Associate Director, Fundraising

About Windmill Microlending

Windmill Microlending is a registered Canadian charity that empowers skilled immigrants and refugees by offering affordable loans, coaching and mentorship to restart their careers in Canada. Since 2005, we have provided over 15,000 loans, helping newcomers triple their incomes.

We are proud to be Great Place to Work certified, boasting an 85%+ average employee engagement score driven by a culture of inclusivity, exceptional teamwork and strong leadership.

Information on Windmill Microlending - http://www.windmillmicrolending.org

The role:

Windmill Microlending is seeking a collaborative and dynamic self-starter to serve as our Associate Director, Fundraising as we prepare to close an exciting $50M national campaign that inspires and engages philanthropists, foundations, and corporations to support our mission to serve thousands of skilled immigrants each year.

Reporting to the National Director Philanthropy and Campaign, and working in close partnership with the fundraising team, the Associate Director, Fundraising will contribute to the development and execution of the strategic objectives of the major giving program. They will be critical in driving Windmill’s fundraising efforts, strengthening donor relationships through thoughtful strategic communications, and ensuring the organization’s long-term sustainability.

The Associate Director is responsible for expanding and creating a new portfolio of donors, developing and implementing strategies to strengthen relationships with existing donors, and driving the acquisition of major gifts in the $25,000 to $1,000,000+ range, as well as securing community bond investments above $250,000. They will also ensure donor stewardship and communication strategies are in place for their portfolio of donors, making sure funders are consistently engaged through compelling proposals, impact updates, and personalized stewardship.

In this role, the Associate Director will make meaningful contributions to the attainment of Windmill’s mission and exemplify the values of passion, empowerment, simplicity, and results in all aspects of their work.

Key responsibilities:

• Secure new annual and multi-year revenue through donations, sponsorships, and impact investments (e.g., community bonds), focusing on achieving progressively increasing targets.

• Manage a personal portfolio of approximately 80 donors and prospects—including corporations, associations, and foundations.

• Negotiate, secure, and sustain corporate partnerships that include donations, sponsorships, workplace giving, matching funds, and other strategic contributions, while cultivating strong relationships to ensure agreements are fully executed and engagement is maintained throughout the partnership lifecycle.

• Develop and deliver compelling sponsorship packages—including pitch decks and proposals—for key events such as Windmill’s national campaign launch and 20th anniversary celebration

• Support the CEO and National Director on high-level fundraising efforts by preparing briefing materials, conducting prospect research, and attending meetings as required.

• Work cross-functionally with Client Success and Marketing teams to steward donors through recognition activities and engagement opportunities.

• Support storytelling and content creation by gathering donor testimonials, visual assets, and impact narratives, and collaborating with the marketing team to produce tailored materials such as proposals, impact reports, campaign updates, donor spotlights, and case statements and materials.

• Support campaign wrap-up initiatives including impact reporting, event coordination and donor and volunteer recognition.

• Manage a donor communications/stewardship/fundraising specialist

Qualifications and knowledge:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent Education/Experience.

• Knowledge of Salesforce software preferred.

• Intermediate to advanced Google Workspace skills

• Ability to communicate comfortably in French is an asset.

• Familiarity with impact investing is an asset.

Competencies and characteristics:

• A fundraising professional with 6-plus years of experience and a track record of securing major gift donations with individuals, foundations, and/or corporations.

• Experience building and managing a qualified donor pipeline.

• Experience developing and executing stewardship plans.

• Experience identifying key opportunities for existing donors to increase their donor contributions.

• Experience taking warm leads and turning them into committed donors.

• Excellent writing skills with experience in writing and editing proposals and other documents related to fundraising and stewardship.

• A skilled communicator with an ability to engage and motivate donors, partners, volunteers, staff, board members, and investors.

• An aptitude for managing, motivating, and inspiring team members.

• A roll-up-your-sleeves team player, eager to embrace and execute new ideas in an entrepreneurial environment.

• Proven ability to achieve results and meet deadlines.

• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills and keen attention to detail.

• Highly motivated to address labour market integration challenges faced by internationally trained/educated immigrants.

Compensation and benefits:

• Starting salary range $110,000 - $120,000 annually. Room for negotiation for more seasoned major gift fundraisers.

• Hybrid work solution with a minimum two (2) days in the office

• Position available in Toronto, ON, or Calgary, AB

• Three weeks’ vacation, plus a company-wide winter break

• Benefits plan – medical, dental, short & long-term disability, and life insurance

• Access to Group RSP with matching employer contributions

• Flexibility to work outside of regular business hours due to meetings or events

• Annual Wellness budget to support personal well-being

• Evolving DEI initiatives – our staff is representative of our client base

How to apply:

Please submit, in confidence, your résumé, and cover letter. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. Please include your salary expectations in your cover letter. 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.