Drive philanthropic growth at one of Australia's most respected charities, creating life-changing impact for people with low vision or blindness.

• Newly created opportunity to lead and implement a bold growth strategy to inspire and secure transformational giving
• Work on-site alongside puppies and purpose-trained dogs and experience the impact of your work every day
• Kew, Melbourne | Office based | Full-time, 0.8 FTE, or 9 day fortnight considered

Impact of the organisation

For nearly 70 years, Guide Dogs Victoria has been breaking down barriers so people can live life without limits. As one of Australia’s most trusted charities, the organisation delivers high-quality services for people living with low vision, blindness, disability, PTSD and other complex needs supporting them to build independence, capability and confidence.

Clients are placed at the centre of everything Guide Dogs Victoria does, ensuring their goals, preferences and lived experience shape every stage of the service journey. Through highly trained dogs, specialist programs and innovative approaches to access and inclusion, the organisation creates meaningful, lasting impact across the community.

With a values-led and inclusive culture, Guide Dogs Victoria is committed to recognising and responding to the diverse needs of the people it supports. Backed by strong brand equity and a proud philanthropic heritage, the organisation continues to evolve how it engages donors and partners to deliver life-changing outcomes.

This is an opportunity to step into a key fundraising role within an organisation that combines a deeply meaningful mission with strong market positioning, and a clear ambition to grow impact through innovation, connection and community support.

It is also well suited to a commercially minded relationship builder looking to apply their skills in a purpose-driven environment.

Impact you will have in this role

As Philanthropy Manager, you’ll play a vital role in shaping and delivering Guide Dogs Victoria’s philanthropic strategy to drive long-term, sustainable growth.

Reporting to a supportive General Manager of Fundraising & Philanthropy, you will lead philanthropic growth, with a strong focus on building a pipeline of high-value opportunities and securing major gifts.

You will personally secure high value gifts (typically $50k+, with scope to grow), while leading and developing a small, high-performing team. Alongside your team, you will steward, cultivate and manage a portfolio of high-net-worth individuals, delivering on financial targets aligned to organisational priorities.

With a committed CEO and board supporting you, your work will directly contribute to meaningful, measurable impact - empowering people with low vision or blindness to live a life without limits.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the GM Fundraising & Philanthropy to shape strategic priorities and contribute to team-wide planning and success
• Implement the philanthropy strategy to meet ambitious revenue targets year on year
• Manage a portfolio of major donors with best-practice cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to deepen and increase support
• Personally secure high value gifts upwards of $50,000 from individuals
• Lead, coach and develop a small team of two, fostering a high-performance, values-driven and donor-centric culture
• Create tailored donor communications, impact reporting and engagement experiences including campus visits, tours, and events
• Develop compelling funding proposals in collaboration with service and finance teams
• Partner with marketing to communicate the impact of philanthropy through powerful storytelling and campaign activity
• Monitor and regularly report on team KPIs, donor data and program performance
• Represent Guide Dogs Victoria at key philanthropic events and forums and networking opportunities to build brand visibility and attract new supporters

Skills and Experience

We’re looking for a strategic, values-led leader with a passion for delivering on financial results:

• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing growth strategies, ideally within philanthropy, partnerships, or relationship-based revenue roles
• Proven ability to secure high value gifts, partnerships or commercial deals, with confidence engaging and influencing senior stakeholders
• Background in either not-for-profit fundraising or high value commercial relationship roles (e.g. sales, business development, partnerships), with a desire to apply these skills in a purpose driven environment
• A confident and emotionally intelligent relationship builder, with strong communication and storytelling capability
• Experience leading or mentoring others, fostering a high performance and collaborative team culture
• Strong internal stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work cross functionally to develop compelling funding opportunities
• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce) and data led pipeline management
• A genuine passion for social impact, inclusion and access; lived experience of disability is highly valued
• An affinity with the mission of Guide Dogs Victoria, including a genuine love of dogs and appreciation for the role they play in changing lives
• Flexibility to travel as required

Applications

To submit your application, please click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

Please direct all general enquiries to Nadia Pachon at Impact Advising on [email protected] using the subject line: Philanthropy Manager - Guide Dogs Victoria 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.