Senior Specialist, Grants and Donor Stewardship

Windmill Microlending; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellness budget

DEI initiatives

Medical, dental, disability, life-ins

3 weeks vacation

Job summary

Windmill Microlending is seeking a Senior Specialist, Grants and Donor Stewardship to lead major grant proposals, institutional reporting, and donor journeys. You will partner with senior staff, manage complex projects, and design stewardship frameworks to protect and grow philanthropic revenue.

The role focuses on strategic stewardship, reporting accuracy, and donor engagement across foundations, corporations, and government funders within a national scope.

Qualifications

• 4–5+ years in a fund development role with grant/proposal writing.
• Experience with donor stewardship, prospect research, and major gifts.
• Strong storytelling and data-driven reporting skills.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Draft, edit, and manage complex proposals for foundations, corporations, and government funders.
• Lead creation of impact and financial reports for major donors and institutional partners.
• Collaborate with program, finance, and client success teams to verify outcomes and budgets.
• Develop centralized language, case studies, metrics, and outcomes repository.
• Ensure timely submission of all reporting obligations and milestones.

Skills

Grant writing

Proposal writing

Prospect research

Donor stewardship

CRM (Salesforce)

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

Salesforce

Google Workspace

Job description

Windmill Microlending is a registered Canadian charity that empowers skilled immigrants and refugees by offering affordable loans, coaching and mentorship to restart their careers in Canada. Since 2005, we have provided over 15,000 loans, helping newcomers triple their incomes.

We are proud to be Great Place to Work certified, boasting an 85%+ average employee engagement score driven by a culture of inclusivity, exceptional teamwork and strong leadership.

The role:

Windmill Microlending is seeking a highly skilled, and results-driven Senior Specialist, Grants and Donor Stewardship to join our national Development team. Reporting to the National Director, Philanthropy and Campaigns, this role operates at the critical intersection of high-stakes fundraising, complex corporate/institutional compliance, and impact storytelling.

The successful candidate will serve as the lead writer for major proposals, complex institutional grant reporting, and advanced donor journeys. Acting as a critical partner to senior development staff, you will manage complex project work, execute deep prospect research, and design sophisticated stewardship frameworks that protect and grow Windmill’s philanthropic revenue.

Key responsibilities:

Complex Grant Reporting & Proposal Development (60%)

• Draft, edit, and project-manage complex, high-quality proposals, business cases, and customized funding applications for foundations, corporations, and government funders.
• Lead the creation of intricate, customized impact and financial reports for major donors ($10K+), private funders, and institutional partners, translating data into compelling narratives.
• Collaborate closely with program, finance, and client success teams to gather, verify, and accurately report on outcomes, complex budgets, and impact data.
• Build and maintain a sophisticated, centralized repository of standardized language, case studies, metrics, and outcomes to optimize proposal and reporting efficiency.
• Rigorously track complex reporting obligations and milestones to ensure 100% timely submission of all deliverables.

Strategic Stewardship & Partnership Fulfillment (20%)

• Design, implement, and optimize a comprehensive donor recognition and stewardship strategy aimed at increasing retention and donor lifetime value across major gift and corporate portfolios.
• Develop and evaluate structured, high-touch stewardship journeys for corporate partners, foundations, and leadership donors.
• Partner with the marketing and communications team to capture client success stories and elevate high-impact donors across digital channels and stewardship materials.

Prospect Research & Senior Development Support (10%)

• Support senior development staff by using research tools to identify, vet, and profile potential new individual, foundation, and corporate prospects.
• Align research and proposal development with Windmill's diverse priorities, identifying prospects with an interest or linkage to operating needs, capital campaigns, or the Community Bond program.

Systems, Data & CRM Integrity (10%)

• Maintain meticulous records within Salesforce, tracking donor engagement metrics, reporting requirements, and moves management timelines.
• Audit and recommend system enhancements to improve donor experience data, segmentation strategies, and overall fundraising effectiveness.

The ideal candidate:

You are an analytical strategist and a master storyteller rolled into one. You see stewardship, complex reporting, and the creation of compelling grant proposals for corporate and foundation partners as critical mechanisms for deepening trust, securing renewals, closing campaign goals, and driving business development. You possess the emotional intelligence to collaborate across technical program or finance teams, paired with the professional polish required to write for institutional gatekeepers and high-net-worth investors. Highly organized and data-informed, you thrive on managing overlapping timelines and delivering flawless, high-stakes outcomes

Competencies and characteristics:

• Proven track record of drafting successful proposals for multi-year investments of $10,000 to $500,000
• Proven track record of creating and managing stewardship reports for multi-year investments.
• Superb written communication skills in English, with an ability to distill complex socioeconomic data into moving, logical cases for support.
• Methodical project-management skills with strict adherence to deadlines.
• Understanding of innovative non-profit funding models, corporate social responsibility (CSR) priorities, or social finance is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with and commitment to the donor cycle and the processes associated with guiding prospective supporters to give and renew their giving.
• Goal-oriented self-starter, driven and motivated to meet and exceed targets.
• Ability to craft compelling cases for support that resonate with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to analyze donor trends, measure fundraising effectiveness, and adapt strategies accordingly.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English. Bilingualism in French is an asset.
• Flexible and team-oriented, taking pride in setting others up for success and meeting new challenges and change with positivity.
• Collaborative, values-driven and results-oriented.

Qualifications and knowledge:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent education/experience
• Minimum of 4–5 years of progressive experience in a fund development role, with a strong emphasis on grant/proposal writing, prospect research, and major gift stewardship.
• Experience with donor-advised funds, planned giving, and capital campaigns
• Experience in stakeholder engagement within the nonprofit, corporate, or public sectors
• Knowledge of Salesforce software preferred
• Intermediate to advanced Google Workspace skills (Gmail, Drive, Gemini, Docs, Sheets, Calendar)

Compensation and benefits:

• Starting salary range $70,000-$80,000 annually, based on skills and experience required for the role
• One-year contract, with the possibility of extension
• Full-time position, 40 hours/week
• Hybrid work solution with a minimum two (2) days in the office
• Position available in Toronto, ON / Calgary, AB / Montreal, QC or remote location
• Three weeks’ vacation, plus a company-wide winter break
• Flexibility to work outside of regular business hours due to meetings or events
• Benefits plan – medical, dental, short & long-term disability, and life insurance
• Annual Wellness budget to support personal well-being
• Evolving DEI initiatives – our staff is representative of our client base

We thank all candidates in advance. However, we will only contact those selected for an interview.

Windmill Microlending is an equal-opportunity employer. Adhering to Canada’s Human Rights Act, Windmill grants equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, creed, colour, gender identity or expression, disability, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, citizenship, ancestry, ethnic origin, age, or place of origin. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

As an active participant in the Federal Government’s 50-30 Challenge, we are committed to building a more diverse, inclusive, and vibrant economic future for Canadians by attaining gender parity and significant representation of underrepresented groups on our board and in senior management positions.