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Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Canada

Director of Development


Posted On: October 6, 2023
Closing On: November 4, 2023

Location: Toronto, Ontario
Employment Type: fulltime
Level: senior
Salary Range: $145,000 to $160,000


Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international emergency medical humanitarian organization founded by doctors and journalists in 1971. The teams go where people’s needs are greatest to provide neutral, impartial, and independent emergency healthcare to people affected by disaster, disease, conflict, and exclusion. MSF also bears witness, amplifying patient and staff experiences and speaking out to bring abuses and intolerable situations to the public eye. Around 63,000 people work for MSF in over 70 countries. More than 80 per cent of staff are hired in the countries in which MSF works. They offer basic healthcare, perform surgery, address epidemics, rehabilitate and run hospitals and clinics, carry out vaccination campaigns, operate nutrition centres, provide mental healthcare, and offer training to local medical staff. MSF works with communities and often in support of local health authorities. Human connections are at the heart of their work, and their medical staff are able to offer care to people in need of assistance thanks to a vast network of staff and supporters.

MSF Canada is a vital link between medical humanitarian activities around the world and a network of supporters, humanitarians and medical professionals in Canada who help make this work possible. MSF Canada provides crucial added value to MSF’s medical work by pursuing innovations to overcome the challenges teams face while trying to deliver needed medical care to people in under-resourced settings. They have led initiatives such as telemedicine, climate and humanitarian action, and other transformational initiatives, tapping into Canadian expertise, networks, and know-how to improve patient care.

MSF Canada is seeking a new Director of Development to lead a robust and diverse Fundraising Department and be an important executor of current strategic goals and contributor to the upcoming MSF Canada Strategic Planning process. As an engine of MSF Canada and MSF globally at large, the Fundraising Department (FRD) plays a critical role in securing the success of their social mission. Raising over $98 million in 2022 in private funding – through mass marketing, major gifts, foundations & corporations, and planned giving donor segments – the FRD is at the heart of their humanitarian emergency medical operations.

The Director of Development will report directly to the Executive Director’s Office and is a key member of the MSF Canada Senior Management Team (MT), and will:

  • be instrumental in driving the strategic vision for the FR team of 40+ employees.
  • deliver on the strategic goals for FRD, through multi-year and annual planning of required resources and investments.
  • Using innovation, thought leadership and creativity, build on the years of investments already made, and embrace what the future of giving in Canada looks like.
  • anticipate challenges and changes to support the continued evolution of a high performing department in a rapidly changing world.
  • be responsible for providing strategic and empathic leadership and developing transformative long-term partnerships to help shape the future of the FRD.

As the ideal candidate, you will:

  • be a proven leader who is deeply motivated by the social mission of MSF to save lives and alleviate suffering through medical action and bearing witness through transparency, neutrality, and impartiality.
  • have a strong understanding of the current trends in philanthropic giving, and experience in fundraising and developing fundraising policies, priorities, and activities.
  • be a senior professional with proven leadership, empathy, judgement, and problem-solving skills, demonstrated experience in successfully leading and managing a diverse team, enhancing motivation, and ensuring strategic alignment with organizational goals and values.
  • inspires teamwork, cross-organizational collaboration, and a positive working environment.
  • have analytical thinking, and strategic vision and planning with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deal with ambiguity, and lead effectively in a dynamic environment.
  • have experience in public facing roles, exceptional interpersonal skills, and the ability to inspire confidence and trust in donors, colleagues and key stakeholders.
  • have genuine interest in and commitment to the humanitarian principles of MSF.

MSF invites and embraces a highly diverse staff – whether their days start setting up a cholera vaccination campaign, inside crowded refugee camps or at their offices in Montreal and Toronto, MSF employees describe themselves as being strongly motivated by their common purpose: to provide emergency medical assistance to people facing vulnerable conditions around the world, regardless of who they are or where they live, and wherever people’s needs are greatest. MSF Canada strives to embody core values of humanity, integrity and results and are proud to offer a caring and collaborative work environment.

MSF Canada acknowledges the existence of systemic racism and oppression and is committed to sustaining and strengthening its anti-racism and anti-oppression (AOAR) efforts. As MSF Canada continues to grow and strive to remove barriers in its offices in Canada and in MSF work environments abroad, we welcome applications from individuals with unique experiences of intersectional oppression on the basis of their social markers such as their ethno-racial identity, age, gender identity, education, ability, socio-economic status or place of origin.

Accommodations are available for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process by contacting Kate Ralston at kralston@boyden.com.

To apply click here: https://boyden.thriveapp.ly/job/2199 or for further information, please contact Mona Khan or Kate Ralston at kralston@boyden.com and state the title of the position in the subject line of your e-mail.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those under consideration for the role will be contacted.