop and implement portfolio management and donor engagement strategies that move prospects through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and increased philanthropic investment.
• Monitor philanthropic trends, fundraising regulations, industry best practices, and Compassion's programmatic priorities, providing relevant insights and recommendations to organizational leadership.
• Provide strategic oversight for philanthropic initiatives, ensuring effective allocation of resources and achievement of organizational objectives.
• Partner with executive leaders, board members, volunteers, and key stakeholders to identify, cultivate, and advance strategic philanthropic opportunities.

Cross Functional:

• In collaboration with the Chief Development Officer and Partner Relations Directors, prepare annual plans, revenue forecasts, and budgets.
• In collaboration with Organizational Leaders track monthly fundraising, highlight anticipated deviations, and adapt tactics to respond to anticipated shortfalls.
• Liaise with Compassion International colleagues with related efforts to exchange best practices.
• Actively participate in weekly Staff Gatherings and prayer meetings.

Leadership & Management:

• Lead, coach, and develop the Philanthropic Engagement Team by establishing clear performance expectations, fostering professional growth, and promoting a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and spiritual maturity.
• Accountable for achieving annual philanthropic revenue, donor retention, and portfolio growth targets through major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundations, and other strategic giving opportunities.
• Identify and pursue transformational and blended giving opportunities, including major gifts, legacy commitments, donor-advised funds, gifts of securities, and foundation investments where appropriate.
• Ensure exceptional donor experiences through personalized engagement, meaningful recognition, and stewardship strategies that foster long-term partnership and generosity.
• Monitor fundraising pipeline health, donor retention, portfolio movement, and forecast accuracy.
• Leverage donor insights, fundraising analytics, and CRM data to inform strategic decision-making, portfolio prioritization, and resource allocation.
• Build, nurture, and manage a portfolio of strategic high-net-worth individuals and business partners to drive philanthropic growth, strengthen relationships, and model fundraising excellence for the team.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and consistent documentation of donor interactions, engagement plans, opportunities, and outcomes within Compassion's CRM platform.
• In collaboration with the People & Culture Team, invest in the personal and professional development of Philanthropic Engagement team members.

WHO YOU ARE MATTERS

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

You are an ideal candidate if you:

• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate effectively with executive leadership, boards, volunteers, and senior external stakeholders.
• Model honesty, integrity, confidentiality, and leadership discretion.
• Possess exceptional planning, organizational, analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrate a collaborative leadership style and a commitment to continuous learning and development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills, with the demonstrated ability to inspire, influence, and engage donors, team members, and stakeholders around Compassion's mission and impact.
• Have a strong understanding of the Canadian charitable sector and Canada Revenue Agency fundraising rules and guidelines.
• Are forward-thinking, with a proven ability to identify opportunities and implement innovative strategies that advance organizational goals.
• Are skilled at collaborating successfully with internal teams and external partners to leverage collective strengths and resources in support of fundraising initiatives.
• Have a working knowledge of giving and donor trends within Canada and an eagerness to find new and creative ways to expand Compassion’s donor base.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, CRM platforms, and fundraising reporting tools.
• Are willing and capable to travel frequently nationally and internationally on occasion.

WHAT YOU BRING MATTERS

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Fundraising, Philanthropy, Business Administration, Non-Profit Management, or related discipline or Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation designation and equivalent experience required .
• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressive fundraising experience, including leadership of major gift fundraising programs and high-performing fundraising teams required.
• Proven experience leading multi-functional fundraising teams, including major gifts, annual giving, donor relations, and strategic partnership development is required.
• Experience developing and implementing strategic fundraising plans, campaigns, and donor engagement strategies is required.
• Experience building and leading high-performing teams in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment is required.
• Experience managing donor databases, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, and tracking fundraising metrics is required.
• Experience working with high-net-worth individuals, family foundations, donor-advised funds, and complex gift structures is considered an asset.
• Demonstrated success securing six- and seven-figure philanthropic commitments and leading teams responsible for annual fundraising targets of $10 million or more.
• Extensive knowledge of Canadian fundraising regulations, donor stewardship practices, and not-for-profit governance is essential.
• Existing national and international donor relationships, particularly in the high-net-worth individual and corporate sectors, are a strong asset.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This role may be assigned to support a specific Region or Province/Territory. When assigned, primary residence must be within that designated area as it is an essential requirement of the position.
• This position operates in a remote-first or hybrid work environment, depending on proximity to the Compassion Canada office and operational requirements.
• Domestic travel within Canada is expected for donor meetings, stewardship events, and organizational initiatives.
• International travel may be required for donor engagement, partnership meetings, or organizational initiatives.
• The role requires regular access to stable, high-speed internet and a workspace suitable for confidential work, video conferencing, and donor interactions.
• Extended periods of computer use are expected and may require ergonomic accommodations.
• Occasional overtime is required to meet critical fundraising deadlines, manage donor events, or respond to urgent donor needs.
• Staff are expected to participate in in-person and virtual Staff Gatherings and team activities as part of organisational culture and ministry engagement.

NOTES

The foregoing statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills.