Senior Manager, Principal Gifts

CANADIAN WILDLIFE FEDERATION•Ottawa, ON

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Director, Corporate, Foundations & Legacy Giving, the Senior Manager, Principal Gifts plays a key role in advancing the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s (CWF) unrestricted fundraising efforts through the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of high-value individual donors. This position is responsible for growing and stewarding a portfolio of major and principal gift donors, with a focus on retention, larger and multi-year commitments, and the realization of principal and complex gifts. The Senior Manager provides specialized expertise and functional leadership in principal and complex giving and works collaboratively with internal teams and senior leadership to develop and implement effective donor strategies and ensure sound revenue planning and risk management. Through strategic donor engagement and relationship-building, this role contributes directly to the long-term stability and growth of CWF’s unrestricted revenue.

Requirements

A minimum of 5 years of related experience.
Manual dexterity required to operate computer and peripherals.
Exposure to mental stress due to managing demands from multiple work activities and strict deadlines.
Regularly interacts externally with major and principal donors, professional advisors (lawyers, estate planners, etc), and giving platform representatives.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in both English and French is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

Leads the management and growth of an unrestricted major and principal gifts portfolio ($1,000+ annually), with a focus on retention, upgrades, and long-term donor value.
Develops and advances strategic cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship approaches to deepen donor engagement and increase multi-year commitments.
Assesses donor capacity and readiness, managing complex and sensitive relationships to support sustained trust and portfolio movement.
Oversees disciplined moves management and stewardship practices, ensuring accurate documentation and follow up through the CRM system.
Identifies, solicits, and manages principal and complex gifts, including securities, non-cash assets, and donor advised fund contributions.
Develops and implements policies, procedures, and guidelines related to principal and non-monetary gifts.
Works in collaboration with Finance, Legal, and external advisors to structure and execute compliant and effective gift arrangements.
Ensures appropriate review, documentation, and risk management for non-standard or complex gift transactions in alignment with organizational policy.
Uses donor data, performance metrics, and forecasting to inform portfolio strategy, revenue planning, and resource allocation.
Prepares revenue projections, portfolio insights, and performance reports for senior leadership and Finance to support organizational planning.
Collaborates across Fund Development, Marketing and Communications, and senior leadership to ensure coordinated donor engagement and aligned messaging.
Maintains current knowledge of emerging trends in principal and complex giving and translates these into strategies, tools, and organizational best practices.
Assists with other fundraising activities as required.