Senior Manager, Donor Experience

Toronto Public Library Foundation; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Toronto Public Library Foundation invites a Senior Manager, Donor Experience, to lead donor stewardship, engagement and retention. Reporting to the Director, Donor Experience, this role designs and oversees donor experience strategies that strengthen loyalty and support long-term philanthropic growth.

This position leads stewardship communications, annual reports, and impact reporting across giving segments, ensuring a donor-centered journey with continuous improvement and measurable results.

Qualifications

• 7 to 10 years of experience in donor relations, fundraising communications, or donor/customer engagement strategy.
• Exceptional writing skills, including experience developing major gift impact reports and proposals.
• Extensive knowledge of donor recognition and stewardship programs, including best practices.
• Experience managing people and leading cross-functional teams and collaborations.
• Experience with reporting and analytics using Raiser's Edge or other fundraising databases is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Translate portfolio-level donor journey strategy into annual stewardship plans and communication calendars across all giving segments, in partnership with philanthropy, operations, and marketing and communication colleagues.
• Develop, maintain and document stewardship standards, content guidelines, and reporting frameworks.
• Identify risks or friction points with donor journeys and design mitigation strategies.
• Partner with fundraising colleagues to align stewardship timing and messaging with relationship strategy, ensuring adherence to established stewardship standards.
• Write customized impact reports and stewardship communications for donors giving above $100,000.
• Provide editorial oversight and strategic direction for impact reports produced within the $25,000 - $100,000 portfolio.
• Lead the development of the annual Donor Impact Report (annual report) in collaboration with Marketing and Philanthropy
• Collaborate with philanthropy and marketing colleagues on proposal narratives, stewardship messaging, and donor event communications.
• Ensure all stewardship communications align with campaign narrative, priorities and impact measurement frameworks.
• Directly manage and coach the Manager, Stewardship.
• Establish and oversee clear workflows, timelines, and quality control processes
• Ensure stewardship outputs reflect agreed upon standards and support retention goals.
• Working with operations, marketing and fundraising teams, lead retention and engagement strategies.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies including AI-enabled solutions to enhance personalization and scalability, without compromising authenticity and meaningfulness.
• Provide regular insights and recommendations to the Director, Donor Experience, to support long-term growth.

Skills

Donor relations

Fundraising comms

Engagement strategy

Major gift reporting

Fundraising databases

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Job description

VACANCY STATUS: This posting is for a new vacancy

SALARY RANGE: $85,000 - $95,000 Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Toronto Public Library Foundation: Helping Write the Library’s Next Great Chapter

Toronto Public Library Foundation connects the generosity of donors with the limitless potential of Toronto Public Library—the world’s biggest and busiest urban public library system. Together, we transform Torontonians’ love of the library into vital support for programs, collections, and spaces that help people learn, connect, and thrive. With our donors, we’re expanding literacy programs for kids, bridging the digital divide, strengthening civic engagement, and building inclusive, welcoming spaces in every neighbourhood in our city.

Position Summary

The Senior Manager, Donor Experience is the Foundation's strategic lead for donor stewardship, engagement, and retention. Reporting to and working in partnership with the Director, Donor Experience and cross-functional colleagues, this role develops and oversees donor experience strategies that strengthen donor loyalty, demonstrate meaningful impact, and support long-term philanthropic growth.

This position leads the design and execution of stewardship and engagement frameworks across all giving segments, ensuring a consistent, donor-centered experience throughout the philanthropic journey. As the Foundation's subject-matter expert in stewardship communications and donor retention, the Senior Manager establishes standards, drives continuous improvement, and provides strategic oversight of impact reporting and donor communications.

The role has one direct report and is accountable for stewardship planning, reporting, quality assurance, donor experience metrics, and stewardship-related operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate portfolio-level donor journey strategy into annual stewardship plans and communication calendars across all giving segments, in partnership with philanthropy, operations, and marketing and communication colleagues.


• Develop, maintain and document stewardship standards, content guidelines, and reporting frameworks.


• Identify risks or friction points with donor journeys and design mitigation strategies.


• Partner with fundraising colleagues to align stewardship timing and messaging with relationship strategy, ensuring adherence to established stewardship standards.


• Write customized impact reports and stewardship communications for donors giving above $100,000.


• Provide editorial oversight and strategic direction for impact reports produced within the $25,000 - $100,000 portfolio.


• Lead the development of the annual Donor Impact Report (annual report) in collaboration with Marketing and Philanthropy


• Collaborate with philanthropy and marketing colleagues on proposal narratives, stewardship messaging, and donor event communications.


• Ensure all stewardship communications align with campaign narrative, priorities and impact measurement frameworks.


• Directly manage and coach the Manager, Stewardship.


• Establish and oversee clear workflows, timelines, and quality control processes


• Ensure stewardship outputs reflect agreed upon standards and support retention goals.


• Working with operations, marketing and fundraising teams, lead retention and engagement strategies.


• Evaluate and implement new technologies including AI-enabled solutions to enhance personalization and scalability, without compromising authenticity and meaningfulness.


• Provide regular insights and recommendations to the Director, Donor Experience, to support long-term growth.

Qualifications & Competencies

Education & Experience

• 7 to 10 years of experience in donor relations, fundraising communications, or donor/customer engagement strategy.


• Exceptional writing skills, including experience developing major gift impact reports and proposals.


• Extensive knowledge of donor recognition and stewardship programs, including best practices.


• Experience managing people and leading cross-functional teams and collaborations.


• Experience with reporting and analytics using Raiser’s Edge or other fundraising databases is considered an asset.

Skills & Abilities

• Superior project management skills with exceptional attention to detail.


• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.


• Ability toinitiate, analyze, monitor, evaluate, and recommend changes to strategic plans using data and analytics to inform decision-making.


• Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills, with the ability to foster trust andfacilitateopen, solutions-focused discussions.


• Demonstrated self-awareness, integrity, and professionalism in high-pressure and rapidly changing environments.


• Ability to remain composed and adaptable while managing competing priorities and organizational change.

Why Apply?

You will:

• Join a high-performing, mission-driven team committed to enhancing access to knowledge, culture and community in Toronto.


• Work in a hybrid model that supports flexibility and collaboration.


• Engage deeply with individual donors passionate about strengthening their communities.


• Have opportunities for professional growth, skills development, and meaningful recognition.

The Toronto Public Library Foundation uses a people-focused approach to evaluating applicants. We do not utilize artificial intelligence during the recruitment process.

The Toronto Public Library Foundation welcomes all people and perspectives and aims to reflect the diversity of Toronto on our team. We are committed to employment equity and diversity and welcomes applications from Indigenous people, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. Accommodation is available on request throughout the hiring process. Only those selected for interview will be contacted.