Chief Development Officer
Position Overview
Organization: Easter Seals Ontario
Position Title: Chief Development Officer
Reports To: President & CEO
Team: Seven direct; 13 overall
Location: Hybrid work model. 2x a week in office, when in office at One Concorde Gate, Suite 700, Toronto, ON
Compensation: $160,000 – $180,000, plus a comprehensive benefits and vacation package
Is This You?
You are a fundraising generalist who has a keen eye for revenue diversification. You have directly been part of organizational transformations – and know firsthand what it takes to diversify revenue streams with the aim to be more efficient. You love developing strategies that once implemented, will enable fundraisers to do what they do best – develop deep and meaningful relationships with donors to ultimately raise vital funds in support of the mission.
You are at the executive level, and are comfortable working directly alongside senior leaders, the Board of Directors and senior volunteers to help inform big-picture strategies grounded in execution and fundraising excellence.
To be part of leading an organization that is empowering kids with physical disabilities to discover their own potential would excite and motivate you. If this sounds like you, read on.
The Organization
Easter Seals Ontario is a registered charitable organization that helps children and youth with physical disabilities from all ethnic and religious backgrounds. Since 1922, with the help of their generous donors, Easter Seals Ontario has been offering programs and services that enable kids to experience greater independence and focus on what they can do rather than on their limitations.
They assist families with the purchase of essential mobility and accessibility equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, porch lifts and ramps, as well as toileting aids and bathing equipment. They are also an industry leader in providing fully accessible summer camp programs at two camps, Camp Woodeden in London and Camp Merrywood in Perth. In addition, Easter Seals offers access to special education and other information resources for parents and public education and awareness on disability issues.
Mission
Easter Seals Ontario is committed to helping children, youth and young adults with physical disabilities and their families. Through the generous support of donors and volunteers, Easter Seals provides quality services and programs and acts as an effective voice for their needs and interests.
Vision
Easter Seals Ontario will enable all children, youth and young adults with physical disabilities to reach their full potential, make the absolute most of their abilities and live their lives to the fullest.
Values
Be Bold
They challenge themselves to embrace change by seeking opportunities for innovation and growth.
Stronger Together
They deliver quality experiences for children, families, donors, and supporters through engagement and collaboration.
Be a Champion
They deliver what they promise with integrity and professionalism. They lead by example as a trusted partner and champion for children and youth with physical disabilities.
Make a Difference
They conduct themselves with compassion and determination to make a positive difference in the lives of the children and families they serve.
The Need – Philanthropy’s Impact
Easter Seals kids have lifelong physical disabilities. They often require different types of support than their peers to participate, find their place in the world, and achieve their dreams. Although the kids they serve may face additional challenges, Easter Seals Ontario believes in the breakthrough potential of all individuals with physical disabilities. Philanthropic support will help fund the programs and services that will remove limitations so children can reach new heights.
The costs of caring for a child with a physical disability can add up to over $40,000 per year. This can include mobility and accessibility equipment, home renovations, adaptive equipment and devices, special schooling, special transportation and adapted vehicles, time away from work for medical appointments and surgeries, plus the cost of caregivers, to name a few.
When it comes to mobility and accessibility equipment, government assistance often only covers up to 75% of the cost and some items (like toileting and bathing equipment) are not covered at all. Parents are left to piece together the remaining costs, which can be thousands of dollars per equipment item per year.
Through their equipment funding program, they offer families up to $3,000 per year to help cover all or part of the cost of equipment for their child. In 2020, Easter Seals donors helped 611 children get the equipment they need to develop greater independence and reach their potential.
Easter Seals was built with grassroots support from communities across Ontario. They continue to rely fully on the generosity of public donations to offer their programs and services. The organization is not a member of the United Way and receives negligible government funding.
This is where you come in.
The Position
In this newly imagined role, the Chief Development Officer will oversee all revenue generation, and will report to the President & CEO, who is an excellent fundraiser. As a key member of the leadership team, the Chief Development Officer will play a vital role in moving the organization towards a robust revenue mix. Historically the organization has been dependent on events and there is appetite to diversify revenue while maintaining Easter Seals Ontario’s community presence.
We are looking for a philanthropy leader who has experience fundraising in a myriad of streams (annual, digital, corporate, major and planned), and has successfully led, or been directly part of, diversifying revenue in past roles.
Our candidate will combine their strategic mindset with their bias for action. They will have experience working with senior level volunteers, helping them unlock their fundraising potential. Leading a strong and geographically disbursed team, the Chief Development Officer will work alongside their team to ensure fundraising efficiency and collaboration.
