Director of Special Projects

Raising The Village; Toronto; Remote; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Raising The Village is seeking a Director of Special Projects to lead high-impact, cross-functional initiatives with major donors and partners. This remote role prioritizes candidates in Toronto or New York City, with travel 3–4 times per year and a track record of scaling complex fundraising efforts.

You will own strategic opportunities from concept to execution, coordinating Product, Programs, Research, and Finance to deliver measurable impact and revenue growth for RTV's expansion plans.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in complex sales and/or fundraising roles.
• Proven ability to manage cross-functional projects end-to-end.
• Experience engaging directly with donors as relationship managers or experts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with attention to detail.
• Highly organized with ability to manage multiple deadlines and relationships.
• Willingness to travel 3–4 times per year.

Responsibilities

• Source and shape a pipeline of high-upside opportunities.
• Define strategies with clear theory of change and success metrics.
• Own one priority opportunity end-to-end and drive portfolio progress.
• Coordinate cross-functional work across Product, Programs, Research, Finance and more.
• Engage with major philanthropies and funders; develop tailored engagement plans.
• Prepare for negotiations and critical conversations with senior leadership.

Skills

Complex project leadership

Fundraising / donor engagement

Donor relationship management

Communication skills

Organization & time management

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel willingness

Job description

Job title
Director of Special Projects
Reporting to
CEO
Years of experience
7+ years
Location
Remote, preference for Toronto or New York City
Position type
Full Time, Permanent

About Raising The Village

Raising The Village's mission is to build and strengthen pathways out of ultra-poverty through an approach guided by data, designed with communities, and scaled by partnerships. We work with last-mile communities to implement solutions that raise incomes, sustain impact, and chart sustainable pathways to possibility within 24 months. To date, we have supported more than two million people in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with support from our partners and our team in North America. Find out more about our programs and impact at www.raisingthevillage.org.

Position Overview

Raising The Village is creating a Special Projects team to drive catalytic growth opportunities that match our ambitions for scale. This team will be responsible for identifying large-scale funding opportunities and co-creating enterprise bets with funders in growth areas highly aligned to RTV's expansion plans.

Special Projects Candidates Must

• Have excellent data fluency and analytical skills, paired with clear and concise verbal and written communications
• Be experienced in leading highly cross-functional and complex projects with significant iteration (with donors and internal teams)
• Work with extremely high velocity while maintaining detail orientation and quality

Key Responsibilities

Opportunity sourcing and strategic definition

• Proactively surface, evaluate, and shape a pipeline of high-upside “big bet” opportunities, informed by organizational priorities, leadership direction, and relevant external trends.
• Turn early, ambiguous ideas into actionable strategies—articulating a clear theory of change, measurable success metrics, required resources, and explicit stage gates for go/no-go decisions.

End-to-end leadership of big bets

• Serve as the single accountable owner for one priority opportunity at a time, moving it forward quickly over weeks to months and building a repeatable approach that improves the portfolio's success rate over time.
• Orchestrate cross-functional work across Product, Programs, Research, Finance, and other teams to unlock step-change revenue and impact opportunities.
• Distill complex information into clear internal alignment and persuasive external messaging.

Partner and funder engagement

• Support – and when appropriate, lead – high-stakes engagement with major philanthropies, foundations, and strategic partners.
• Cultivate new relationships with prospective funders and key influencers, starting from initial outreach through to active partnership.
• Create tailored engagement strategies, pitch materials, and meeting plans designed for specific funders and partnership contexts.
• Partner closely with senior leadership to prepare for critical conversations, negotiations, and decision points.

Skills & Qualifications

• 7+ years complex sales and/or fundraising roles.
• Track record of managing complex and cross-functional projects, end-to-end.
• Experience engaging directly with donors as relationship managers, project managers, or subject-matter experts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Commitment to excellence in execution and follow through.
• Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and relationships effectively.
• Collaborative, thoughtful, and aligned with RTV's mission and values.
• Must be able to travel 3-4 times per year to one of our countries of operation for team retreats, donor field visits, or other events.

Disclaimer

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. The company reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties as necessary.

RTV uses artificial intelligence to screen and assess applicants for this position, including through an applicant tracking system (ATS) that helps sort applications based on job related criteria. Our hiring team reviews all candidates and makes all final decisions.

Ontario Inclusion And Accessibility Statement

RTV is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible workplace. We comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all aspects of the employment process.