National Director, Philanthropy & Communications

National Director, Philanthropy & Communications

Employment Type: Full-time, permanent

Reports to: President & CEO

Location: Toronto, ON (Yonge & Eglinton) – Hybrid work arrangement

Website: www.easterseals.ca

Start Date: January 2027

Level: Senior leadership

Salary Range: $130,000 - $150,000 annually; hiring range $130,000 - $140,000

Posting open until: Tuesday, November 24, 2026

ORGANIZATION:

Easter Seals is a trusted industry leader and Canada’s largest local provider of programs, services, issues leadership and development for the disability community. Since 1922, we have worked to enhance the quality of life, self-esteem and self-determination of Canadians living with disabilities. Serving a broad range of individuals with varying physical, cognitive, sensory and learning disabilities, Easter Seals helps to ensure that all Canadians living with disabilities have access to the equipment, technology, programs, services and support they need to make the most of their abilities and participate fully in society.

Easter Seals operates as a federated organization: Easter Seals Canada works alongside provincial affiliates across the country, each with its own staff, donors, programs, and community relationships.

POSITION:

Easter Seals Canada is building a stronger, more sustainable leadership structure to support its next stage of growth. The National Director, Philanthropy & Communications is a leadership role reporting to the President & CEO. This role brings national fundraising and communications together under one leader, so that brand, donor communications, and revenue generation work as one integrated function.

The National Director will serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO and will lead a small, growing team. The role is central to a renewed vision for national philanthropy: National as a hub of best practice, shared resources, and collaboration that strengthens both national capacity and provincial success – a rising tide that lifts all ships. Easter Seals Canada will lead the nation-wide partnerships that need one coordinated approach, build new sources of recurring, non-designated revenue, and pass relationships and opportunities to provincial affiliates where they are best held locally.

This is an opportunity for an experienced fundraising and communications leader who thrives on building and growing, excels at working with a broad range of stakeholders, and brings the strategic thinking, diplomacy, and sound judgment needed to navigate competing priorities, diverse perspectives, and shared goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

This role has accountability for national fundraising and communications strategy, national partnerships, and the shared tools, systems, and relationships that help provincial affiliates succeed.

National philanthropy strategy and leadership

• Lead the development and execution of a multi-year national philanthropy and communications strategy aligned with Easter Seals Canada’s mission, organizational priorities, and federated operating model
• Act as a strategic thought partner to the CEO, taking ownership of fundraising and communications priorities and bringing forward clear recommendations
• Set annual revenue goals and budgets, and report performance to the CEO, Board of Directors, and National Development Committee
• Clearly distinguish designated and undesignated revenue in planning and reporting, and help leadership and the Board understand the role of philanthropy alongside non-philanthropic revenue sources, such as the Access2 program
• Establish systems and reporting practices that support pipeline management, donor engagement, succession planning, and decision-making

National hub for the provinces

• Position national philanthropy as a centre of excellence that shares best practices, tools, templates, case-for-support materials, and learning opportunities with provincial affiliates
• Lead and steward the National Development Committee as the primary forum for coordination with provincial fundraising leaders
• Recognize, elevate and learn from the deep fundraising expertise held within provincial affiliates, building trust as a peer and collaborator
• Coordinate multi-provincial opportunities, prospect clearance, and the hand-off of relationships and prospects to provinces where they are best stewarded locally
• Support a consistent donor experience and brand across Canada while respecting local context, relationships, and strengths
• Navigate competing priorities and varying national and provincial perspectives with diplomacy, transparency, and a partnership mindset

National partnerships and major gifts

• Steward and grow nation-wide and multi-provincial corporate partnerships that require a coordinated, national approach
• Identify, cultivate, and secure new national corporate, foundation, and major gift partners
• Work closely with colleagues to integrate corporate relationships across programs such as Access2, moving venue and program partners along a deeper partnership journey
• Develop proposals, presentations, stewardship reports, and recognition plans, and manage a personal portfolio of national partners and prospects

National monthly giving and individual giving

• Lead the business case and, subject to approval, the design and launch of a national monthly giving program as a recurring, non-designated revenue stream in partnership with provincial affiliates
• Oversee national fundraising and awareness campaigns and national donor stewardship programs

Communications and brand

• Lead the national communications strategy, integrating brand awareness, donor communications, and provincial toolkits
• Support the marketing and communications team in delivering national campaigns, digital and social channels, media relations, and the annual and impact reports
• Champion the Easter Seals brand and support provinces and partners in using it consistently
• Ensure national communications are accessible and available in both English and French

Data, systems and policy

• Oversee donor data stewardship, privacy, and consent practices
• Maintain and apply key fundraising policies, such as gift acceptance and prospect clearance

Team leadership

• Lead, coach and develop members of the philanthropy, marketing & communications team, and manage external consultants and agencies
• Build a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive team culture with clear priorities and growth opportunities

QUALIFICATIONS AND RELATED EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in philanthropy, fundraising leadership or nonprofit revenue generation, including experience leading people
• Demonstrated success securing and managing complex corporate partnerships, major gifts or multi-stakeholder funding relationships, ideally at the six-figure level
• Experience launching or growing a monthly or recurring giving program, or other individual giving programs, is strongly preferred
• Experience leading or overseeing communications, marketing or brand functions.
• Experience working across multiple teams, regions or affiliated organizations, ideally within a federated or distributed structure
• Experience implementing or optimizing a donor database, CRM or fundraising operations processes is strongly preferred
• Post-secondary education in fundraising, nonprofit management, business, communications or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. CFRE is an asset

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strategic thinker who is also comfortable rolling up their sleeves in a small national team
• An effective relationship-builder who brings diplomacy, sound judgment, and a collaborative approach to navigating diverse perspectives, fostering alignment, and advancing shared priorities across provincial affiliates
• Able to manage competing priorities with calm, sound judgment, and to be transparent about trade-offs
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including preparing proposals, presentations and board-level materials
• Strong analytical and systems-thinking skills; uses data to inform decisions
• High degree of autonomy, accountability, discretion and integrity
• Commitment to accessibility, inclusion and respectful partnership with the disability community and colleagues across Canada. Lived experience of disability is valued
• French is an asset

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN THE FIRST YEAR:

• Strong working relationships established with every provincial fundraising lead and key national partners within the first 90 days
• A national philanthropy and communications plan approved by the CEO and Board
• Key national partnerships renewed and grown
• A high-performing team in place, with clear roles and growth plans

WORK LOCATION:

• Hybrid (Office at Yonge & Eglinton, Toronto), subject to organizational policies and operational requirements

SCHEDULE:

• Standard work week with occasional evening, travel or extended hours, as may be required to support partner meetings, events, campaigns and strategic priorities

BENEFITS:

• A dynamic, mission-driven and entrepreneurial workplace where collaboration, accessibility, and inclusion are central to a strong workplace culture
• Eligible for consideration of an annual performance-based bonus
• Full benefits (health, dental, life and disability, RSP matching)
• Paid vacation and statutory holidays
• Professional development opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements, where possible

Please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]. The deadline for applications is November 24 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Easter Seals Canada does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess or select applicants for this position. Every application is reviewed by members of our hiring team.

This posting is for an existing vacancy in a newly created role.

All candidates who are interviewed will be notified of the outcome within 45 days of their final interview.

Easter Seals Canada welcomes applicants with disabilities. Accommodations and alternate application formats are available on request at every stage of the hiring process. Please contact [email protected].