Donor Communications Specialist

About Windmill MicrolendingWindmill Microlending empowers skilled immigrants and refugees to build careers in Canada while reducing poverty and labour shortages. We do this by offering affordable loans along with client success coaching, financial literacy training, and mentorship for newcomers who lack access to mainstream credit. Since 2005, Windmill has provided over 14,000 loans to clients in healthcare, IT, financial services, law, engineering, and many other fields to triple their incomes as a result of returning to their trained fields. Windmill is a registered Canadian charity supported by donations and community bonds from the private sector and grants from the public sector. At Windmill, you can make a meaningful impact on the lives of thousands of newcomers. Join a diverse, dynamic team at a leading Canadian not-for-profit where empowering our clients starts with creating an enjoyable workplace for our staff. Our commitment to a fulfilling environment is evident in our 85+% average employee engagement scores on our annual survey.The roleThe Donor Communications Specialist plays a key role in developing compelling written materials that inspire giving and demonstrate Windmill Microlending’s impact. This position combines exceptional writing, storytelling, and project management skills to support fundraising, partnerships, and donor engagement initiatives.Reporting to the Associate Director, Development and Strategic Projects, the Donor Communications Specialist, will work closely with the Marketing and Communications team to ensure all materials align with Windmill’s brand voice, values, and messaging standards. Donor and fundraising communications (30%)Create tailored proposals and cases for support that align with donor and funders interests and organizational objectives.Work collaboratively across all teams at Windmill to gather stories, content and data for proposals and reports.Participate in external meetings with stakeholders (donors, volunteers, government officials, etc) to collect stories and information.Prepare, edit and finalize materials in a timely manner based on feedback from staff, leadership team, and external participants.Content creation and storytelling (30%)Develop impactful stories featuring clients, alumni, and mentorship participants that demonstrate the impact of Windmill’s supporters.Collaborate with marketing to suggest content for social media, newsletters, print ads and donor videos.Produce content for donor and partner blogs and reports.Write engaging donor and partner announcements that reflect Windmill’s mission and results.Maintain a library of client stories and assets to ensure consistent use across the organization.Translate complex data on workforce development and economic mobility into accessible, emotionally resonant content.Provide communications support to the stakeholder relations team to promote and demonstrate the impact of Windmill. Content management (20%)Create and manage the donor communications content calendar, aligning with organizational and fundraising objectives (including appropriate celebrations, commemorative days and observances).Identify opportunities to elevate Windmill’s profile through speaking engagements and thought-leadership content.Serve as project manager for team communications, from initial strategy and content planning through final review, design, and production.Provide proofreading and copy-editing support to colleagues for brand consistency and clarity.Monitor and report on key communication metrics to evaluate performance and continuously improve donor engagement efforts.Publications and reporting (15%)Quarterly donor newsletter:Collaborate with marketing to suggest client stories and donor and partner blogs to feature in the Windmill quarterly newsletterAnnual impact report:Collaborate with the Manager, Marketing to write client stories and donor and partner content for the annual impact report.Donor-focused digital and presentation materials (5%)Ensure donor communications and presentations effectively communicate Windmill’s progress, impact, and strategic direction.Ideal candidateYou are an experienced communicator who understands how strategic storytelling can deepen relationships with donors and partners and drive fundraising results. You bring a track record of developing clear, compelling content for proposals, impact reports and digital channels that highlights organizational impact and inspires action.You are comfortable working with data and concepts and can translate program outcomes, economic mobility insights and client stories into accessible, emotionally resonant messages for different audiences. You are organized, thrive on managing multiple projects and deadlines, and are energized by seeing communications move from idea to final product.You collaborate easily with colleagues across teams, listening carefully, asking good questions and turning input into strong, donor-ready materials. You are confident in representing the communications function in meetings with donors, partners and other stakeholders to capture stories, gather information and follow up on next steps.Above all, you are motivated by Windmill’s mission to support skilled immigrants and refugees in rebuilding their careers. You are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and are excited to help grow a community of champions for Windmill’s work across Canada.Competencies and characteristicsStrategic storyteller who can connect organizational goals, impact data and client experiences into clear, persuasive narratives for donors and partners.Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to adapt tone and format for proposals, presentations, newsletters, blogs, reports and digital channels.Highly organized project manager who can plan content calendars, coordinate multiple contributors, manage timelines and keep complex communications projects on track.Detail-oriented and quality-focused, with a keen eye for accuracy, brand consistency and adherence to messaging and visual identity guidelines.Digitally fluent, with a confident grasp of social media and digital communication trends, and the ability to identify opportunities to elevate Windmill’s profile.Comfortable working with data and evidence, including the ability to translate program results and workforce development outcomes into accessible, donor-friendly content.Collaborative and relationship-oriented, able to build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders, external partners, vendors and creative professionals.Proactive, resourceful self-starter who brings ideas forward, takes initiative and follows through with minimal supervision.Adaptable and resilient, able to prioritize effectively and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced, evolving nonprofit environment.Values-driven professional who demonstrates cultural humility, respect for diverse lived experiences and a genuine commitment to Windmill’s clients and mission.Qualifications and knowledgeMinimum three to five years’ experience in a communications, fundraising, marketing or related role, preferably within the nonprofit, philanthropic or social impact sector.Demonstrated experience creating donor- or funder-focused communications such as proposals, cases for support, impact reports, presentations and donor newsletters.Advanced English communication skills, written and verbal; French language skills are considered a strong asset.Experience managing content for digital channels, including social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.Proficiency with digital and creative tools such as Canva, CapCut, Adobe Creative Cloud, Hootsuite, FreshSales, Meltwater, Cision or comparable platforms.Strong research and information-gathering skills, including the ability to interview stakeholders and clients to develop stories and case examples.Understanding of, or interest in, issues related to immigration, workforce development, economic mobility and equity, diversity and inclusion.Post-secondary education in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing or a related field is an asset; an equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.Compensation and benefitsStarting salary range $65,000-$75,000 annually, based on skills and experience required for the roleFull-time position, 40 hours/weekHybrid work solution with a minimum two (2) days in the officePosition available in Toronto, ON Three weeks’ vacation, plus a company-wide winter breakBenefits plan – medical, dental, short & long-term disability, and life insuranceAnnual wellness benefit to support personal well-beingEvolving DEI initiatives – our staff is representative of our client baseHow to applyPlease submit, in confidence, your résumé, cover letter and any relevant work samples that sets out your interest in the role and highlights your relevant experience. Please include your salary expectations in your cover letter.The preferred method of application is via email to hr@teamwindmill.org (reference: Donor Communications Specialist). We thank all candidates in advance. However, we will only contact those selected for an interview.Windmill Microlending is an equal-opportunity employer. Adhering to Canada’s Human Rights Act, Windmill grants equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, creed, colour, gender identity or expression, disability, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, citizenship, ancestry, ethnic origin, age, or place of origin. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. As an active participant in the Federal Government’s 50-30 Challenge, we are committed to building a more diverse, inclusive, and vibrant economic future for Canadians by attaining gender parity and significant representation of underrepresented groups on our board and in senior management positions.