Senior Major Gifts Manager
MELBOURNE, VIC, AU, 3000
Senior Major Gifts Manager
- Full time, ongoing role
- Melbourne CBD location, with flexible, hybrid working
- Up to $140,000 base + salary packaging + super + 5 weeks annual leave + monthly ADO’s
The Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation supports Peter Mac’s vision to transform cancer care and improve outcomes for everyone affected by cancer. Through philanthropy, fundraising and community support, the Foundation helps advance world-leading cancer research, deliver exceptional patient care and drive innovation. As an integral part of the Peter Mac community, we are united by a commitment to Excellence, Compassion and Innovation, and the belief that together we can make a meaningful difference to the lives of people affected by cancer.
The Foundation is entering an exciting new chapter as we set our sights on an ambitious future, with bold plans to grow our impact and help power the next generation of cancer discoveries. There has never been a more exciting time to join our team and help make a difference.
About the role
As our Senior Major Gifts Manager you will be responsible for building and managing relationships with high-net-worth donors to secure transformational philanthropic gifts of $500,000–$2.5 million+. Working closely with the Director of Principal and Major Gifts, you’ll lead donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship across an assigned portfolio, identifying new opportunities and maximising donor lifetime value. You’ll also work collaboratively with Foundation and Peter Mac stakeholders to strengthen philanthropic engagement and support the Foundation’s broader fundraising strategy.
Key responsibilities will see you:
- Manage a portfolio of prospective major gift donors, identifying, qualifying and cultivating high-value prospects to build a strong pipeline of philanthropic opportunities and secure significant, multi-year and transformational gifts
- Develop and maintain effective donor relationships through tailored engagement, timely impact reporting, communications and appropriate recognition, ensuring donor expectations are met and gift agreements are fulfilled
- Build strong relationships with donors, corporate and community partners, Foundation advocates, and Peter Mac clinical, research and executive leaders to identify new opportunities, facilitate donor engagement and maximise philanthropic outcomes across fundraising programs
- Engage with other Foundation fundraising colleagues to develop donor-centric, blended giving opportunities that meet the donor where they are on their giving journey
- Lead, mentor and develop direct reports while contributing to the strategic planning, budgeting, revenue forecasting and resource allocation of the Major Gifts program to optimise performance and return on investment
This is a fantastic opportunity to bring your skills to work that makes a real difference, developing your career in a leading cancer care organisation, and enjoying the culture, opportunities and employee benefits that make Peter Mac a rewarding place to work.
About you
You are a strategic, relationship-focused fundraising professional with the emotional intelligence, empathy and judgement to build trust and navigate sensitive donor relationships. You bring a collaborative and influential approach, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, motivate teams and translate complex information into meaningful fundraising outcomes. You bring a collaborative and influential approach, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, motivate teams and translate complex information into meaningful fundraising outcomes. You are driven, commercially minded and committed to achieving ambitious philanthropic goals while delivering an exceptional donor experience.
You’ll bring with you:
- Proven success in major gifts or philanthropic fundraising programs, ideally within health, research or tertiary education, including securing gifts of $500,000 or more
- Demonstrated ability to develop compelling funding propositions in collaboration with clinical, research or academic partners
- Strong understanding of integrated fundraising programs, including principal and major gifts, Gifts in Wills and mid-value giving, and the metrics required to drive portfolio performance
- Proven experience leading, motivating and developing staff, and working with volunteer leaders to support peer-to-peer major gift solicitations
- Highly developed stakeholder engagement, negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and apply insights to drive fundraising outcomes
Our benefits
We offer a range of benefits which support our people both personally and professionally, including:
- Up to $11,660 in salary packaging to increase your take home pay
- Discounted health insurance and eye care
- A comprehensive health and wellbeing program
- Public transport options at our doorstep and end of trip facilities for cyclists
- Onsite eateries and coffee shops and inviting rooftop garden spaces
- Pathways for professional development and new career opportunities
- Five weeks annual leave, 17.5% leave loading and purchased leave options
- Flexible, hybrid working arrangements
Inclusion and belonging
Peter Mac celebrates, values and supports a diverse and inclusive environment which reflects our vibrant community. We encourage applications from anyone identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. We also welcome anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+, linguistically, culturally and/or gender diverse, people with disability, and people of any age to apply for our roles.
