Senior Business Development Manager

Join a team that works to create a world where people live in justice, peace, and dignity. Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) is a charitable not-for-profit organization that challenges and responds to the injustices that cause human suffering and poverty.

CLWR supports hiring practices and a staff composition that benefits from a diverse staff team, where “diverse” means (but is not limited to) differences in ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities, religious beliefs, and/or political beliefs. Working for CLWR provides a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package including Pension Plan and Group Insurance, a supportive work environment and excellent learning opportunities.

All employees are expected to agree with CLWR’s Mission Statement and Code of Conduct, and to work within its faith‑based mandate. The ability to operate in highly complex environments and to manage valued relationships with donors, partners, and other stakeholders is essential.

Qualified applicants should email a single PDF document including a cover letter and resume to hr@clwr.org. Closing date is October 3, 2025. Please quote “Senior Business Development Manager” in the subject line of your submission. We thank all who apply but will only contact applicants selected for interviews.

JOB SUMMARY

Under the direction of departmental leadership, the Senior Business Development Manager leads efforts to diversify CLWR’s institutional donor base. This new role will a) lead a major scoping initiative to identify and cultivate relationships with private and institutional donors—such as philanthropic foundations, corporate donors, and other innovative financing sources—that support CLWR to advance its organizational mandate, b) collaboratively lead proposal development with colleagues and partners, and c) build and maintain relationships with new funders.

The ability to work across teams, think strategically, and represent CLWR to prospective donors with professionalism is essential. The ideal candidate will bring a strong understanding of humanitarian and development issues and a demonstrated ability to secure funding from private actors.

The Senior Business Development Manager Reports jointly to the Director of Development Programs and the Director of Humanitarian Programs, hereafter referred to as “Co-Directors”.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Knowledge

• Bachelor’s degree required in a relevant field such as International Development, Business, Philanthropy, Public Policy, or Finance; Graduate degree in a relevant field considered an asset.

• Strong working knowledge of private and institutional funders in Canada and internationally, including charitable and philanthropic foundations and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

• Familiarity with innovative financing mechanisms including impact investing, blended finance, and climate finance.

• Knowledge of results-based management, program design principles, and effective proposal development practices.

• In‑depth understanding of humanitarian principles and quality standards (Sphere, CHS, etc.)

Minimum Experience

• Minimum of 5–7 years of experience in business development, fundraising, or grants acquisition roles; experience in the international development or humanitarian sectors is highly desirable.

• Demonstrated success in securing funding from private and institutional donors in Canada and internationally. Examples include corporate donors, philanthropic or charitable foundations, corporate social responsibility initiatives, and innovative mechanisms including impact investing, blended finance, and climate finance.

• Experience leading donor scoping, relationship cultivation, and donor stewardship initiatives.

• Understanding of programming in fragile and conflict-affected settings and implications for donor engagement and project design.

• Experience overseeing project budgeting, due diligence processes, and adherence to compliance standards, particularly during project and budget development stages.

Technical Skills

• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to produce compelling proposals, concept notes, and other donor-facing documents

• Advanced proficiency in results‑based management (RBM) and donor compliance frameworks.

• Competence with proposal development, budget construction, and pipeline tracking systems.

• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and collaborative platforms.

• Fluency in English required; French or another second language desired.

Other Skills or Requirements

• Eligibility to work in Canada.

• High level of professionalism, integrity, cultural openness, and inclusivity.

• Strong organisational skills with proven ability to manage competing tasks under tight timelines.

• Flexibility to work outside regular hours to meet urgent deadlines or support crisis response.

Working Conditions

• Travel nationally and internationally up to 20-30 days/year.

• Ability to work occasional evenings or weekends as required.

• Manual dexterity to operate a desktop or laptop computer; ability to lift 15lbs.

KEY RESPONSIBILIITES

Proposal & Program Development - 40%

• Lead the development of high-quality concept notes, proposals, and related partnership materials tailored to the interests and requirements of prospective donors in Canada and internationally

• Coordinate internal proposal development processes, including collaboration with Program Managers and partners on writing, budgeting, editing, and submission.

• Support other departments in developing donor-facing content, as needed

• Post-award, ensure smooth handover of the file, including RBM framework and programmatic partnership, to a Program Manager for ongoing management

• As needed and instructed by the Co-Directors, contribute to proposal development for other donors including, but not limited to, Global Affairs Canada, Humanitarian Coalition, or Canadian Foodgrains Bank

Scoping & Strategy Development - 30%

• Lead donor mapping efforts to identify grantmaking nonprofits, private funders, philanthropic foundations, corporate CSR programs, and innovative finance mechanisms that align with CLWR’s values and funding priorities

• Develop and maintain a pipeline of target donors and funding opportunities

• Analyze sector funding trends and eligibility criteria and support Co-Directors to integrate new funding sources into CLWR’s grants acquisition strategy

Relationship Building & Representation - 20%

• Support Co-Directors to cultivate and maintain relationships with prospective donors

• Represent CLWR at donor meetings, sectoral working groups, and networking events.

• As instructed by Co-Directors, collaborate closely with CLWR fundraising colleagues to align donor outreach with organizational stewardship strategies

Other Organizational Tasks - 10%

• Contribute to various initiatives as requested by Co-Directors

• Participate in team meetings, learning initiatives, and strategic planning sessions.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Qualified applicants should email a single PDF document including a cover letter and resume to hr@clwr.org. Closing date is October 3, 2025. Please quote “Senior Business Development Manager” in the subject line of your submission. We thank all who apply but will only contact applicants selected for interviews.