Charity fundraising, Donor relations

Job Title: Donor Relations Manager
Organization: Toronto Wildlife Centre
Location: Currently located in Downsview Park (North York) with plans to move to the Rouge National Urban Park (Scarborough), GTA

• Status: Full-Time, Permanent
• Start Date: ASAP
• Compensation: $66k to $73k annual salary/ commensurate with experience

About Toronto Wildlife Centre

Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) is a registered charity that provides rescue, medical care and rehabilitation to sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife as well as public education about wildlife issues. TWC is the busiest wildlife centre in Canada, admitting approximately 6,000 patients annually, with more than 300 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians represented. For more information, please visit our website: torontowildlifecentre.com

Job Summary

The Donor Relations Manager at Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) is responsible for day-to-day oversight of the Donor Relations Team, with a focus on individual giving. The Manager ensures the smooth and effective running of donor-related activities, including donor communication, relationship management and record-keeping. While leading the team, they independently handle multiple priorities, including refining administrative processes and improving efficiencies.

In addition to managing daily operations, the Manager contributes to long-term planning and organizational development. This includes assisting in planning and implementing donor stewardship strategies, supporting the Executive Director in high-level donor relations, and assisting with strategic planning, goal setting, and policy development to strengthen TWC’s donor engagement efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Team Oversight

• Maintain and update the Donor Relations Plan and share materials with the team.
• Ensure timely, well-managed donor communications; handle sensitive conversations as needed.
• Oversee tools like communication logs and meeting notes to ensure clear internal communication.

HR Responsibilities

• Support hiring, onboarding, training, and performance appraisals.
• Define job roles and manage schedules and time-off requests.
• Address team HR matters with the Executive Director and HR Generalist.
• Attend Department Head meetings and keep the team informed.
• Promote a positive, supportive team environment.

Budget and Resources

• Set team budgets with the Executive Director and Director of Operations.
• Approve purchases and manage service contracts.
• Troubleshoot financial issues and oversee donation-related tools.

Culture of Philanthropy

• Help staff and volunteers positively engage with donors.
• Ensure donor interactions across departments are recorded and shared.
• Lead or support donor materials, tours, and events.
• Collaborate with the Development Manager to align stewardship efforts.

Individual Donor Stewardship

• Manage a portfolio of individual donors and legacy giving.
• Coordinate special donor experiences (e.g., patient releases).
• Liaise between donors and departments on specific needs.
• Support Executive Director in major donor relations and share best practices.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Post-secondary education or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience working directly with donors in a non-profit setting.
• Proven track record of satisfied donor feedback and demonstrated ability to maintain strong donor relationships.
• Experience in supervisory or team leadership roles, including training and mentoring staff and/or volunteers.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite, donor/client relationship management systems (e.g. eTapestry) and database tools.
• Familiarity with financial processes related to donations, including tax receipting and reporting.

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage comfortably with donors, staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while meeting time-sensitive demands.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including donor-centric writing with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to handle emotionally charged situations with donors professionally and compassionately.
• Strong project management and delegation skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Highly creative and solutions-oriented, and able to approach complex tasks with fresh ideas.
• Capable of fostering a positive learning environment, conveying objectives clearly, and motivating staff and volunteers.

Preferred (but not required):

• Experience with Toronto Wildlife Centre.
• Experience at a licensed wildlife rehabilitation centre or similar organization.
• Knowledge of Ontario wildlife.
• Basic understanding of social media tools as they relate to donor recognition and engagement.

Physical Requirements:

• Requires the ability to spend extended periods sitting and using a computer keyboard.

Working Conditions:

• Fast-paced office environment, with equipment noise and the possibility of frequent interruptions.
• This position requires working near materials and animals that may trigger allergic reactions, such as dust, odors, wetness, humidity, temperature and noise extremes, bright/dim lights, and proximity to pathogens.
• Occasional weekends/late-night work (on an as-needed basis).
• Hybrid work model, with the option to work remotely on select days.
• Some off-site work required (e.g. donor-related events).

How to Apply

Send cover letter and resume to hr@torontowildlifecentre.com , with the subject line “Donor Relations Manager application”.

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

We would like to thank you for your interest in this position. Unfortunately, due to the anticipated number of candidates only those who qualify for an interview will be contacted. Thank you for your understanding.