Director, Philanthropy

YMCA of Hamilton|Burlington|Brantford • Hamilton, ON

10d • Hybrid

About The Position

As a Director, Philanthropy, you will lead a team of major gift professionals, fostering a high-performance culture grounded in collaboration, accountability, and donor-centered engagement. This role will personally manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects while driving team success through coaching, strategy, and performance management. You’ll also be responsible for developing and executing strategies to secure major and transformational gifts that advance the YMCA’s mission of building healthy, connected communities. This is an excellent opportunity for a collaborative and strategic fundraising leader with strong relationship-building and communication skills to make a meaningful impact and contribute to the continued success of the YMCA of Hamilton | Burlington | Brantford.

Requirements

• Post-secondary education in philanthropy, social sciences, business, community development, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of 7+ years of progressive fundraising experience in the non-profit or charitable sector, with a proven track record of securing major gifts and leading complex campaigns.
• Demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing fundraising professionals to deliver strong results.
• Experience working effectively with senior leaders, boards, and campaign volunteers to advance fundraising priorities.
• Strong understanding of donor lifecycle management and relationship-based philanthropic best practices.
• Exceptional interpersonal, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Outstanding written communication skills, including proposal development and strategic donor messaging.
• Proficiency with CRM systems, data-informed decision-making, and budget management.
• A collaborative, strategic leadership style with the ability to translate vision into actionable fundraising plans

Nice To Haves

• You have worked in non-profit, charity or public sector organizations.
• Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CRFE) designation is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provide Strategic Leadership: Design and execute a comprehensive major gifts strategy aligned with campaign goals, set ambitious and achievable revenue targets, and track progress using clear performance metrics. Contribute to organizational fundraising planning, including campaigns and special initiatives.
• Team Leadership & Capacity Building: Coach, mentor, and manage a team of major gift fundraisers, fostering accountability, collaboration, innovation, and professional growth. Ensure team members are effectively managing donor portfolios and moving prospects through the donor cycle. Ensure ownership and clarity of goals to encourage and foster collaboration and innovation within and between departments, and across the association.
• Drive Major Gifts Fundraising: Personally manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors ($50,000+), cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding relationships through tailored proposals and impact reporting. Ensure accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions in the CRM system. Develop tailored proposals and impacts reports that clearly communicate the YMCA’s mission and outcomes.
• Ensure Reporting & Accountability: Monitor and report on key performance indicators, including revenue, pipeline movement, and donor engagement. Ensure compliance with fundraising best practices, ethical standards and YMCA policies.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Partner with senior leadership, volunteers, board members, and program leaders to develop compelling donor opportunities. Work in partnership with Senior Vice-President, Philanthropy to assist recruitment, orientation, and ongoing support of Campaign Cabinet Volunteers.
• Engage in the Broader YMCA Network: Actively participate in YMCA Canada’s Philanthropy Community of Practices and YMCA North America Development Organization (NAYDO) to strengthen sector knowledge and effectiveness.

Benefits

• Paid Vacation Entitlements that increase with seniority (subject to eligibility)
• Paid Personal days and sick days
• A generous employer-paid Group Health benefit plan starting from day 1, with 3 flexible options to choose from
• A Defined Contribution Pension Plan with up to 5% employer matching
• Mental Health on Demand (MHOD) Program
• Hybrid work arrangements with in-person office time to collaborate, innovate and build relationships with your colleagues
• Paid professional development opportunities
• Reduced rates for YMCA Child Care, Camp, and Child & Youth programs (subject to availability)
• Free staff YMCA Health & Fitness Memberships

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director