Director, Principal Giving

Impact Starts at
UNICEF Canada

JOIN OUR TEAM AS DIRECTOR, PRINCIPAL GIVING

Are you a strategic, relationship-driven fundraiser energized by unlocking transformational gifts and elevating a team's ability to inspire visionary philanthropy?

UNICEF Canada is seeking to recruit a talented and high-performing individual in the role of 
Director, Principal Giving
.

Position Details

Position Title

:
Director, Principal Giving

Employment Type:

Permanent, Full-time (New Role, Vacant)

Reports to:

Vice President, Development

Direct Reports:

None

Salary Range:

$125,000 - $140,000 annually with benefits and 4 weeks paid vacation

Work Location:

Toronto

Work Environment:

UNICEF Canada currently operates under a Fixed-Hybrid model that requires team members to attend the office at least 2 days/week (Tuesday and Wednesday).

Why UNICEF & UNICEF Canada?

As UNICEF Canada launches a
 
bold new Strategic Plan in 2026
, a key priority remains raising funds to support children around the globe. 
Be part of this exciting phase of impact

Position Description

Reporting to the Vice President, Development, the 
Director, Principal Giving
 will be a major catalyst for ambitious fundraising growth, driving results aligned with the organization's Strategic Plan while championing a culture of philanthropy, collaboration, and innovation.

The Director will manage a focused principal gift portfolio of roughly 50 seven- and eight-figure donors across revenue channels, with a special focus on qualifying new prospects and strengthening all fundraisers' ability to develop transformational gift strategies.

Working closely with prospect managers and in consultation with the Vice President, Development, the Director will co-create qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies that move prospects toward meaningful engagement and investment. A true team player, the Director will also both secure and steward new principal gifts and elevate the principal giving efforts of the entire Major Gifts team.

Key Accountabilities

Fundraising (70%)

• Manage a focused Principal Giving portfolio of ~50 seven- and eight-figure individuals/families and related giving vehicles, leading qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship and with a particular emphasis on engaging unqualified prospects new to UNICEF Canada.
• Build and maintain a robust donor pipeline by submitting 15–20 principal gift proposals annually and securing at least $5M in new commitments, while retaining and growing existing principal donors.
• Develop a deep understanding of UNICEF's program priorities and use this knowledge to craft compelling, innovative proposals that inspire transformational partnerships.
• Build and expand the Principal Giving program across the Development team using relationship mapping, referrals, strategic networking, and event follow-up to drive new opportunities.
• Leverage the networks and relationships of UNICEF Canada's Senior Management Team and global UNICEF leadership to advance donor engagement.
• Partner with the Planned Giving team to design and implement blended-gift and asset-based giving strategies for high-net-worth individuals and families.
• Participate in pipeline reviews and prospect strategy meetings to advance Individual Philanthropy's progress on principal-level prospects.
• Build the skills and confidence of individual fundraisers – formally and informally – by offering coaching, sharing best practices, elevating philanthropic insights, and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Strategy (30%)

