Senior Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships

TITLE: Senior Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships

REPORTS TO: Executive Director (based in Rwanda)

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Director of Communications, Finance Manager, Canada Operations Manager, Leadership Team

PROVIDES SUPERVISION FOR: Development Team Members (Donor Relationships Coordinator, Grants and Partnerships Manager, Rwanda Partnerships Lead)

POSITION LOCATION: Fully Remote (Within Canada)

EMPLOYMENT CATEGORY: Full-Time

START DATE: October/November 2026

ABOUT WELLSPRING

Wellspring believes every child deserves an education that nurtures their full vibrant potential, and that children thrive when the whole school community rallies together to nurture and educate their children.

Our Dream - A compassionate, creative, and courageous generation, shaping a vibrant and peaceful future.

Our Path - We equip school communities to nurture children’s character, intellect, and wellbeing — helping children in Rwanda and East Africa to thrive.

Wellspring is at an exciting and visionary stage in its journey. Established as a Canadian charitable organization in 2004 and registered as an international NGO in Rwanda since 2008, Wellspring has over 20 years of credible experience supporting children’s education by training teachers, leaders and parents across Rwanda. As an integrated and global team with leadership in Rwanda, guided and united by our values, we are now setting ourselves on course to establish Wellspring as a thriving and sought after hub of educational expertise and professional development opportunities for educators in Rwanda and across East Africa, focussed on seeing children thrive with skills and knowledge for wellbeing, character, resilience.

Following a transitional season focussed on strengthening our structural foundations, investing in team culture, refining our vision and mission, and developing a new strategic plan, the season ahead will see us craft a much more vibrant brand, broaden our community of partners and work towards greater financial sustainability. We are in exciting times, and this role is a key part of the team that will craft the way ahead.

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships is Wellspring’s senior fundraising leader, accountable for developing and executing the strategy required to sustain and grow the organization’s approximately $2 million annual operating budget.

This is a hands-on fundraising leadership role. The Senior Director will lead the fundraising team by example, personally managing a significant portfolio of major donors, foundations and strategic partners, while building a disciplined, high performing culture focussed on donor retention, revenue growth and measurable results, infused with Wellspring’s organizational values.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

STRATEGIC GROWTH & INCOME GENERATION (75%)

• Own Revenue Strategy and Results: Develop and execute Wellspring's comprehensive fundraising strategy and annual revenue plan, with clear targets for sustainable year-over-year growth, diversified income and long-term financial health. Take direct accountability for achieving agreed upon fundraising goals and providing early warning and corrective action when performance is off track.
• Lead by Example Through a Major-Gift Portfolio: Personally manage a significant portfolio of high-capacity individuals, foundations, corporate partners and other strategic funders. Maintain an active schedule of qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, including personally making significant asks and securing transformation and multi-year commitments.
• Retain and Grow Current Funders: Protect Wellspring's existing revenue base through intentional stewardship, renewal planning, and meaningful engagement. Build and execute strategies to increase the value, duration, and depth of current donor and partner relationships.
• Build a Qualified Fundraising Pipeline: Ensure Wellspring has a healthy, well-researched and actively managed pipeline across all priority revenue streams. Establish clear moves-management expectations, next actions, revenue projections and conversation targets for both the Senior Director's portfolio and the wider development team.
• Corporate and Strategic Partnerships: Lead and strengthen Wellspring's corporate and strategic partnership strategy, building a growing pipeline of aligned partners and developing compelling opportunities for significant investment.
• Foundation and Institutional Funding: Provide strategic direction and senior relationship leadership for foundation, institutional, and international grant opportunities, ensuring proposals are aligned with Wellspring's strategy and supported by strong funder relationships.
• Legacy Giving: Oversee the development of a growing legacy-giving pipeline, ensuring legacy conversations are thoughtfully integrated across donor journeys and that team members are equipped to introduce legacy opportunities.
• Rwandan and East African Philanthropy: Support and oversee emerging fundraising and partnership initiatives within Rwanda and East Africa that diversify and grow Wellspring's global revenue streams.
• Campaigns, Communications, and Education-Sector Engagement: Work closely with the Executive Director and Director of Communications to translate program impact into compelling fundraising narratives, lead targeted campaigns and special appeals, and develop strategic engagement opportunities within Canadian education, church, and community networks.

TEAM LEADERSHIP & CULTURE (15%)

• Lead Development Team: Lead, mentor, and build the capacity of a small, passionate development team across Canada and Rwanda.
• Set Clear Performance Expectations: Establish individual and team revenue targets, portfolio goals, activity expectations and key performance indicators. Hold regular pipeline and performance reviews, coach team members toward results, address underperformance promptly and celebrate meaningful progress.
• Value-Driven Culture: Model and instill our Christ-centered organizational values across the development team, keeping remote team members highly motivated, collaborative and engaged in learning and development.
• Leadership Team: Participate strategically in Wellspring’s global Leadership Team, contributing to strategic planning and performance, risk management, and building a healthy team culture, modelling servant-hearted leadership.
• Executive & Board Engagement: Provide trusted counsel to the ED and Board on fundraising strategy, performance, risks, and opportunities. Equip and actively engage Board members and senior leaders as ambassadors, connectors, cultivators and where appropriate, participants in donor engagement.
• Professional Growth: Participate in team retreats and pursue relevant professional development that strengthens fundraising leadership, cross-cultural effectiveness and organizational impact.
• Undertake any other professional duties which may be reasonably delegated by the Executive Director in support of our mission and strategy, including contributing occasionally and appropriately to projects or initiatives.

