Foundation Manager

Carlton Football Club; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Carlton Football Club Foundation is seeking a strategic Foundation Manager to lead fundraising programs across the Club’s philanthropic initiatives. You will oversee major gifts, bequests and donor engagement, and work with First 18 and Carlton Aeternum while reporting to the Head of Corporate, Events & Philanthropy.

You will build relationships with senior stakeholders, manage budgets and KPIs, and drive annual reporting and donor communications. This is a 12-month fixed term contract.

Qualifications

• Experience in philanthropic fundraising with ROI focus.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale projects and events.
• Excellent donor engagement and communication with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to develop budgets and meet revenue projections and KPIs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee major gifts, bequests, campaigns, donor and member engagement, events and related initiatives.
• Lead planning and delivery of Foundation and First 18 events with other teams.
• Develop proposals for Carlton Aeternum targets and engage high net worth donors.
• Attend match days to cultivate relationships and fundraising opportunities.
• Assist leadership with solicitation and face-to-face donor engagement.
• Prepare updates and reports for the Foundation Board and senior stakeholders.

Skills

Philanthropic fundraising

Stakeholder engagement

Project leadership

Budgeting & KPIs

Donor relationship building

AI tools (willingness)

Tools

AI tools

Job description

The Carlton Football Club is one of Australia’s oldest and most prominent sporting institutions. Founded in 1864, the Club’s headquarters and training facilities are located in Carlton at IKON Park, our traditional home ground. Our state-of-the-art facilities support our high-performance environment, and our women’s facilities are among the best in the country. We are passionate about our contribution to the community and foster an inclusive and welcoming culture where our values are at the core of who we are and what we do.

The Carlton Football Club Foundation, First 18 and Carlton Aeternum bring our members, supporters and partners together to give back. Through philanthropic giving, they enable the Club to invest in exceptional facilities, support our community, develop our people and celebrate our rich history.

About the Role

The role of Foundation Manager will see you responsible for managing the Club Foundation, First 18 and Carlton Aeternum, and for supporting the operation of all philanthropic fundraising initiatives.

Reporting to the Head of Corporate, Events & Philanthropy, you will implement and enhance the philanthropic fundraising and donor engagement strategy, programs and initiatives across the Club.

You will be a values-led individual with a passion for developing and enhancing initiatives that build strong relationships, deliver seamless experiences and maximise outcomes. This is a 12-month fixed term contract.

Key Accountabilities

• Oversee major gifts, bequests, philanthropic campaigns, donor and member engagement, fundraising events and other related commercial initiatives.
• Drive ideas and lead execution of the recognition matrix for all First 18 members.
• Lead planning and delivery of all Foundation and First 18 events, working closely with the Events team where applicable.
• Develop bespoke strategies and proposals for key Carlton Aeternum targets.
• Attend match days where required to foster relationships and maximise philanthropic fundraising opportunities.
• Assist the Head of Philanthropy with solicitation and face-to-face engagement with existing and prospective First 18 members.
• Conduct presentations where required to maximise engagement and participation.
• Work closely with the Board of the Foundation, attend all meetings and provide regular updates and reports.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key internal stakeholders, including the CEO, COO, Executive Leadership Team and Board Directors.
• Work with General Managers and department representatives day to day to understand Foundation projects.
• Work with key internal stakeholders in the gift identification and solicitation process.
• Build genuine relationships and integrate the Foundation across the Club.
• Lead the process of producing documentation such as the annual report, acquittals and projects in focus, working closely with internal departments.
• Engage with internal project in focus leads and communicate regular updates to donors.
• Brief and execute all First 18 and Foundation external communications with relevant department leads.
• Complete budgeting, projections and forecasting in line with the Club reporting cycle.
• Coordinate Board member support, meetings, minutes and preparation.

Experience, Skills and Attributes

• A demonstrated working knowledge of philanthropic fundraising, including an understanding of programs that deliver the best ROI, and knowledge of best practice and protocols.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale projects and execute stakeholder engagements and events.
• Ability to communicate and strategise with the full range of prospective donors, including high net wealth individuals, Board members and the Club’s member base.
• Ability to implement and deliver strategies, develop budgets, meet revenue projections and work to agreed KPIs, within tight timeframes and budgets.
• Philanthropic fundraising experience within a sporting environment is not essential but will be considered favourably, as will commercial experience within an elite sporting organisation.
• A natural altruistic interest in philanthropy, with a passion for giving back.
• Discretion and integrity in all dealings.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey the Foundation’s mission and engage others in fundraising.
• Highly approachable and engaging, with a clear strength in building trusting relationships and leveraging existing networks.
• A proven self-starter and multi-tasker who brings teams together to deliver an outcome.
• Highly tuned organisational skills, strong attention to detail and efficiency in meeting strict deadlines and managing budgets will be essential.
• Knowledge of AI tools and a willingness to use, adapt to and continue learning about emerging AI technologies.
• Strong alignment with Club values in day-to-day interactions and decision making.

Other Requirements

• Valid Victorian Working With Children Check
• National Police Check
• Driver’s licence
• Ability to work match days

Benefits and Culture

Carlton’s values underpin how the Club operates, describing how our people work together, interact and behave. The Club is passionate about its culture, focused on cultivating a unique sense of belonging and connection. We offer flexible working, learning and development opportunities, and employee benefits such as membership, café and retail discounts, in a world‑class sporting amenity.

The Carlton Football Club is an equal opportunity employer and a place that welcomes all. We encourage people with diverse experiences and backgrounds to apply. We are committed to fostering a workplace that is inclusive, safe and flexible. All applicants will be considered based on the relevance of their abilities to the role and their alignment with our Club values.

The Carlton Football Club is committed to providing a welcoming environment where the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our programs, services, activities, events and the broader community will always be our first priority. The Club takes the safety of children and young people very seriously and reviews all processes and procedures in line with current state and federal legislation. All staff must hold (or be willing to obtain) a current Victorian Working With Children Check as part of their employment with the Club.