Director, Corporate & Philanthropic Partnerships

World Vision; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

World Vision Australia is seeking a Director, Corporate & Philanthropic Partnerships to lead a high-impact portfolio spanning corporate, trusts and private philanthropy. You will set strategy, grow multi-year partnerships and guide delivery across teams to maximize funding and social outcomes.

You will translate strategy into fundraising plans, coach a team of relationship fundraisers and personally manage select strategic relationships where complexity warrants director-level involvement.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience across corporate, trust, foundation, philanthropic or comparable strategic partnerships.
• Proven track record securing and growing multi-year financial partnerships.
• Strong capability across prospecting, cultivation, proposal development, solicitation, negotiation, stewardship and renewal.
• Experience leading complex portfolios and teams of relationship fundraisers or partnership professionals.
• Understanding of private trusts, foundations, corporate philanthropy and structured giving mechanisms.
• Sound financial, pipeline and performance-management skills with cross-functional coordination.

Responsibilities

• Translate portfolio strategy into a clear fundraising plan with defined priorities, resources and measurable outcomes.
• Grow sustainable income and multi-year partnership value across corporate philanthropy, private trusts and foundations, workplace engagement, matched giving, sponsorship and cause partnerships.
• Lead strategic prospecting, cultivation, proposals and negotiations, aligning partner intent with WVA priorities, impact evidence, delivery capacity and acceptable risk.
• Strengthen stewardship, retention and renewal, including grant submissions, compliance and reporting within the private/non-government portfolio.
• Own portfolio budgets, forecasting and performance, using evidence to prioritise investment and improve pipeline quality, conversion and growth.
• Work across programme, finance, legal, risk and delivery teams to create credible commitments and coordinated partnership delivery.
• Coach and develop your team, building specialist fundraising capability, leadership depth, consistent standards and effective systems.

Skills

Corporate partnerships

Trust & foundations

Relationship fundraising

Negotiation

Pipeline management

Team leadership

Strategic fundraising

Education

Tertiary qualification in fundraising or related field

Job description

Director, Corporate & Philanthropic Partnerships

Bring your relationship-fundraising expertise and strategic leadership to a role that connects partner ambitions with WVA’s priorities. Reporting to the Senior Director, Relationship Fundraising, you will lead the corporate, foundation and private trust partnership strategy and portfolio, growing sustainable financial and strategic value through trusted relationships.

You will guide the full partnership lifecycle — from identifying prospects and developing compelling proposals to negotiation, stewardship, renewal and growth. Alongside leading the team, you will personally manage selected strategic relationships where complexity or value calls for Director-level involvement.

What you’ll do

• Translate portfolio strategy into a clear fundraising plan with defined priorities, resources and measurable outcomes.
• Grow sustainable income and multi-year partnership value across corporate philanthropy, private trusts and foundations, workplace engagement, matched giving, sponsorship and cause partnerships.
• Lead strategic prospecting, cultivation, proposals and negotiations, aligning partner intent with WVA priorities, impact evidence, delivery capacity and acceptable risk.
• Strengthen stewardship, retention and renewal, including grant submissions, compliance and reporting within the private/non-government portfolio.
• Own portfolio budgets, forecasting and performance, using evidence to prioritise investment and improve pipeline quality, conversion and growth.
• Work across programme, finance, legal, risk and delivery teams to create credible commitments and coordinated partnership delivery.
• Coach and develop your team, building specialist fundraising capability, leadership depth, consistent standards and effective systems.

What you’ll bring

You are an experienced relationship-fundraising leader who combines trusted relationship building with financial and commercial judgement. You can turn strategy into practical priorities, navigate complex negotiations and bring teams together to deliver on partnership commitments.

• Substantial experience across corporate, trust, foundation, philanthropic or comparable strategic partnerships.
• Demonstrated success securing and growing significant, multi-year financial partnerships.
• Strong capability across prospecting, cultivation, proposal development, solicitation, negotiation, stewardship and renewal.
• Experience leading complex portfolios and teams of relationship fundraisers or partnership professionals.
• A strong understanding of private trusts, foundations, corporate philanthropy and structured-giving mechanisms.
• Sound financial, pipeline and performance-management skills, with experience coordinating cross-functional inputs into deliverable partnership commitments.
• A relevant tertiary qualification in fundraising, business, commerce, marketing or a related discipline is desirable.

WorkingforWorld Vision means you aremaking the worldbetter

It’snot every day that a job comes along that lets you change the world.WorkingforWorld Vision means lookingforward to turning up at work because you knowyou’reabout to dosomethingmeaningful.It means working with35,000 staff and3.3 million supporters in 100 countries whowillstop at nothing tohelp children live better lives.Joina teamthat is bold and courageous,andwherejob satisfaction goes beyondfinancial reward.

The SelectionProcess

For your information, the interviews will startimmediately, and the role may be filled before the closing date.

We embrace diversity, employing people from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds. We take our Safeguarding responsibilities seriously and we are committed to providing an environment that is safe forchildren.Our stringent recruitment procedures make sure the safest and most suitable people work with the children in our programs. All successful candidates will undergo all required pre-employment checks which is inclusive of a criminal record check.

We provide our staff and volunteers with ongoing supervision, support, and training in their work with vulnerable children and their families. World Vision Australia participates in theInter-Agency Scheme for the Disclosure of Safeguarding-related Misconduct in Recruitment Process within the Humanitarian and Development Sector.

Who we are

World Vision is a Christian organisation that empowers everyday Australians to create meaningful change for children through relief,developmentand advocacy work. For more information on World Vision and the work we do, please visit our website:https://www.worldvision.com.au/about-us