An opportunity for a passionate, authentic and strategic philanthropy specialist to grow major donor income and support life-saving humanitarian work around the world.

• Lead and grow a major donor portfolio, soliciting gifts $50,000+ and mentoring a small team
• Sydney CBD | Hybrid working | Permanent full-time
• Supportive, collaborative culture with exceptional staff benefits including 5 weeks’ leave

Impact of the organisation

Australia for UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency’s national partner in Australia, raising funds and awareness to support people forced to flee conflict, disaster or persecution. Since 2000, Australia for UNHCR has raised more than $500 million to deliver emergency shelter, food, clean water, medicine, protection services and long-term programs that help refugees rebuild their lives.

With over 120 million people displaced globally, this work has never been more vital. As part of the UN network, the organisation helps make a tangible, measurable difference to millions of lives every year.

Impact you will have in this role

As Philanthropy Manager, you will play a central role in growing major gifts and strengthening key donor relationships. You will develop and execute strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major donors giving $50,000–$500,000, driving both revenue growth and donor lifetime value.

Reporting to the Senior Philanthropy Manager and working across the Philanthropy & Partnerships team - and with colleagues globally - you will help shape the major donor program’s next phase of growth by bringing strong strategic thinking.

This is an opportunity to lead and mentor a small team, building capability and embedding best-practice relationship management across the major gifts program. You will provide leadership to the Faith-Based Giving Coordinator, ensuring the successful delivery and stewardship of faith-based giving initiatives, and driving growth across this strategically important income stream.

This is a rare opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s strategy, supporting sustainable, diversified income that fuels UNHCR’s humanitarian response worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement strategies to grow the major donor program, driving retention, upgrades and donor lifetime value.
• Identify, cultivate and solicit gifts from major donors ($50,000–$500,000), ensuring tailored and high-quality engagement.
• Manage the Faith Based Giving Coordinator and oversee the growth and stewardship of the faith-based giving program, including Zakat and Sadaqah donations, key Islamic philanthropy donors, partners, and ambassadors.
• Provide leadership, coaching and mentoring to support strong performance, collaboration and professional development.
• Shape new opportunities based on sector trends, donor insights and philanthropic intelligence.
• Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, deepening relationships and increasing repeat giving.
• Craft compelling proposals, briefings and impact reports that clearly articulate need and demonstrate outcomes.
• Collaborate with international UNHCR colleagues on projects, proposals and strategic initiatives.
• Work closely with the Events team to plan and deliver donor events.
• Partner across the Philanthropy & Partnerships, Fundraising & Marketing, and UNHCR global teams to ensure alignment and strong delivery.
• Analyse donor behaviour, sector trends and program performance to inform strategy and enhance engagement.

Skills and Experience

• Demonstrated experience in major gift fundraising, including cultivating donors, making solicitations and securing significant gifts.
• Proven ability to influence, inspire and engage supporters, with strong relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated experience leading and mentoring staff, with the ability to develop capability and drive high performance within a small team.
• Experience managing a high-volume donor or prospect pipeline and working toward ambitious income targets.
• Strong proposal writing, reporting and storytelling capabilities with high attention to detail.
• Understanding of philanthropic motivations, impact reporting and stewardship best practice.
• Ability to work strategically, manage budgets, analyse donor data and identify opportunities for growth.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently, with strong organisational and time-management skills, able to work in an emergency response environment.
• A genuine passion for supporting refugees and advocating for protection, long-term solutions and humanitarian relief.
• Alignment with Australia for UNHCR’s values: Collaborative, Inclusive, Accountable and Ambitious.

Applications

Please direct all enquiries to Kristina Baric at Impact Advising on [email protected] using the subject line: Philanthropy Manager - Australia for UNHCR enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Impact Advising is committed to creating diverse and inclusive work environments that reflect the rich tapestry of our communities. We believe that diversity enriches organisations and fosters innovation. We are dedicated to building workforces that are a representative of the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of our society. We embrace diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and cultural background. We actively seek to foster inclusive workplaces where all employees can bring their whole selves to work, feel respected and valued, and have equal opportunities for growth and advancement. We are committed to providing a fair and unbiased recruitment process, and we strive to eliminate any barriers that may impede the inclusion and participation of underrepresented groups in workforces.