Senior Manager - Philanthropy

The Hospital Research Foundation Group; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-Site Wellness Initiatives

Growth opportunities

Purposeful work and community impact

Salary packaging options

Event tickets and corporate partnerips

Job summary

The Hospital Research Foundation Group is seeking a Senior Manager – Philanthropy to lead THRF Group’s philanthropy program, driving sustainable income growth across major donors, gifts in wills, and trusts. You will coach the team, develop strategies, and collaborate with fundraising, marketing and grants colleagues to maximize donor impact.

You will translate priorities into compelling opportunities, build a strong prospect pipeline, and guide donor journeys from initial engagement to securing

Qualifications

• Proven success building high-value donor relationships and securing significant gifts.
• Strong understanding of donor cultivation, gifts in wills, and Australian trusts and foundations.
• Leadership experience coaching teams, managing performance and guiding change to support growth.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills for senior stakeholders and compelling proposals.
• Strong planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting to achieve income targets.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and donor CRM systems, preferably Microsoft Dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Develop philanthropic and engagement plans to grow income across major and mid-level giving.
• Drive the Catalyst Collective Major Donor and Bequest Program and donor journeys.
• Build a qualified prospect pipeline using moves management to secure gifts.
• Manage priority supporter relationships with trusts, foundations and advisers.
• Lead and develop the philanthropy team with clear objectives and accountability.
• Collaborate to create compelling cases for support and tailor donor experiences.
• Manage budgets, forecasts and CRM records with governance and privacy in mind.

Skills

Donor relations

Leadership

Prospect pipeline

Gifts in wills

Donor stewardship

Proposals & influencing

Budgeting & forecasting

CRM systems

Education

Tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Microsoft 365

Job description

• Lead a philanthropy team and grow major giving and gifts in wills
• Build meaningful donor relationships that create lasting health impact
• Access salary packaging, wellbeing benefits and professional development

About us

The Hospital Research Foundation Group (THRF Group) is working towards a healthier future through life-changing medical research, improved hospital care and essential health services. Across more than 60 areas of disease and illness, we support better health and wellbeing for our community, from birth to end-of-life.

Our reach extends beyond hospital walls. Through our group of charities, we connect research, patient care and community services to help find cures, improve treatments and support people living with illness. Working with hospitals, universities and medical research centres, we help turn promising ideas into meaningful outcomes for patients and families.

Generosity makes this work possible. Our fundraising and philanthropy programs connect individuals, families, trusts and foundations with causes that matter to them. By building trusted relationships, demonstrating the impact of giving and creating opportunities for long-term support, we help supporters make a lasting contribution to the health of our community and future generations.

About the role

As Senior Manager – Philanthropy, you will lead the development and delivery of THRF Group’s philanthropy program, driving sustainable income growth across mid-level and major donors, gifts in wills, trusts and foundations. Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy, Corporate & Community Engagement, you will combine hands-on relationship management with team leadership to attract new supporters, deepen existing relationships and grow long-term giving.

A key focus will be delivering the Catalyst Collective Major Donor and Bequest Program and strengthening our gifts in wills program. You will translate funding priorities into compelling opportunities for support, build a strong prospect pipeline and guide personalised donor journeys from initial engagement through to securing gifts and demonstrating their impact.

This is a full-time opportunity for someone who enjoys turning strategy into action. You will coach and develop the philanthropy team, strengthen a proactive approach to prospecting and growth, and work closely with fundraising, marketing, communications and grants colleagues. From donor meetings and laboratory tours to engagement events and tailored proposals, your work will connect supporters with the difference their generosity can make.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop and deliver philanthropy and engagement plans that grow sustainable income across major and mid-level giving, gifts in wills, gifts in memory, trusts and foundations.
• Drive the Catalyst Collective Major Donor and Bequest Program, delivering its engagement proposition, donor journeys, stewardship activities and revenue goals.
• Build and manage a qualified prospect pipeline, using best practice moves management to identify, cultivate, secure and steward significant gifts.
• Personally manage priority supporter relationships and build connections with trusts, foundations, wealth managers and professional advisers to generate new opportunities and referrals.
• Lead, coach and develop the philanthropy team, setting clear objectives and supporting accountability, collaboration, wellbeing and delivery against targets.
• Collaborate across THRF Group to create compelling cases for support, tailored proposals, impact communications and meaningful donor experiences, and represent the Group at events.
• Manage budgets, forecasts, performance reporting and accurate Microsoft Dynamics CRM records while maintaining ethical fundraising, privacy and governance standards.

About You

You are a proactive relationship builder and people leader who combines a strategic mindset with the drive to make things happen. Motivated by the opportunity to improve health outcomes, you can connect people with a shared purpose, inspire generosity and balance long-term relationship development with measurable results.

You will bring:

• Proven success building high-value relationships and securing significant gifts or revenue in fundraising, philanthropy, business development or a related field.
• Strong understanding of donor cultivation and stewardship, gifts in wills, and the Australian trusts and foundations landscape.
• Demonstrated leadership experience coaching teams, managing performance and guiding change to support growth and collaboration.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, including developing compelling proposals, engaging senior stakeholders and confidently asking for support.
• Strong planning and commercial skills, with experience managing prospect pipelines, budgets, forecasts and reporting to achieve income targets.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and donor CRM systems, preferably Microsoft Dynamics, with a commitment to accurate records and data-informed decisions.
• Sound knowledge of fundraising ethics, privacy and governance requirements, supported by relevant tertiary qualifications or equivalent professional experience, which are desirable.

Why THRFG?

• On-Site Wellness Initiatives: exclusive gym membership to our own Brain & Body Fitness, onsite massages, pilates, discount health insurance, art therapy, access to confidential counselling services and medical support.
• Growth Potential: Be part of a highly impactful organisation, with personal opportunities to develop your expertise, access professional development options and future career pathways.
• More than just a job: Join a team deeply connected to our cause and the positive impact we create in the community.
• Salary Packaging: Maximise your take-home pay with multiple generous salary packaging options.
• Event tickets and Corporate Partnerships: think Netball, SANFL, AFL and many community-based events - we can play hard!