Director of Development, Investigative Journalism Foundation

Investigative Journalism Foundation; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental and health benefits

Flexible vacation

Unlimited sick days

100% remote work with hybrid option

Professional development allowance

Home office spending account

Job summary

Investigative Journalism Foundation seeks a Director of Development to lead fundraising strategy and grow revenue with the senior leadership team. You will manage major gifts, donor relationships, and multiple revenue streams while building a durable fundraising program in a mission-driven nonprofit.

You’ll work closely with the CEO and COO, scale a warm portfolio, and lead a small development team as the organization expands and strengthens Canadian democracy through investigative journalism.

Qualifications

• Seven years of progressive fundraising experience with increasing revenue responsibilities.
• At least two years managing a major gifts portfolio including five- and six-figure gifts.
• Experience across multiple fundraising streams: major gifts, foundations, grants, corporate partnerships, etc.
• Strategic fundraising mindset with hands-on execution to advance opportunities.
• Experience using a CRM or donor management system to track relationships, pipelines and forecasting.
• Knowledge of journalism or civic engagement sectors in Canada is an asset.
• Experience building a revenue stream that didn’t exist before arriving is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead the IJF’s fundraising work, with support from the CEO and COO, and grow annual revenue from $2.1 million today to $2.5 million in 2027.
• Oversee individual giving, family foundations, government grants, academic grants and corporate partnerships.
• Take over a warm portfolio of major donors and a $3.9 million prospect pipeline, expanding both.
• Develop compelling cases for support, proposals, presentations, grant applications, and donor communications.
• Collaborate with the CEO and COO on major funding opportunities and donor meetings.
• Identify and test new revenue approaches with an entrepreneurial mindset for continued growth.
• Represent the IJF externally with prospective donors, funders, partners, and stakeholders.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Major gifts portfolio

Strategic fundraising planning

Donor relations & partnerships

CRM/donor management

Communication & presentation

Job description

About the Investigative Journalism Foundation

The Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF) is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to public-interest journalism. We are a new kind of media outlet, built around databases on who donates to politicians across Canada, who lobbies them, and how the government spends your money.

The IJF is rapidly growing and is proud to be one of the world’s most innovative media companies according to Fast Company magazine. We were also selected for Fast Forward’s accelerator for tech non‑profits, won an Anthem Award for our Open By Default database, two gold medals at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards and the Product of the Year award from LION Publishers.

As a nonprofit, nonpartisan media outlet, our primary purpose is to serve the public. We do this by publishing in-depth investigative journalism that speaks truth to power. Our databases are also used by other journalists, policymakers and academics seeking to increase transparency and strengthen Canadian democracy.

About this job

You will be the IJF’s second‑ever Director of Development, succeeding our recently promoted Chief Operating Officer who held the post since we launched. We are looking for an experienced professional who will join the IJF’s senior leadership team and is excited about working at a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening democracy.

You will build on the IJF’s successful fundraising strategy, which has led to double‑digit percentage growth every year, rising from $600,000 in 2022 to $2.1 million in 2025. We disclose all our donors here.

We’re looking for someone who will thrive in a startup environment where things move fast, and we’re building the plane while we’re flying it. Someone who can build a team underneath them but is also comfortable mucking in. You will eventually hire more junior development staffers but will spend at least the first six months with the IJF’s development team at its current size (the CEO and COO both spend about 75% of their time on fundraising, but we’re looking for a candidate who will let us reduce that significantly).

We are a unique shop, part growth‑focused tech startup, part mission‑focused nonprofit, and we’re looking for a one‑of‑a‑kind leader who will thrive in that environment.

What you’ll do at the IJF:

• Lead the IJF’s fundraising work, with support from the CEO and COO, and play a key role in growing annual revenue from $2.1 million today to $2.5 million in 2027
• Build on the IJF's successful fundraising strategy, overseeing individual giving, family foundations, government grants, academic grants and corporate partnerships
• Take over a warm portfolio of major donors and a $3.9 million prospect pipeline, and grow both, including relationships with six‑figure potential
• Develop compelling cases for support, proposals, presentations, grant applications, and other fundraising materials that communicate the IJF’s mission, impact, and ambitions
• Work closely with the CEO and COO on major funding opportunities, including preparing them for donor meetings and identifying where their involvement can help advance key relationships
• Identify and test new approaches to revenue generation, bringing an entrepreneurial mindset to the IJF’s continued growth
• Represent the IJF externally with prospective donors, funders, partners, and other stakeholders

Qualifications:

We know that strong candidates may not meet every qualification below in equal measure. We’re looking for someone who brings significant fundraising experience, sound judgment, and an entrepreneurial approach to growing revenue for a mission‑driven organization.

• At least seven years of progressive fundraising experience, with a track record of taking on increasing responsibility for revenue generation
• At least two years of recent experience personally managing a major gifts portfolio that includes gifts of five and six figures
• Experience working across multiple fundraising and revenue streams, which may include major gifts, individual giving, foundations, grants, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, or other forms of earned or contributed revenue
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically about fundraising while also being comfortable doing the hands‑on work required to move opportunities forward
• Experience using a CRM or other systems to manage donor relationships, pipelines, forecasting, and fundraising activity
• Knowledge of the journalism and/or civic engagement sectors in Canada is an asset
• Experience building a revenue stream that didn't exist before you arrived is an asset

Compensation, benefits and time off:

• Base salary of $100,000–$120,000, plus an annual bonus of up to 10% (total compensation up to $132,000)
• Dental and health benefits including paramedical, vision and a $500 healthcare spending account
• 15 flexible vacation days, plus the week between Christmas and New Year's when the whole team is off
• Unlimited sick days
• 100% remote work, with the option for hybrid arrangements in Vancouver and Toronto
• A professional development spending account of $1,000 a year
• A home office spending account of $500 a year