Philanthropy Partnerships Manager

About the role

The Philanthropy Partnerships Manager is a new role within The Sunrise Project’s fundraising team.  The role manages an organizationally-important portfolio of foundation funders located mostly in Australia, including funder cultivation and stewardship. The role identifies new funder prospects and chart paths to building relationships and closing gifts.  Additionally, the role creates tailored strategies for funders and prospects in their portfolio, and works with program experts and a Donor Communications specialist to prepare proposals, reports, and other materials needed to educate funders and secure grants. 

About you

You’re a skilled foundation fundraiser with a hunger to solve the climate crisis. With a high-level understanding of the climate issues and the urgency, you are keen to roll up your sleeves and do the work to generate revenue. You’ve got a track record of closing six and seven-figure gifts from foundations. 

You’re generous and caring, and engage with authenticity. You’ve got excellent people skills and enjoy creating and building funder relationships. You’re comfortable being at the table with donors and are just as committed to supporting executive leadership in their funder meetings. You enjoy learning what motivates philanthropic giving and creating strategies to attract new funders. You love using your excellent writing skills and meticulous attention to detail to create polished funding proposals. You are deadline-oriented and recognize the importance of getting funder reports and proposals in on time.  

Key responsibilities

• Manages a portfolio of foundation funders;

• Increases the prospect pipeline by identifying potential new supporters through identification and qualification;

• Creates strategies to close gifts from foundation funders in collaboration with the Executive and Managing Director, Development;  

• Supports the Sunrise executive team in liaising with our donors regarding program work and funding needs including strategy briefings, goals, and talking points in advance of meetings and supporting follow up to close grants.

• Builds and maintains high level relationships with funders and represents the organisation in funder meetings as needed;

• Prepares funding proposals and reports in collaboration with Donor Communications and Program experts.

• Leads on high performance, collaborative and sustainable teamworking by fostering Sunrise’s culture and hiring, managing and developing talented individuals.

• Aligns own work and OKR’s with Sunrise’s mission and Values.

Required skills, knowledge and experience

• Significant fundraising experience in a similar or related role, including unpaid, grassroots or lived experience

• Track record of closing 6-and 7-figure gifts

• Well-developed ability to engage professionally with funders in person and by email

• Excellent writing skills for proposals, reports, and other funder outreach; 

• Compelling interpersonal communication skills

• Financial acumen for proposal and report budgets 

• A passion for action on climate change and a commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Job requirements 

• You must have full working rights for Australia.  The Sunrise Project is unable to sponsor applicants for employment visas.

• Employment background checks are required.

• Attend funder meetings, as needed. 

• Intermittent travel domestically, rurally and internationally with advanced notice may be required.

• Flexibility to adjust work hours to accommodate multiple time zones

How Sunrise supports its staff

The Sunrise Project Australia is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. We have the following in place to help us achieve that, noting pro rata will apply for part time staff:

• Superannuation 12.5%

• Workspace Benefits incl: Macbook & access. + initial $2,000 for home workspace equipment + $800 every 2 yrs + $75 pm phone, data, internet.

• Solidarity and community leave 1 week pa

• Cultural leave (floating public holidays)

• Gifted leave (over Christmas and New Year)

• 12 weeks paid parental leave (conditions apply)

• Access to an Employee Assistance Program

• Professional development (up to $2000 pa )

• Flexible work policy, including hybrid-remote working

• Coaching and management support with regular 1:1 meetings

• Performance reviews and feedback to support you and the team to reflect and grow

• Co-developed initial 3-6 month work plan to support your onboarding

We recognize that racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, classism and other forms of discrimination creates structural barriers that impact opportunities to formal education and experience. When assessing candidates we look at more than the jobs you’ve been paid to do but the range of ways you’ve picked up skills and knowledge throughout your life. This is why we assess candidates on how well they respond to application questions and don’t require a cover letter.