• Contribute to cross-cutting Principal Giving strategy sessions with Philanthropy colleagues to strengthen alignment and long-term revenue growth.
• Enhance the effectiveness of prospect managers by advising on qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies; champion donor-centric process improvements and help remove barriers to a culture of philanthropy across UNICEF Canada.
• Implement plans supporting UNICEF's billionaire strategy, collaborating across the Individual Philanthropy continuum and with Institutional Philanthropy; partner with UNICEF's global Private Fundraising and Partnerships team and other National Committees to engage emerging and established billionaires with ties to Canada.
• Identify and activate opportunities through UNICEF's International Council for high-potential donors and prospects.
• Provide insights and recommendations to the Vice President, Development on best practices for Principal Giving structures, processes, and business rules to strengthen organizational effectiveness.
• Lead on revenue reporting, financial forecasting, activity metrics, and KPI tracking relating to the transformational giving pipeline in coordination with the Director of Development (Major Gifts).
• Support the maintenance of robust business rules and best practices for Principal Giving prospect clearance, coordination, data hygiene and integrity with support from the Prospect Researcher and other data specialists.
• Contribute to organizational strategic and operational planning as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team, bringing forward insights that elevate revenue growth and philanthropic impact.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience, with a professional fundraising designation recognized in Canada preferred (e.g., CFRE or equivalent).
• 8–10+ years of fundraising or relevant experience, with a proven record of success at the Principal Giving level.
• Demonstrated experience personally cultivating, soliciting, closing, and stewarding seven-figure gifts, including complex or blended gifts requiring negotiation and collaboration with institutional leaders.
• Proven ability to create multi-layered, transformational gift proposals that inspire high-level philanthropic investment.
• Skilled at building effective internal relationships, collaborating across teams, and sharing successes to strengthen organizational impact.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with executive leadership and the Board of Directors to drive fundraising strategy, support board engagement and cultivate transformational donor relationships.
• Able to work independently while being a highly engaged, team-oriented partner within a small, high-performing fundraising team.
• Deep familiarity with the broader philanthropic community, influencers, and trends.
• Experience navigating complex, multi-team environments.
• Strong organizational, time management, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, with the ability to influence and engage donors and cultivate long-term relationships.
• Solid knowledge of fundraising best practices, including donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Highly motivated, enthusiastic, and mission-driven, with a strong work ethic and commitment to advancing UNICEF Canada's impact.
• Demonstrated interest in the organization's programmatic work for children and willingness to invest time to develop deep subject-matter knowledge.
• Proficiency with CRM databases and data-informed decision-making.
• Willingness to travel domestically and occasionally internationally (approximately 10%).
• Strong alignment with UNICEF Canada's mission, vision, and values.

An Employer of Choice: What We Offer

Members of the UNICEF Canada team have access to the following employee benefits:

A ROBUST COMPENSATION PACKAGE

• Extended Health/Dental benefits, Healthcare Spending Account, and Wellness Account
• Life, AD&D, & Long-Term disability insurance coverage
• Employer match contributions (5%) to a Group Pension Plan
• Access to parental leave top-up

A COMMITMENT TO WELLNESS

• Fixed-hybrid work environment to balance connection and collaboration with the work-life integration needs of our team
• Minimum 4 weeks of annual vacation (increases with time served) & 1 additional day per year of service (max 30)
• 10 paid sick days & 2 personal days
• 9 to 11 employee wellness days – an additional series of pre-set days off, given annually to further extend long weekends
• Discounted rate for a GoodLife gym membership
• Access to an Employee and Family Assistance Program

AN INCLUSIVE & PURPOSE-DRIVEN WORKPLACE

• Centrally located head office in mid-town Toronto with satellite offices in Calgary & Montreal
• Easily accessed by public transit and a short walk from several parking locations
• Inclusive & accessible co-working and meeting spaces designed to foster purpose at every turn and accommodate the diverse needs of employees

A CHANCE TO DO MEANINGFUL & LIFE-CHANGING WORK

• Under the leadership of a dynamic, accomplished, and experienced executive leadership team, you'll be part of a diverse & talented Canada team committed to creating meaningful impact while fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment.
• You'll join a global UNICEF family with a shared commitment to impact the lives of children

Our Commitment to Inclusive Workplaces & Recruitment

UNICEF Canada is an inclusive workplace and is committed to championing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process.

At UNICEF Canada, we believe strongly in personal connections, and our hiring process is entirely human-driven. We do not use AI or automated systems to review applications or conduct interviews. Each candidate is evaluated by our experienced team to ensure a fair and thoughtful hiring experience.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter as one document to  by 
11:59 PM EST by Friday, January 23, 2026.
 Please include your salary expectations in your cover email and reference 
Director, Principal Giving
in the subject heading.

UNICEF Canada thanks all applicants for their interest in this opportunity; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Consistent with our Child Safeguarding Policy, all successful candidates must receive clearance by a police background check (including a vulnerable sector screen).