Director, Partnership Activation

ABOUT US 

SickKids Foundation, with over 50 years of philanthropic impact in 2023, is Canada's largest charitable funder of child health research, learning and care, raising over $200 million last year. As a national charity, SickKids Foundation invests in national and international initiatives to benefit children in Canada and around the world. As the fundraising partner to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), we are aligned in supporting Precision Child Health (PCH), the future of tailoring medicine to each child's unique traits so SickKids can diagnose faster, treat smarter, and predict better. 

We are driven by our core values of integrity, collaboration, excellence, innovation, and inclusion, with goals of delivering a superior donor experience, investing in our people and culture, driving innovative and sustainable fundraising, and leading in digital charity. 

SickKids Foundation is committed to an inclusive culture by embedding equity, diversity and inclusion in our policies, practices, and behaviours. We aim to build awareness and skills in this area, both internally and with our partners. Our commitment extends to creating a safe, positive work environment. For details on our Equity, Diversity & Inclusion commitment, please click here. 

We’re committed to attracting and retaining passionate individuals to help create a healthier future. That’s why SickKids Foundation is looking for a Director, Partnership Activation.

Position Status: Full-time Permanent

Availability: Immediately

Description of the Position: 

The Director, Partnership Activation is responsible for leading the strategy, development, and execution of all partnership activation initiatives. This newly created role is accountable for growing our corporate & community partnerships (CCP) by delivering innovative, scalable, and impactful activation strategies and tools aimed at enabling our fundraisers to drive sustainable revenue.  Success will be measured against revenue growth for CCP, corporate & community participation in events, employee and donor engagement, and retention rates of corporate and community partners.   

As a strategic partner to the Corporate and Community Partnerships teams, the Director will identify opportunities, solve business challenges, and implement forward-thinking solutions that support both fundraising objectives and long-term partner success. This leader will inspire and guide a high-performing team, evolving the function from strong implementers to proactive strategists, ensuring every partner experience is elevated, memorable, and inspiring revenue growth.

This position reports to the Vice President, Corporate & Community Partnerships.

In this role you will:

• Lead the development of strategic tools & resources for the Corporate & Community Fundraising teams, including the CCP value proposition, CCP engagement strategies, CCP assets etc.


• Serve as a strategic liaison across departments - including Brand, Technology and Donor Experience teams - to ensure consistency and excellence in activating CCP donors.


• In collaboration with CCP fundraising business partners, architect and refine scalable and turnkey partner programs to retain current partners, re-engage lapsed supporters, and secure new corporate and community relationships and donor segments


• Lead the sponsorship strategy and execution across SickKids Foundation and Hospital owned assets and events. This includes driving processes to understand feasibility & desirability of properties, valuation of properties, and oversight of sponsorship implementation


• Lead the strategy and execution of the Workplace Giving program with a focus on sustainable year-over-year revenue growth. This includes setting the strategic direction, development of the program, annual assessment and refinement and implementation


• Lead the development, strategy and execution of a SickKids Employee Engagement and Volunteering program both at SickKids & at partners’ own workplaces, including creating a holistic strategy, working with hospital partners to identify existing and net new opportunities and end-to-end program management


• Design systems and tools to deliver memorable, engaging, on-brand support to inspire donor groups to achieve their fundraising goals and drive loyalty to SickKids Foundation.


• Lead and oversee framework for full-service on-the-ground activation support, aligned to the CCP growth mindset and focused on elevating the experience of our partners


• Seek innovative and breakthrough ideas by staying current with best practices, "first-to-market" opportunities, design thinking, and emerging technologies


• Lead the Activation team with a focus on professional development, accountability, innovation and a culture of continuous improvement.


• Oversee team structure, workflow, and resource allocation to ensure operational excellence and scalability.


• Oversee and optimize budget allocations and resource management to achieve growth and ROI targets.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10 years in corporate partnerships, sponsorship, fundraising or marketing strategy


• Proven leadership experience managing high-performing teams and cross-functional initiatives.


• Strategic thinker with strong operational execution and stakeholder management skills.


• Demonstrated success implementing brand activations, agency experience an asset.


• Demonstrated success designing and scaling engagement programs that deliver measurable results.


• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills; executive presence.


• Ability to manage multiple initiatives with agility, innovation, and accountability.


• Experience with marketing, sponsorship, events, and digital activation strategies.

We’re looking for a passionate individual who is interested in moving the dial and making a difference. We are an environment that looks to attract hardworking and committed people; people who want to challenge themselves and grow with a globally recognized brand that continues to change the world. If this describes you, consider joining our team. We look forward to reviewing your application. 

Total Compensation Package: 

Hiring Salary Range: $132,767 – $165,958; with the ability to progress to a maximum of $190,853. To ensure fair and equitable pay at SickKids Foundation, placement on the salary range will be based on your years of experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the Director, Partnership Activation.  

To help you lead in the fight for kids’ health and to support your health, wellness, and career growth, in addition to competitive compensation, we offer a modified benefit package which includes health (drugs, paramedical, vision coverage) and dental.  

Hours: 35-hour work week with a hybrid schedule (3 days remote, 2 days on-site) Flexible work options are available. 

Date Posted: September 29, 2025 

Available to: Internal and External Candidates 

Deadline: October 10, 2025

Please apply on-line by visiting our website: www.sickkidsfoundation.com 

SickKids Foundation is committed to its people and the talents, capabilities, and perspectives they bring to our mission. We live that commitment by being open and accessible to all, by valuing and respecting every individual, and by equally supporting every employee. As an organization proud to have joined the BlackNorth Initiative’s CEO pledge, we uphold our commitment by inviting and encouraging individuals from diverse lived experiences from Black, Indigenous, communities of colour, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ community and all candidates who may contribute to the further diversification of the Foundation’s community. 

Candidates who require accommodation during the recruitment process should contact the Human Resources Department at: [email protected] 

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