Manager, Philanthropy

At the Toronto Blue Jays, our mission is to get better every day to win world series championships and celebrate with our fans across Canada. Whether you are part of our team on or off the field, we have an unwavering commitment to elevate every aspect of our roles, consistently innovating and delivering excellence each day.

We offer a unique and exciting experience that extends beyond the ballpark. Whether you are passionate about baseball or simply interested in becoming a part of a multifaceted, diverse sports organization, we welcome you.

If you are motivated to help bring World Series Championships back to Canada and to celebrate with our fans, there's a spot waiting for you here with the Toronto Blue Jays!

Summary:
Jays Care Foundation, the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays, uses the game of baseball to give kids across Canada a place on a team where they belong. Proudly working in all ten provinces and all three territories, Jays Care runs baseball for development programming for more than 60,000 children and youth annually. Through the Field Of Dreams program, the Foundation has also invested nearly $15 million into building or refurbishing more than 160 community baseball diamonds across Canada. Jays Care has been recognized as a top 100 Charity in Canada and is the proud two-time winner of Major League Baseball’s Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence.
To enable future generations of children and youth to have access to inclusive baseball programming, Jays Care’s Philanthropy team is seeking to hire a Manager, Philanthropy, on a 6 month contract.

Reports to: Director, Philanthropy

Compensation: $38.50/ hour

Location: Toronto – Rogers Centre

With a keen understanding of the value that sport and recreational programming has in the development of children and youth, the successful candidate will possess a deep commitment to building long-term, donor centric relationships with individuals and foundations.

The Manager, Philanthropy will focus on the prospecting, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activity for current and prospective foundations and high net worth individual donors, and the development, implementation and measurement of several annual donor appeals including the acquisition, and retention of monthly donors. The Manager, Philanthropy is responsible for attracting and building strategic relationships with current and prospective individuals and foundations to secure multi-year philanthropic gifts that are in alignment with the Foundation’s goals, strategic plan and priority programs.

This position has financial accountability of more than $1.0 million annually and is responsible for proactively developing and managing a pipeline of 100 to 140 prospects and donors at all stages of the development cycle.

The Manager will be part of a high performing philanthropy team that works collaboratively with Foundation colleagues and Toronto Blue Jays departments to inspire meaningful donor relationships.

Responsibilities of the Manager, Philanthropy include:

Major Gifts (75%)

• Work in collaboration with the Director of Philanthropy to attract multi-year 6 figure commitments with Individuals and Foundations, including identifying and developing channels for acquisition.
• Actively prospect, cultivate, solicit, close and renew major gifts exceeding $25,000 annually.
• Build relationships within Toronto Blue Jays Ticketing and Premium Suites to develop the pipeline.
• Key Relationship Manager for prospects, once cleared internally at Pipeline meetings, from prospect research to stewardship.
• Develop and execute cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plans for key donors and prospects that inspire them to make multi-year commitments.
• Lead the strategy, proposal development and meeting engagements for major gift prospects, in collaboration with other members of the team.
• Maintain all donor cycle activities in Salesforce to ensure accurate, timely tracking and reporting including past actions and future activity.
• Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of the monthly donor program.
• In collaboration with the Director of Philanthropy, Senior Manager, Corporate Partnerships and Senior Manager, Events, develop, implement and evaluate the conversion of donors from other channels to monthly and major gift donors.
• Develop and manage budgets annually and monthly to minimize expenses and maximize revenues.
• In collaboration with the Manager, Donor & Government Relations, lead the development, implementation and evolution of the donor engagement matrix for Individuals and Foundations which includes Acknowledgement, Recognition and Stewardship.
• Identify prospects for planned giving, and develop strategies for legacy development in association with other team members.

Annual & Monthly Giving, and Community Fundraising: (25%)

• Lead the creation, implementation, and evaluation of donor fundraising campaigns in collaboration with Marketing Communications, the Director of Philanthropy, and the Coordinator of Philanthropy.
• Conduct data analysis using Salesforce to identify fundraising opportunities and optimize donor engagement.
• Develop and execute annual giving campaigns, to enhance donor engagement and acquisition.
• Lead efforts to grow and retain the monthly donor base, ensuring ongoing donor stewardship and appreciation.
• Partner with community groups, volunteers, and corporate partners to expand peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives.
• Create and manage donor journeys that encourage small and mid-level donors to increase their giving levels over time.
• Develop strategies to leverage matching gift programs and employer-sponsored giving initiatives.
• Monitor and report on key metrics related to annual and monthly giving, adjusting strategies as needed to maximize fundraising effectiveness.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and growth in community fundraising, ensuring alignment with Jays Care Foundation’s broader fundraising goals.

Additional expectations

• Operate within the culture and core values of the organization.
• Work as a team player promoting a positive and professional work environment and conducting the role with integrity and respect.
• Cultivate strong professional relationships with programs, finance and marketing & communications and Toronto Blue Jays.
• Act as an ambassador throughout the community, positively representing the organization.
• Foster relationships with a diverse community of donors.
• Perform other duties as assigned in order to meet the overall goals and objectives of the organization.
• Maintain knowledge and expertise in relevant fields to develop best in class relationships.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in fundraising, philanthropy, or donor relations, with a focus on major gifts.
• Strong, demonstrated experience in independently developing and managing a relationship pipeline.
• Proven track record of securing and stewarding six-figure gifts from individual donors and foundations.
• Exceptional relationship building skills with donors and cross functionally within an organization.
• Strong experience managing donor relationships and developing solicitation strategies.
• Strong experience working with a cross functional team, multiple stakeholders and a cross section of people from executive corporate leaders to custodians.
• Entrepreneurially minded with creative thinking skills, solution oriented.
• Exceptional communication and proposal-writing skills, with the ability to inspire donors.
• Highly organized, with strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously, with demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Salesforce or other CRM platforms for donor tracking and reporting.
• Proficiency in fundraising platforms such as Artez, Classy.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze donor data and trends to optimize fundraising strategies.

Work Model:
Jays Care’s Philanthropy team works on location at Rogers Centre at least two days per week, with increased presence during the baseball season. Participation in evening and weekend events is required, especially during the baseball season.

Interested candidates should complete the application process including their cover letter and their resume. Deadline for applications is Sunday, March 9.

Jays Care Foundation is dedicated to building an organization that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. This includes diversity in languages spoken, culture, race, sexual orientation and gender identity.
If you require accessibility accommodation, please indicate in your application. The application is only open to those legally eligible to work in Canada.

To protect our people, brand and assets, a pre-employment background check will be conducted. As part of our selection process, all candidates must clear a criminal background check. Additionally, a credit check and drivers abstract may be required depending on the role.

At Rogers, we believe the key to a strong business is a diverse workforce where equity and inclusion are core to making everyone feel like they belong. We do this by embracing our diversity, celebrating our different perspectives, and working towards creating environments that empower our people to bring their whole selves to work. Everyone who applies for a job will be considered. We recognize the business value in creating a workplace where each team member has the tools to reach their full potential by removing any barriers for equal participation. We work with our candidates who are experiencing a disability throughout the recruitment process to ensure that they have what they need to be at their best. You matter to us! For any questions, please visit the Recruitment Process FAQ.

Schedule: Full time
Shift: Day
Length of Contract: 6 Months
Work Location: 1 Blue Jays Way (210), Toronto, ON
Travel Requirements: Up to 10%
Posting Category/Function: Administration & Reception / Coordination
Requisition ID: 320391

Posting Notes: Toronto Blue Jays