Teach For Australia would like to acknowledge the many Traditional Custodians of the lands throughout Australia. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and hopes of Australia's first peoples.
Teach For Australia's vision is an Australia where education gives every child greater choice for their future. The mission is to grow a community of leaders committed to equity for children and young people, by recruiting and developing exceptional people to teach and lead across Australian schools.
Teach For Australia provides:
Opportunity to work with an engaged community of educators - working to close the education gap
Flexible work practices, including the option to work from home
Allowance and time off work for professional development
Job Description
Role Purpose
The Head of Philanthropy is a critical role at Teach For Australia with oversight of the philanthropy team. The role also manages the individual donor portfolio, with a focus on securing major gifts from High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs). The role supports the Executive Director in developing and executing TFA’s philanthropy strategy to attract and retain donors across all segments and meet its fundraising targets. The role involves managing a small, high-performing team to drive efforts with major donors, individuals, trusts, foundations and companies, ensuring a robust funder pipeline.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
Proven success in securing significant philanthropic contributions from HNWIs, with a track record of multi-year relationships and growing donor support.
Minimum 5-7 years of experience in fundraising, with management responsibilities.
Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing successful fundraising strategies.
Strong understanding of donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship principles and practices.
Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
Knowledge of fundraising regulations and ethical standards.
Proficiency in CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce) and data management.
Experience managing and mentoring revenue and target driven teams.
Desirable
Experience in the education sector.
Bachelor’s degree in business, philanthropy or a related field.
Knowledge of impact measurement and reporting in the context of donor relations.
Skills, Attributes and Knowledge
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to engage and inspire diverse audiences.
Ability to maximise networking opportunities and a willingness to proactively identify environments to network and meet likeminded individuals with a propensity to give
Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into attractive propositions.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to assess donor potential and identify opportunities.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft persuasive proposals and reports.
Financial acumen, including the ability to develop funding budgets.
Exceptional organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
High level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion in handling confidential information.
Creative and innovative approach to engaging donors and crafting fundraising campaigns.
Primary Accountabilities
Philanthropy Strategy Development and Execution
Support the development and implementation of Teach For Australia’s overall philanthropy strategy to secure significant and sustainable funding for TFA.
Design and deliver individual/HNWI giving strategies.
Develop HNWI initiatives such as TFA’s “Founders Ten”, giving circles, and events
Monitor annual fundraising targets and key performance indicators (KPIs).
Major Donor Management
Personally manage relationships with key major donors, ensuring tailored and effective stewardship.
Oversee the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of new HNWIs to grow the donor base.
Team Leadership and Development
Provide strategic direction, coaching, and support to the philanthropy team.
Oversee the work of direct reports, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and fostering a collaborative team environment.
Pipeline Development
Build and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective donors through research, networking, events and outreach.
Ensure effective donor segmentation and targeted engagement strategies.
Working with the Executive Director, develop investible proposition documents – 2-3 “master pitches” on priority programs for funding
Leverage the networks of the TFA Board and Executive in implementing TFA’s individual giving strategy
Collaboration with Internal and External Stakeholders
Work closely with the Executive Director to align philanthropy efforts with organisational priorities.
Collaborate with other teams to develop compelling funding proposals and impact reports.
Secondary Accountabilities
Donor Stewardship and Recognition
Oversee the development and implementation of stewardship plans to acknowledge and engage donors effectively.
Ensure high-quality donor communications, including reports, updates, and events.
Governance and Reporting
Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations and best practices.
Provide regular updates and reports on fundraising progress to the Executive Director.
Maintain accurate records of donor interactions and contributions in the CRM system.
Cross-Functional Support
Contribute to organisation-wide initiatives and events, representing the philanthropy team and fostering collaboration across departments.
Continuous Improvement
Stay informed of industry trends and best practices in philanthropy, applying learnings to enhance Teach For Australia’s fundraising efforts.
Key Performance Indicators:
Fundraising Targets
Achieve annual revenue targets, including securing multi-year commitments from major donors and trusts/foundations.
Grow the HNWI donor base by agreed percentage each year.
Donor Engagement and Retention
Maintain a retention rate of 85% or higher among existing major donors.
Conduct a minimum number of face-to-face meetings or high-quality engagements with donors and prospects annually.
Pipeline Development:
Build and maintain a pipeline with a defined minimum number of prospective HNWIs and foundation leads.
Team Performance:
Achieve team satisfaction and performance targets, as measured through internal surveys and achievement of individual KPIs.
Deliver ongoing professional development opportunities for team members.
Reporting and Governance
Provide timely and accurate reports on fundraising progress, including forecasts and risk assessments, in line with organisational standards.
Innovation and Continuous Improvement
Ensure the implementation at least two new initiatives (e.g. events) annually to enhance donor engagement and stewardship.
Stay updated on and incorporate industry best practices into fundraising operations.
Reconciliation and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) Accountabilities
Demonstrate dedication to personal learning to further your understanding of R-DEIB, and understand how it pertains to your remit and your leadership.
Model learning, growth, responsibility and accountability in your role as a leader in pursuing our R-DEIB commitments, seeking out diverse perspectives to inform your decision-making processes, where applicable.
Empower your staff/team to engage with R-DEIB initiatives connected to the role and dept remit, and encourage staff to seek out learning and leadership opportunities in driving forward this work.
Demonstrate openness, curiosity, and respect towards TFA’s commitment to Reconciliation, Diversity, Belonging and Inclusion in a way that aligns to your personal learning journey in a professional setting. This may include, but is not limited to; joining internal committees, engaging in professional learning sessions, supporting members of your team in their learnings, leaning into work in this space outside the scope of your role, supporting your Functional area to drive strategic Reconciliation/DEIB initiatives etc.
