Director, Development

Director, Development

📍 Canada | Fundraising & Partnerships | Senior Leadership | Mission-Driven Work

Why you’ll love this role:

Your leadership will drive real impact.
Every dollar you and your team raise directly supports youth mental health programs across Canada. You’ll see the tangible outcomes of your work in stronger programs, deeper partnerships, and long-term sustainability for Jack.org.

You’ll lead, not just manage.
This is a senior, hands-on leadership role where you’ll shape strategy, steward high-value relationships, and mentor a talented fundraising team. You’ll balance big-picture thinking with active donor engagement and revenue generation.

You’ll build something that lasts.
From major gifts and corporate partnerships to planned giving and community fundraising, you’ll help design and grow sustainable fundraising programs that will support Jack.org for years to come.

You’ll work with inspiring people.
You’ll collaborate closely with senior leadership, Board members, volunteers, donors, and Jack.org’s Founder — all deeply committed to advancing youth mental health.

You’ll be trusted to think boldly.
Innovation, thoughtful risk-taking, and entrepreneurial thinking are encouraged. You’ll have space to test new approaches, redesign portfolios, and lead creative cultivation strategies.

Why this role matters:

Jack.org is entering an exciting phase of growth, and the Director, Development plays a pivotal role in making that possible. Reporting to the VP, Development and MarCom, you will lead a team of five fundraising professionals currently raising $4M+ annually, while also managing a personal portfolio of high-value donors and partners.

You’ll be responsible for driving revenue growth across major gifts, corporate partnerships, special events, community fundraising, and planned giving — ensuring Jack.org has the resources needed to expand its impact across Canada.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you’ll represent the Development function internally, contribute to organizational strategy, and step in as Officer in Charge when required.

What you’ll do:

Revenue Generation & Growth

• Manage a personal portfolio with a revenue target of $1.5M


• Build and steward relationships with high-value individual and corporate prospects across Canada


• Identify and cultivate new donor communities with strong alignment to youth mental health


• Partner with the VP to support and engage senior volunteers and Board members in fundraising and personal philanthropy


• Lead the creation and management of a Campaign Fundraising Cabinet


• Design and implement customized strategies for individual donors and partners

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship

• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive stewardship strategy


• Identify, grow, and manage a portfolio of individual and family foundation major gift prospects


• Collaborate with senior leadership, executives, and Board members to cultivate and steward key relationships


• Work closely with Jack.org’s Founder to thoughtfully transition and steward relationships


• Lead and oversee cultivation and stewardship events

Planned Giving Leadership

• Develop and execute Jack.org’s Planned Giving strategy


• Optimize lead generation campaigns to grow confirmed bequests


• Design stewardship and recognition strategies for planned giving donors


• Collaborate with the VP to engage Board members and major donors in legacy giving


• Partner with Annual Giving and Marketing teams on integrated lead-generation campaigns

Planning, Strategy & Administration

• Lead annual budgeting and planning for Major Gifts, Corporate Partnerships, Events, and Community fundraising


• Maintain deep knowledge of Jack.org’s programs, leadership, and strategic priorities


• Represent the Development team across internal forums and cross-functional initiatives


• Act as Officer in Charge (2 IOC) in the absence of the VP, Development and MarCom


• Evaluate partnership opportunities and support thoughtful, values-aligned risk-taking


• Lead the strategic redesign of the Jack Ride and Community fundraising portfolio

People Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing fundraising team with clear goals and accountability


• Recruit, retain, and support a motivated and engaged team


• Conduct goal-setting, quarterly check-ins, and year-end performance reviews


• Foster professional growth, learning opportunities, and employee engagement


• Build a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive team culture

What you bring:

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in fundraising, marketing, sales, or a related discipline


• 7+ years of progressive experience in fundraising or sales (non-profit and/or corporate)


• Demonstrated success closing gifts of $50K+ across Major Gifts and Corporate Partnerships


• Strong emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and compassion


• Exceptional relationship-building skills with donors, partners, volunteers, and colleagues


• Proven experience leading cultivation and stewardship events


• Track record of independently developing and managing a prospect pipeline


• Comfort working both independently and collaboratively in a hybrid environment


• Creative, entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to navigate complexity


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking


• Experience with Salesforce or similar donor/relational databases


• Strong technical skills (Microsoft Office, G-Suite)

How you’ll spend your time:

• Revenue generation & donor leadership: ~40%


• Planning, strategy & administration: ~20%


• Donor cultivation & stewardship: ~20%


• People management & team development: ~15%


• Planned giving oversight: ~5%

How to Apply:

If this opportunity resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you. Please apply with your resume and cover letter (PDF format preferred). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

This position is based in Toronto and follows a hybrid work model (some in-office time required). This is a full-time, permanent role and reflects an existing vacancy. Additionally, Jack.org may use AI-enabled tools to support candidate screening.

At Jack.org, we strongly believe that having a diverse team with a wide range of lived experiences and perspectives strengthens our work. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including those who identify as women, Black, Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQ2S+, and people with disabilities. Don’t meet every requirement? If this role excites you, we still encourage you to apply.

Reasonable accommodations are available upon request throughout the hiring process. Please contact [email protected].

Thanks for applying 💙