Senior Manager, Trusts & Foundations

SHK Asia Pacific; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

WEHI in Melbourne's Parkville precinct is seeking a Senior Manager, Trusts & Foundations to lead one of the organisation's most strategic fundraising portfolios. You will steward major funders, convert complex scientific programs into compelling funding propositions, and report on performance and risk.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, you will expand the program nationally and internationally, build a pipeline from discovery to EOIs and proposals, and collaborate with science leads,

Qualifications

• Identifying, cultivating, soliciting and managing funder relationships and applications.
• Strong writing skills to translate science into funding propositions.
• Senior representation to WEHI's funders and governance bodies.

Responsibilities

• Lead WEHI's trusts & foundations fundraising portfolio and secure philanthropic investments.
• Steward and report to an established base of funders, protect revenue and expand nationally and internationally.
• Build the pipeline from identification to EOIs and proposals, translating complex science into funding propositions.
• Represent WEHI to major global foundations and collaborate with science leads, strategy, finance and grants teams.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Donor relations

Proposal writing

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Grant management

Education

Tertiary qualification in relevant field

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Job description

• Nobel Prize-winning medical research institute
• Lead a significant philanthropic portfolio
• Turn philanthropy into life-changing discoveries

About the organisation

WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) is a medical research institute in Melbourne's Parkville biomedical precinct, with more than 80 faculties and over 1,400 staff and students. Its research covers cancer, infection, inflammation, immune disorders, and developmental and degenerative diseases, from fundamental molecular and cellular discovery through to new medicines and diagnostics. The institute's researchers have received the Nobel Prize and Lasker Awards, and its discoveries have contributed to vaccines, growth factors, blood stem cell transplantation and novel anti-cancer treatments. Philanthropy provides approximately 25% of WEHI's annual budget and supports the recruitment and retention of leading scientists. Recent senior appointments in immunology, cancer and fundamental biology are creating new funding opportunities for the organisation.

About the role

Reporting to and working closely with the Chief Development Officer, the Senior Manager Trusts & Foundations leads one of WEHI’s most significant and strategically important fundraising portfolios, playing a pivotal role in securing philanthropic investment to advance world-leading medical research. The Senior Manager will steward and report to an established base of funders, protect and retain revenue, and expand the program nationally and internationally beyond its current Melbourne focus. This includes building the pipeline from identification and cultivation through to EOIs and proposals, turning complex science into clear funding propositions, and representing WEHI to major global foundations. The role works closely with science leads, deputy directors, strategy, finance and the Grants & Major Bids team, which partners on pre- and post-award management. Key to success in the first six months will be re-establishing business as usual while identifying efficiencies and untapped funding opportunities, supported by sound governance and a highly supportive team.

About you

Tertiary qualified, you are a trusts and foundations specialist with substantial experience identifying, cultivating, soliciting and managing funder relationships and applications. You write exceptionally well and can translate technical content into plain language, while retaining scientific credibility. You have the seniority to represent WEHI to the world's largest foundations. You also have the judgement and negotiation skills to work with shared service teams, influence senior internal stakeholders and hold researchers to deadlines. As an experienced people leader, you develop others, set clear standards and use data to manage pipeline, performance and risk. Experience in health, medical research or higher education, a scientific background, and Raiser's Edge proficiency will be highly regarded.