Development Manager (Eastern Canada)

Are you ready to leverage your corporate partnerships expertise to create meaningful changes in the lives of children through strategic collaboration and impactful engagement?

Consider joining UNICEF Canada – one of Canada’s most respected and historic charities – and be part of a high-impact, mission-driven team working across Canada and globally to create a better world for children.

UNICEF Canada is seeking to recruit a talented & high-performing individual in the role of Development Manager (Eastern Canada).

Position Details

Why UNICEF & UNICEF Canada?

UNICEF is the world’s farthest-reaching humanitarian organization for children. Across 190 countries and territories, and in the world’s toughest places, we provide and advocate for education, health and nutrition services. Protect children from violence and abuse. Bring clean water and sanitation to those in need. Keep them safe from climate change and disease. Serve as the world’s largest provider of vaccines. Before, during and after emergencies, we’re on the ground with life-saving help and hope. The needs of children around the world continue to increase and the role of UNICEF is more important than ever.

UNICEF Canada is one of 32 National Committees located in high-income countries around the world. Our team exists to fundraise for UNICEF’s highest priorities, and to work neutrally with governments and the private sector in Canada and internationally to advance the rights and well-being of children and youth. 

As UNICEF Canada prepares to launch a bold new Strategic Plan in 2026, a key priority will be amplifying our voice through our policy and advocacy efforts to further advance the children’s rights in Canadian laws, policies and budgets. 

Be part of this next phase of impact!

Position Description

UNICEF Canada is looking for a passionate and results-oriented Development Manager to join our Major Gifts team and help drive transformational change for children around the world. As part of the world’s leading child rights organization, you’ll play a key role in building and nurturing relationships with major donors and high value prospects across Eastern Canada, with a focus on Ontario and Quebec.

Reporting to the Director, Development (Major Gifts), you’ll manage a portfolio of supporters, with a focus on helping build the transformational giving pipeline and securing new $100K+ High Value (HV) gift commitments through strategic engagement, stewardship, and solicitation. You’ll leverage existing relationships and uncover new opportunities to inspire multi-year giving, while collaborating across teams to deliver customized proposals and donor experiences that reflect UNICEF’s mission and impact.

This is a high-impact role for a relationship builder and strategic thinker who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and is driven by purpose. If you're ready to help shape the future of philanthropy and make a lasting difference for children, we want to hear from you!

Key Accountabilities

Revenue Generation through Major Donor Fundraising (80%)

• Manage a portfolio of major donors ($10K+) and high value ($100K+) prospects, overseeing the full lifecycle from identification and cultivation to solicitation and stewardship through strategic meetings, personalized engagement, and targeted events.
• Grow the donor base by identifying and cultivating new high value individual and family foundation donors, stewarding, renewing and upgrading existing gifts, and securing multi-year commitments.
• Leverage regional Board members to identify and engage new prospects, coordinating efforts with Senior Leadership to maximize strategic outreach.
• Advance the transformational giving pipeline ($1M+) by contributing to prospecting and moves management strategies that support activity targets, revenue goals, and long-term planning.
• Develop customized proposals in collaboration with internal team members, particularly around humanitarian emergencies and priority UNICEF programs.
• Drive sustainable revenue growth through strategic fundraising initiatives, focusing on unrestricted and thematic funds, emergency response, and earmarked giving opportunities.
• Establish and execute best-in-class annual stewardship and recognition plans for major donors and high value prospects that positions UNICEF as a charity of choice in offering meaningful and tailored engagement journeys, with support from the Senior Officer, Stewardship and Operations and in coordination with the Communications team.
• Collaborate across departments and leverage organization-wide events and initiatives to ensure high value partnerships are prioritized, aligned, and fully activated—identifying opportunities to enhance high value donor engagement and increase fundraising revenue.
• Represent UNICEF Canada at local, regional, and community events to expand the high value donor network and enhance cultivation efforts.
• Coordinate with other high value channels to align strategies and advance donor relationships toward increased revenue generation.
• Actively attend local, regional and community events or activities to build UNICEF’s high value donor network in key markets including Toronto, Montreal and Halifax and optimize prospecting and cultivation activities.
• Collaborate with other high value channels to execute strategies in line with the Development team’s priorities to advance major donor relationships toward new and increased revenue generation opportunities.

Planning, Operations & Administration (20%) 

• Support the Director of Development in the execution of relevant sections for the multi-year Joint Strategic Plan (JSP) and the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) for the team and ensure integration across the organization, including consultation on revenue, expense and regional activity planning.
• Manage, input, update and maintain a sightline on revenue opportunities, including solicitation planning, execution and documentation in the database.
• Support the development and execution of organizational priority and fundraising initiatives, events, convenings and strategic engagement activities to deepen donor relationships and increase giving.
• Stay informed with up-to-date knowledge of UNICEF’s global and Canadian programs, leadership, and impact to support meaningful donor conversations.
• Ensure accurate and timely updates to the Raiser’s Edge database for major donors and prospects to support weekly reporting and performance tracking.
• Attend UNICEF fundraising events and travel as required, including occasional evenings and weekends, to support donor engagement and cultivation efforts.

Additional Qualifications

• Fluency in English and French (oral and written) is a strong asset. 
• Post-secondary degree in a relevant discipline. 
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in fundraising, sales, or account management in the public or private sector. 
• Exceptional relationship management skills, with demonstrated experience engaging senior leadership, board volunteers, and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) donors and prospects. 
• Strong strategic thinking and decision-making abilities, especially in complex or ambiguous environments. 
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple donor relationships simultaneously. 
• Skilled communicator with superior verbal and written communication abilities, including public speaking. 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint, and experienced with CRM platforms such as Raiser’s Edge/NXT or similar databases. 
• Tactful, diplomatic, and exercises sound judgment in donor and stakeholder interactions. 
• Strategic, detail-oriented, resourceful, and cost-conscious in driving new initiatives and enhancing existing programs. 
• Valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle. 
• Passion for UNICEF’s mission and values, with the ability to represent the organization in a collaborative and professional manner.

An Employer of Choice: What We Offer

UNICEF Canada is where diverse talent & passion come together to create extraordinary impact for every child. We are committed to being an employer of choice and building a culture that is inclusive, ambitious, compassionate, and high impact.

Members of the UNICEF Canada team have access to the following employee benefits:

Our Commitment to Inclusive Workplaces & Recruitment

UNICEF Canada is an inclusive workplace and is committed to championing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process.

At UNICEF Canada, we believe strongly in personal connections and our hiring process is entirely human-driven. We do not use AI or automated systems to review applications or conduct interviews. Each candidate is evaluated by our experienced team to ensure a fair and thoughtful hiring experience.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter as one document to careers@unicef.ca by 11:59PM EST on Friday, November 28, 2025. Please include your salary expectations in your cover email and reference the "Development Manager, Eastern Canada" in the subject heading.

UNICEF Canada thanks all applicants for their interest in this opportunity; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Consistent with our Child Safeguarding Policy, all successful candidates must receive clearance by a police background check (including a vulnerable sector screen).

About UNICEF and UNICEF Canada

UNICEF is the world’s farthest-reaching humanitarian organization for children. Across 190 countries and territories, and in the world’s toughest places, we work to help children survive, defend their rights, keep them protected, healthy and educated, and give them a fair chance to fulfill their potential.

UNICEF Canada is one of 32 National Committees located in countries around the world. Our team exists to fundraise for UNICEF’s highest priorities, and to work neutrally with governments and the private sector in Canada and internationally to advance the rights and well-being of children and youth.