Senior Philanthropy Officer, Major Gifts, TO

Impact Starts at UNICEF Canada

JOIN OUR TEAM AS SENIOR PHILANTHROPY OFFICER

Are you an expert major gifts relationship manager based in Vancouver looking to use your fundraising expertise to make a direct impact on the lives of children?

Join UNICEF Canada – one of Canada’s most respected and historic charities – and be part of a high-impact, mission-driven team working across Canada and globally to create a better world for children.

Position Details

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to help power UNICEF Canada’s major giving growth at a pivotal moment for children around the world. As part of the Major Gifts team, the Senior Philanthropy Officer will help connect generous Canadians to UNICEF’s lifesaving work — advancing the mandate of UNICEF, the world’s most powerful force for children.

Reporting to the Director, Development (Major Gifts), the Senior Philanthropy Officer manages a portfolio of major donors and high-value prospect relationships across Ontario, with a specific focus on the Greater Toronto area. The role involves leveraging existing relationships and identifying, cultivating, and soliciting new major donors ($10,000+) and high-value prospects ($100,000+). The Senior Philanthropy Officer is responsible for securing over $1.5+ million in revenue annually through strategic stewardship, engagement, and solicitation of individual and family foundation donors.

In collaboration with the Senior Officers of Stewardship and Operations, Cultivation and Operations, and the International Programs team, the Senior Philanthropy Officer oversees development of compelling & customized proposals and stewardship of donors. With support from the Director of Development, Major Gifts, this role also works with the Prospect Researcher to manage a donor pipeline, focusing on identifying transformational prospects and securing multi-year commitments.

The Senior Philanthropy Officer works closely with key UNICEF Canada teams including Development, Operations, Events, Corporate and Community Partnerships, Individual Giving, Brand & Marketing, and our Board to integrate donors across UNICEF Canada campaigns & initiatives, enhancing overall giving and engagement.

Key Accountabilities

Build Transformational Donor Partnerships & Drive Revenue Growth (80%)

• Manage and grow a portfolio of major donors and high-value prospects across Vancouver and British Columbia, advancing relationships from identification through cultivation, solicitation and stewardship toward an annual revenue goal of $1M+.
• Identify,cultivateandsolicitindividual and family foundation donors, renewing and upgrading current gifts while building new multi-year commitments.
• Engage regional volunteers, lead donors, and WomenUNlimitedmembers to expand networks, opendoorsand strengthen the major gifts pipeline.
• Identify1-2 new prospects for the $1M+ transformational giving pipeline annually through proactive prospecting and strategic relationship planning, in coordination with Director of Development (Major Gifts) and the Prospect Researcher.
• Support the development of compelling, customized proposals for humanitarian emergencies, For Every Child unrestricted giving and priority UNICEF programs, in collaboration withthe Senior Officer ofCultivation and Operations and International Programs.
• Advance regional engagement and collective giving opportunities to deepen donor relationships, build a community of major gift donors and drive new revenue opportunities.
• Create and execute annual stewardship and recognition planswith a focus on multi-year andhigh-valuedonorsthat position UNICEF as a charity of choice and deliver meaningful, tailored donor experiences.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure high-value partnerships are understood,prioritizedand integrated across UNICEF Canada campaigns and initiatives.
• Leverage organizational events,campaignsand key moments to strengthen engagement and increase fundraising revenue.
• Represent UNICEF Canada at local, regional and community events to grow the organization’s high-value donor network across British Columbia.

Fuel Strategic Planning, Collaboration & Fundraising Excellence (20%)

• Support the Director, Development in translating multi-year and annual plans into focused fundraising action, including revenue, expense, regional activity, and cross-organizational planning.
• Maintain clear visibility on revenue opportunities by managing solicitation plans, donor activity, next steps, and progress in the database with accuracy and discipline.
• Contribute to the design and delivery of organizational priority initiatives and strategic engagement activities that deepen donor relationships and inspire increased giving.
• Stay deeply informed about UNICEF’s global work, leadership, priorities, and programs to bring confidence, relevance, and inspiration to donor conversations.
• Ensure Raiser’s Edge records are current,accurate, and useful for weekly reporting, relationship tracking, forecasting, and prospect management.
• Travel and attend UNICEF Canada fundraising events, including occasional evenings and weekends, to build relationships and advance donor engagement.

Additional Qualifications

• A university degree or college diploma in a related discipline.
• A minimum of five to seven (5-7+) plus years of relevant work experience in major gifts fundraising or a related field.
• Exceptional relationship management skills
• Tact, diplomacy and strong judgement are essential
• Proven ability to make strategic decisions through ambiguity and a high tolerance for complexity
• Ability to prioritize, manage multiple deliverables and maintain focus on donor relationships
• Experience working with senior leadership, Board volunteers and UHNW donors and prospects.
• Experience in moves management, tracking relationships and running reports with Raiser’s Edge or similar CRMdatabases.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking.
• Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office,Teams, and RE/NXT CRM database).
• A valid driver’s license with a vehicle, or access to a vehicle.
• The ability to communicate effectively, work in a collaborative environment, be strategic, detail-oriented, resourceful, and cost efficient to drive new initiatives or enhance existing programming.

An Employer of Choice: What We Offer

UNICEF Canada is where diverse talent & passion come together to create extraordinary impact for every child. We are committed to being an employer of choice and building a culture that is inclusive, ambitious, compassionate, and has a high impact.

Members of the UNICEF Canada team have access to the following employee benefits:

Our Commitment to Inclusive Workplaces & Recruitment

UNICEF Canada is an inclusive workplace and is committed to championing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process.

At UNICEF Canada, we believe strongly in personal connections and our hiring process is entirely human driven. We do not use AI or automated systems to review applications or conduct interviews. Each candidate is evaluated by our experienced team to ensure fair and thoughtful hiring experience.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter to one document to careers@unicef.ca by 11:59PM EST on September 25, 2026. Please reference “Senior Philanthropy Officer” in the subject heading. UNICEF Canada thanks all applicants for their interest in this opportunity, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Consistent with our Child Safeguarding Policy, all successful candidates must receive clearance by a police background check (including a vulnerable sector screen).

Compensation details: 83000-93000 Yearly Salary

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