Above all, our candidate will be a passionate advocate on behalf of the organization, and will bring forward their energy, enthusiasm and fundraising skill to enable Easter Seals Ontario help as many deserving kids, and their families, as possible. The only limit to Easter Seals Ontario’s ability to help more deserving families is revenue. Use your skills in revenue diversification and fundraising to have a very quick, yet lasting and lifechanging, impact on children’s lives.
Key Accountabilities
Fund Development
• Support the organization’s ambition to diversify revenue, while respecting the organizational history of being event-heavy and community centric.
• Investigate revenue diversification options beyond traditional (events) based fundraising, including digital fundraising, corporate partnerships, planned giving, monthly, and high value philanthropy
• In collaboration with the President & CEO, create and direct the overall fund development (philanthropy) strategy
• Develop the operational plan against the philanthropic strategy, direct teams towards execution with continuous measurement utilizing the database (RE) and performance metrics
• Lead prospecting and cultivation of major gift and planned giving donors by conducting an analysis of past giving
• Ensure data integrity, analytics, prospect modelling, forecasting, and predictive metrics
• Drive continuous improvement in process (e.g. pipeline management, qualification, gift cycle, stewardship)
• Oversee philanthropic compliance, risk, and policy frameworks
• Serve as nexus between philanthropy and IT / operations / communications to ensure integrated donor experience
Donor Management
• Reinvigorate and renew past donor relationships.
• Integrate the mission, strategic plan, and develop the fundraising case for support to achieve organizational goals.
• Establish best-in-class policies and procedures for gift acceptance and administration.
• Lead and provide expertise in negotiating gift terms and closing solicitations.
• Ensure meaningful recognition and stewardship, including gift implementation and fund administration.
• Develop and oversee an annual stewardship and communication plan for donor/partner engagement.
Staff, Volunteer Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Lead the staff and the Board of Directors in understanding their role in philanthropy, stewardship and ethical, best fundraising practices
• Work closely with the CEO on Board engagement strategy to communicate the value and power of a culture of philanthropy, and a ‘giving’ board
• Partner closely with CEO, Board, volunteers, and senior stakeholders in solicitations
• Lead, mentor, and hold accountable a team of development professionals who are regionally located. Embed consistency and synergy in a virtual environment
• Define roles, performance objectives, and growth plans in line with diversified revenue strategy
• Foster a culture of transparency, innovation, accountability, and shared mission
Donor Communications & Stewardship
• Provide strategic direction to donor-facing communications (annual report, impact report, email content and case for support development), including an annual donor communications strategy and in partnership with communications staff, overseeing its implementation
• Oversee the development of a case for support with a lens for storytelling to effectively communicate the impact of philanthropy on those you exist to serve
Business Acumen & Change Management
• Collaborate with leadership to build on established long-term goals, while maintaining flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances, demonstrating a strategic approach to overall fundraising.
• Provide leadership in evolving Easter Seals Ontario to support the strategic plan, with a focus on diversifying and growing alternative revenue streams.
The Ideal Candidate
• Post-secondary degree in fundraising, nonprofit leadership, business, or related; advanced degree an asset
• 10+ years of fundraising leadership, including strategy, operations, analytics, systems, and frontline giving
• Deep mastery of relational fundraising, metrics-driven decision-making
• Proven ability to design and manage fund development systems (CRM, dashboards, reporting)
• Strong financial acumen — budgeting, forecasting, resource optimization
• Exceptional communication, influence, negotiation, and cross-department collaboration skills
• Experience working with senior stakeholders, volunteers, and board members
• Familiarity with or willingness to implement best practices in compliance, privacy, philanthropy law
• Proficiency with donor management tools (Raiser’s Edge or equivalent)
• Valid driver’s license / access to vehicle preferred; flexibility for evening/weekend work
• Passion for Easter Seals’ mission and dedication to equity, accessibility, and inclusion
Application Instructions
The successful candidate must receive clearance by a police background check, including a vulnerable sector screen.
Easter Seals Ontario is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants from equity seeking groups. Candidates will be provided with an overview of the various elements of the selection process, such as tests, skills demonstrations, etc. Easter Seals Ontario is committed to providing reasonable accessible employment practices that follow the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodation for disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please indicate this in your cover letter.
Preston Human Capital Group is conducting this search on behalf of Easter Seals Ontario. If you are looking for an outstanding challenge and meet the qualification criteria, we look forward to hearing from you. Please include a cover letter and CV addressed to Lindsay Preston at lindsay@phcap.ca. The posting closes on February 6, 2026. Please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Thank you for your interest.