WHO WE ARE

The Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) is a dynamic, collaborative, feminist organization with an unwavering commitment to supporting grassroots organizations across Africa in countries hardest hit by the AIDS pandemic. The work unfolding in these communities is ground-breaking, as lives are rebuilt, rights are reclaimed and resilience re-forged. We are passionately committed to our partnerships and this model of working is infused into the fabric of our day-to-day work.

The Stephen Lewis Foundation partners with community-based organizations which are turning the tide of the HIV and AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa by providing care and support to women, children, grandmothers, LGBTIQ communities, and people living with HIV and AIDS. Since 2003, the SLF has funded over 2100 initiatives, partnering with more than 335 community-based organizations.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Reporting to the Director of Development, you will be responsible for overseeing the achievement of Stephen Lewis Foundation’s foundation revenue targets and overall grants strategy. You will personally identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospects within the foundation’s portfolio, in accordance with performance targets set by the Director of Development.

In collaboration with the Programs and Development teams, you will develop and implement processes to achieve efficiencies in pipeline management and donor cultivation. You will also direct the prospect research activities for the department, as well as lead the department’s grant application process to reflect partner and organizational needs, from initial research to fulfillment, ongoing administration, and reporting.

• Engage in strategic planning activities in collaboration with Director of Development, to identify and implement fundraising goals and objectives related to Foundations and Union partnerships.
• Serve as key departmental specialist for grant opportunities; manage SLF’s grant application process from start to finish.
• Manage the research and identification of foundation and government grant opportunities that align with SLF’s partnership and philanthropic objectives.
• Manage a core list of 50 – 75 prospective donors for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, and pursue leads with identified foundations.
• Lead the foundation pipeline management and reporting process with support from the Development Officer, Stewardship & Donor Relations.
• Lead the creation of donor/grant proposals, in collaboration with the Director of Development, Programs and Partnerships staff, and Finance; work in close collaboration with Director of Finance & and relevant Programs staff to prepare external budgets, work plans, and deliverables for grant applications and proposals.
• Monitor and execute grant administration: oversee timelines, deliverables, reporting and recognition requirements, and liaise with other internal departments to meet requirements.
• Participate in ongoing administration activities and positive communication with SLF’s funders including Union Partners, as needed.
• Lead the development of SLF’s “grants and proposals toolkit,” including proposal templates, proposal and application content, and application materials (budgets, work plans, measurable outcomes), to streamline the process for generating proposal packages.
• Oversee Prospect Research in conjunction with Development Officer, Stewardship & Donor Relations to conduct research activities for the department, including building out the prospect pipeline, generating detailed prospect profiles for team members, and ongoing maintenance of donor records.
• Work closely with the Donor Relations/Care team to ensure all donor records in the CRM database have up to date information, are properly coded and allocated.
• Develop and manage foundation giving revenue and expense budget.
• Perform other related duties as required or assigned to support the overall goals of the organization.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

• Minimum of 5 years of non-profit communications experience preferably focused on Individual and Foundation philanthropy audiences.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience working with donor management databases (specifically Raiser’s Edge).
• Minimum of 3 years project management experience
• Personal commitment to the values of feminism, social justice, anti-racism, anti-colonialism, solidarity, collaboration, and gender equality
• Experienced with donor recognition and stewardship practices, with a keen understanding of and respect for the donor cycle, journey, and experience; you can proactively identify engagement and stewardship opportunities to enrich donor relationships.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail
• Proven ability to solve problems independently.

• Ability to multitask and prioritize to ensure deliverables and deadlines are met or exceeded.
• Client-Focused: to deliver an experience that is second-to-none.
• Storyteller: you are a strong communicator (both written and verbal); you understand the difference between communicating specifically for donor engagement vs. mission marketing (and are comfortable working in each area).
• You are creative in the face of challenges and responsive in a crisis.

WHAT WE OFFER

• 4 weeks vacation, sick and personal days
• Comprehensive benefits package (health, dental, vision)
• Competitive wages; The SLF is certified by the Ontario Living Wage Network
• Hybrid remote work schedule and flexible hours to promote employee wellbeing
• Top-up for maternity/parental leave and sick leave

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your résumé and cover letter to careers@stephenlewisfoundation.org, indicating “Senior Development Officer, Foundation Giving” in the email subject line. While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Stephen Lewis Foundation requires all new hires to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Applicants who receive an employment offer will be required to provide proof of vaccination as a condition of employment or have a valid medical or other Human Rights Code-related exemption.

The Stephen Lewis Foundation promotes feminist and anti-oppression principles and is committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons and people with lived experience of HIV and AIDS.

The Stephen Lewis Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.