Join us!
If you feel this role is right for you, we warmly invite you to apply, submitting your current resume and a cover letter outlining your relevant skills and experience. All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory police check, and may require a valid Working with Children Check. Many staff are required to be vaccinated against, or demonstrate immunity to, influenza, and a range of other diseases. Should you need assistance or require any adjustments or accommodations to fully participate in the application or interview process, you are welcome to reach out to the contact person listed.
For further information about this opportunity, please contact: Julia Cameron at Julia.Cameron@petermac.org or 8559 6780
Applications close: 11:59PM Sunday 29 November 2026
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Position Summary
The Senior Major Gifts Manager is responsible for engaging with high-net-worth donors as part of a transformational comprehensive fundraising campaign. Working with the Director of Principal and Major Gifts, you will deliver against the Foundation’s strategy by engaging with a portfolio of generous and ambitious donors who believe in the power of philanthropy to change the lives of people affected by cancer.
You will contribute to a program that identifies and builds relationships with prospective donors, personally overseeing the solicitation of donations of $0.5m - $2.5m+, ensuring best-practice cultivation and stewardship of donors.
The role involves a high degree of collaboration with senior leaders and teams across the Foundation to appropriately prospect and qualify leads from Individual Giving and Gifts in Wills, with accountability for the delivery of agreed performance outcomes including significantly increasing lifetime value across your portfolio. You will also build relationships internally with key Peter Mac stakeholders, supporting the development of a culture of philanthropy throughout Peter Mac.
Enterprise Agreement
Health and Allied Services, Managers and Administrative Workers Enterprise Agreement 2025-2028
Classification or Salary Range
HS4
Immunisation Risk Category
Immunisation Category C
Key Relationships
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Skills
| Essential Requirements |
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| Desirable Requirements |
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Key Accountabilities
| Key Accountabilities | Key Performance Indicators |
| 1. DONOR PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT & PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT • Build a pipeline of pre-committed gifts, including multi-year commitments. • Effectively manage your portfolio of prospective Major Gift donors capable of $0.5m+ gifts • Collaborate with the Prospect Researcher to identify and qualify potential leads from within the Foundation database • Work with Gifts in Wills and Mid-Value team members to appropriately manage shared opportunities • Work with the Impact Team to develop compelling propositions to engage prospective donors and meet major gift objectives |
Measured by:
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| 2. DONOR STEWARDSHIP & RECOGNITION • Work with the Impact Team to develop impact reports and updates for donors • Work with Foundation Executive and other stakeholders to develop appropriate recognition opportunities for key donors |
Measured by:
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| 3. TIMELY AND ACCURATE RECORD-KEEPING • Contact with donors and other external relationships is recorded promptly within the Foundation database • Record-keeping is compliant with relevant privacy and fundraising legislation |
Measured by:
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Key Accountabilities (Contd..)
| 4. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT • Creates effective relationships with donors, foundations, corporations and community partners to position the Foundation and Peter Mac as a destination for philanthropic investment • Cultivates strong internal relationships with Peter Mac research and clinical leaders, fundraising volunteers, key Foundation fundraising team members, particularly in fostering collaborative engagement of prospective donors |
Measured by:
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| 5. OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT • Provide leadership and mentoring to direct reports, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration and continuous improvement • Contribute to the planning of annual budgets and revenue forecasts for the Major Gifts program • Provide strategic advice to the Director of Principal and Major Gifts regarding investment or resource allocation decisions that improve program efficiency and return on investment |
Measured by:
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| 6. Other Duties |
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For further information about this opportunity, click Apply to be redirected to the Peter Mac Careers page where you can review the position profile. Alternatively, please contact us for a confidential discussion.
Peter Mac is a child safe organisation and has a commitment to child safety and wellbeing.
WHY WORK FOR PETER MAC
- Peter Mac offer a range of benefits which support our people both personally and professionally.
- Our staff benefits include award winning facilities, professional development and events, a health and wellbeing program, flexible work practices and policies and financial benefits such as salary packaging.
- We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with a disability.