STEWARDSHIP, FORECASTING & COMPLIANCE (10%)

• Donor Relations: Oversee the development of stewardship journeys that connect donors and partners directly to the impact of our education programs.
• Financial Oversight: Oversee the development budget, project future income streams, and collaborate with the Finance Manager to provide regular (monthly, quarterly) revenue and pipeline reports to the Executive Director.
• Strategic Guidance: Provide strategic guidance to the Executive Director and Board on revenue trends, pipeline health, risks and opportunities.
• Due Diligence: Ensure all fundraising activities comply with CRA and other relevant global regulatory standards, data protection laws, and ethical fundraising practices.
• Child Safeguarding: Ensure all fundraising and external engagement activities and documentation uphold Wellspring’s Child Safeguarding Policy and ethical standards.

REQUIRED QUALITIES, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Senior Fundraising Experience: At least 8 years of progressively senior fundraising experience, ideally within national/international development or the wider charitable sector, including demonstrated leadership of a fundraising function or team.
• Education: A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field OR an equivalent of education and substantial senior fundraising experience or a combination of both.
• Major Gift Track Record: A compelling, measurable record of personally cultivating, soliciting and securing significant gifts from individuals, foundations, and/or corporate partners, including multi-year commitments. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their direct contributions to revenue growth, donor retention and portfolio development.
• Fundraising Leadership: Demonstrated success in building and leading high-performing fundraising teams, setting revenue and activity targets, coaching fundraisers, managing performance and creating a positive culture focused on both relationships and results.
• Networks & Market Insight: Established Canadian networks and a demonstrated ability to open new doors, build trusted senior-level relationships and expand the Wellspring community of funderes and partners.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Fundraising Strategy & Execution: Advanced knowledge of major-gift fundraising, portfolio and moves management, donor acquisition and retention, foundation and corporate partnerships, campaigns, stewardship and pipeline development.
• Financial and Performance Acumen: Strong ability to set revenue targets, assess fundraising return on investment, build probability-weighted forecasts, interpret performance data and translate insights into timely action.
• Systems and Discipline: High proficiency with CRM systems (Raiser's Edge preferred, other systems such as Salesforce an asset), Google Workspace, and other digital tools, with a demonstrated commitment to accurate, timely portfolio and pipeline data.
• Communication and Influence: An engaging and credible communicator who can articulate a compelling case for support, listen deeply, navigate complex donor conversations, make clear and courageous asks, and represent Wellspring with diverse stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, partners, churches, and education leaders.
• Compliance: Strong knowledge of CRA charity regulations, ethical fundraising practices, privacy requirements and responsible donor due diligence.
• Sector & Cross-Cultural Knowledge: Broad understanding of international development, education and global philanthropy. International experience in the Global South and/or a demonstrated understanding of the East African context is an asset.

PERSONAL QUALITIES AND BEHAVIOURS

• A courageous, disciplined and deeply relational fundraising leader with an entrepreneurial mindset, strong work ethic and genuine enjoyment of frontline donor engagement.
• Demonstrated alignment with Wellspring’s vision, mission, values and philosophy of relational fundraising, and commitment to our approach to locally-led and asset-based community development.
• Strong fit with Wellspring’s organizational culture and servant-hearted leadership, with demonstrated cross-cultural skills, emotional intelligence, and a highly relational team player.
• Alignment with and affirmation of Wellspring’s Christian faith foundation and statement of faith.
• Fluency in English a requirement. Fluency in French an asset.

WORKING CONDITIONS & SALARY RANGE

• Remote role based in Canada.
• Regular travel locally and across Canada, and occasionally to Rwanda.
• Regular collaboration across time zones with colleagues in Rwanda and Canada.
• Occasional work requirements outside of traditional hours or on weekends for special projects such as donor events or meetings.
• Ability to provide a clear criminal background check in line with Wellspring’s Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Manual dexterity required to use desktop computer and peripherals.
• Extensive visual concentration.
• Attention to detail required while subject to multiple interruptions.
• Manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines.

SALARY RANGE

• $95,000 – $120,000 CAD per year.

HOW TO APPLY

Please email your cover letter of no more than two pages outlining your motivation and relevant experience for the role, your CV or resumé, and your statement of faith* in English to applications@thewellspringfoundation.org and copy libby@thewellspringfoundation.org.

*A statement of faith should describe your Christian faith and how it is relevant to your involvement with The Wellspring Foundation. The statement can either be incorporated into your cover letter or submitted as a separate document.

We value authenticity and we want to get to know you – and so we encourage you to share your own words, rather than those of AI.

Deadline for Applications: September 20, 2026.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the role is filled. We encourage you to apply early if you are genuinely interested, are legally able to work in Canada, and believe you would be a great fit for this role. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The recruitment process is expected to include: application review, online first-stage interviews, assessment activities, final panel interview, reference and background checks. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

Target Start Date: October/November 2026.

Wellspring values and encourages diversity, striving to be equitable and non-discriminatory in all our activities to ensure children have access to quality education in Africa. We will implement policies that respect the inherent worth and dignity of those we engage with and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Thank you for taking the time to prayerfully consider this opportunity and to learn more about the work of the Wellspring Foundation for Education.