Senior Trusts & Foundations Manager

SHK; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

WEHI in Melbourne is seeking a Senior Manager Trusts & Foundations to lead one of its most significant fundraising portfolios. You will secure philanthropic investment to advance world-leading medical research, steward a base of funders, and expand the program nationally and internationally beyond Melbourne.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, you will translate complex science into clear funding propositions, build strong relationships with major global foundations, and collaborate

Qualifications

• Experience identifying, cultivating, soliciting and managing funder relationships.
• Ability to translate complex science into plain language with credibility.
• Senior-level representation to major foundations and stakeholders.
• Experience managing risk, pipeline, and performance data.

Responsibilities

• Lead WEHI's significant trusts & foundations portfolio.
• Secure philanthropic investments to advance medical research.
• Steward and retain revenue from funders; expand national and international funding.
• Build a pipeline from identification to EOIs and proposals.
• Represent WEHI to major global foundations.

Skills

Funder cultivation

Donor relations

Proposal writing

Stakeholder management

Education

Tertiary qualification

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Job description

• Nobel Prize-winning medical research institute
• Lead a significant philanthropic portfolio

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.