Director, Major Gifts

Canada Soccer; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Canada Soccer, the national governing body for soccer in Canada, seeks a Director of Major Gifts in Toronto. This senior frontline fundraising role will lead the major gifts program, manage a high-value donor portfolio, and drive revenue to support strategic priorities.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record securing six-figure gifts, strong relationship skills, and the ability to work with senior leaders and boards.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive fundraising or philanthropic development experience.
• Proven ability to independently develop a major-gift pipeline.
• Experience securing five- and six-figure gifts; able to secure transformational gifts.
• Experience with senior leaders, boards, volunteers, and donors.
• Bilingual English/French preferred; additional languages are an asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive major-gifts strategy aligned with revenue targets and campaign priorities.
• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, focus on gifts of 10,000+; pursue six-figure and transformational commitments.
• Lead donor cultivation, solicitation, negotiation, closing, stewardship, and renewal activities.
• Identify new philanthropic relationships leveraging Canada Soccer's national platform and partners.
• Create donor materials: proposals, gift agreements, briefing notes, reports, presentations.

Skills

Major gifts fundraising

Donor stewardship

Relationship management

Strategic planning

Communication skills

Bilingual English/French

Tools

CRM/donor management systems

Job description

CANADA SOCCER JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Director, Major Gifts
Reports to: VP, Philanthropy
Department: Philanthropy
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Employment Type: Full-time
Vacancy Status: Existing vacancy

OVERVIEW

The Director, Major Gifts is a senior frontline fundraising role responsible for building, leading, and growing Canada Soccer Foundation’s major gifts program. Reporting to the VP, Philanthropy, the Director will develop and execute strategies to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, secure, and steward major gifts in support of the Foundation’s strategic priorities.

The Director will manage a portfolio of high-value donors and prospects, build a disciplined major-gifts pipeline, and advance relationships through a donor-centered moves-management approach. The role carries significant personal revenue accountability and works closely with the VP, Philanthropy, senior leaders, CSA Board and Foundation Board members, and internal partners to secure meaningful philanthropic investments.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, relationship-driven fundraiser with a proven record of securing significant gifts and engaging senior leaders and volunteers in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Major Gifts Strategy, Revenue Generation & Portfolio Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive major-gifts strategy aligned with annual revenue targets, campaign priorities, and the Foundation’s long-term philanthropic growth plans.
• Manage and actively solicit a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, with a focus on gifts of $10,000 or more and opportunities to secure six-figure and transformational commitments.
• Personally lead donor cultivation, solicitation, negotiation, closing, stewardship and renewal activities to grow major-gift revenue and long-term donor value.
• Proactively identify and develop new philanthropic relationships and networks, leveraging Canada Soccer's national platform, events, stakeholders and broader sport and business community to generate new major-gift opportunities.
• Develop donor strategies, solicitation plans, gift opportunities, proposals, gift agreements, briefing notes, presentations, impact reports, and other materials that support successful fundraising outcomes.
• Establish, monitor, and report on key performance indicators, including donor meetings, solicitations, proposal values, revenue progress, forecasted asks, pipeline movement, stewardship completion, and overall portfolio activity.
• Maintain accurate revenue forecasts and provide regular portfolio, pipeline, and performance updates to the VP, Philanthropy, and CEO.

Relationship Management

• Build and deepen long-term relationships with major donors, prospective donors, corporate leaders, foundations, community stakeholders, and champions of Canadian soccer.
• Develop individualized donor strategies using a moves management framework to advance prospects through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, commitment, stewardship, and renewal.
• Partner with the VP, Philanthropy, senior leaders, and board members to prepare for donor meetings, cultivation opportunities, and strategic asks.
• Represent the Foundation professionally at donor meetings, events, matchdays, community engagements, and other relationship-building opportunities.

Campaign Development and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Play a central role in advancing the Foundation’s campaign and long-term philanthropic growth agenda by identifying and advancing lead, major, and transformational gift opportunities.
• Support pipeline growth and donor segmentation efforts that strengthen the Foundation’s fundraising priorities.
• Work cross-functionally with marketing, events, communications, finance, and sport development teams to align donor engagement with organizational priorities and deliver a seamless donor experience.
• Build strong relationships with coaches, technical leaders, athletes, team operations and program staff to develop a deep understanding of Canada Soccer's priorities and translate emerging needs and opportunities into compelling philanthropic investments.
• Lead or support campaign initiatives, donor events, matchday experiences, and other fundraising opportunities that advance major gift relationships and revenue goals.
• Provide strategic input into campaign planning, case development, pipeline growth, donor segmentation, and fundraising priorities for the Foundation.

Stewardship & Impact Reporting

• Ensure donors consistently understand the impact of their investment by connecting funded priorities to tangible outcomes, stories and experiences throughout the donor lifecycle.
• Ensure timely acknowledgement, recognition, and reporting to major donors.
• Maintain accurate and timely donor records in the CRM, including contact reports, next steps, proposal status, gift interests, stewardship actions, and revenue forecasting.
• Collaborate with program and communications teams to translate Canada Soccer Foundation’s priorities, outcomes, and impact into compelling donor-facing materials.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 7+ years of progressive fundraising or philanthropic development experience, including direct experience managing major gift donor portfolios and securing gifts.
• Demonstrated ability to independently develop new relationships and build a major-gift pipeline, including identifying and qualifying prospects where no prior relationship exists.
• Proven success personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing five- and six-figure gifts, with the ability to advance transformational gift opportunities.
• Strong knowledge of major gifts fundraising, donor stewardship, prospect management, moves management, and relationship-based solicitation strategies.
• Experience working with senior leaders, board members, volunteers, and donors to support cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activity.
• Experience using CRM and donor management platforms to track portfolio activity, donor engagement, pipeline movement, stewardship, and revenue progress.
• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to create compelling proposals, donor correspondence, impact reports, briefing materials, and presentations.
• Strategic, results-oriented, highly organized, and able to manage competing priorities with sound judgment, discretion, initiative, and follow-through.
• Bilingual (English/French) preferred; additional languages considered an asset.
• Passion for sport, community impact, youth development, and the growth of soccer in Canada is an asset.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Occasional evening and weekend work will be required for donor meetings, cultivation events, matchdays, and Foundation fundraising activities.
• Travel within Canada may be required to support donor meetings, events, and relationship development.

JOB DETAILS

This full-time, permanent role has an annual salary range of $80,000 - $120,000, with a comprehensive benefits package. The final compensation will be determined based on the successful candidate's experience and qualifications. This is a new position and offers flexibility to work either fully on-site in Toronto or in a hybrid arrangement out of the Toronto Office.

WHY JOIN CANADA SOCCER?

As the governing body for soccer in Canada, Canada Soccer plays a key role in growing and developing the sport nationwide. Joining the organization provides an opportunity to contributeto programs that create meaningful pathways, strengthen participation, and support the continued growth of soccer communities across the country.

Please note that only those candidates selected for a potential interview will be contacted.

Canada Soccer is the official governing body for soccer in Canada. In partnership with its members, Canada Soccer promotes the growth and development of soccer in Canada, from grassroots to high performance, and on a national scale. Soccer is the largest participatory sport in Canada and continues to grow across communities nationwide.

Canada Soccer is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process and work environment. Canada Soccer provides equal opportunity for all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences pardoned or suspended, marital status, family status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Self-identification by candidates in the process is completely voluntary. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. More information on our IDEA action plan can be found here: https://canadasoccer.com/play/idea/