Chief Philanthropy Officer - Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation

A career defining leadership opportunity to lead one of Australia’s most significant philanthropic programs and help shape the future of children’s health.

• Shape the next chapter of one of Australia’s leading philanthropy programs
• Join the executive leadership team, reporting directly to the CEO and partnering with the Board, hospital executives and some of Australia’s most significant philanthropists
• Lead and inspire a large, high-performing cross-functional team across Major Gifts, Partnerships, Planned Giving, Philanthropy Communications and Impact
• Sydney-based with flexible, hybrid working and offices across Sydney.

Impact of the organisation

Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation (SCHF) is one of the largest and most trusted children’s health charities in the country, existing to help provide all children with access to the best possible healthcare, whenever and wherever they need it.

The organisation has been delivering on this promise since 1986, raising millions every year for Sydney Children's Hospitals Network - including Sydney's two children’s hospitals at Randwick and Westmead, specialised care services, and cutting-edge paediatric research, operating across NSW.

A conduit, an enabler, and a mechanism for powerful change, SCHF make sure funds raised go directly to the front line of children’s healthcare – from the hospital wards to the treatment rooms, the research labs to the outreach programs.

Through the generosity of individuals, families, corporate partners and the community, SCHF builds philanthropic support for the extraordinary work taking place across children’s healthcare. At the intersection of philanthropy, clinical excellence and innovation, the Foundation connects people who want to make a profound difference with opportunities to create meaningful and lasting impact for children and their families.

SCHF has built a significant and sophisticated philanthropic program, supported by deep relationships with donors, partners, clinicians, researchers, hospital leadership and the broader community.

Its scale, reputation and position create an extraordinary platform from which to engage Australia’s philanthropic community and build transformational support for the future of children’s health.

The Impact you will have in this role

This is a rare opportunity to step into one of the most significant philanthropy leadership roles in the sector and lead a fundraising program of exceptional scale, breadth and potential.

As Chief Philanthropy Officer, you will be the most senior fundraising professional at SCHF and an integral member of the executive leadership team, providing strategic and operational leadership across the Foundation’s entire philanthropic program.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, you will lead a team of approximately 55 across four major portfolios – Major Gifts, Partnerships, Planned Giving, and Philanthropy Communications and Impact – with accountability for approximately $65M+ in new cash fundraising and $30M in pledges annually, alongside a critical leadership role in SCHF’s comprehensive campaign.

This is a role of significant organisational influence. You will work closely with the CEO, SCHF Board and campaign leadership, while building senior relationships across the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network executive, clinical leadership and research community to shape philanthropic priorities and create compelling opportunities for investment.

Externally, you will be one of SCHF’s most senior philanthropic ambassadors, developing trusted relationships with high-net-worth individuals, corporate and community leaders, advisers and the wider philanthropic sector. You will personally steward some of the Foundation’s most significant donor relationships, including opportunities at the seven-figure level and above.

Importantly, this is not simply a role focused on delivering against an established fundraising target. It is an opportunity to provide the leadership, ambition and strategic direction for the next evolution of an already significant philanthropy program.

You will bring together fundraising strategy, campaign leadership, exceptional donor relationships, data and financial discipline, and outstanding people leadership to continue building a unified, sophisticated and donor-centred philanthropy function.

For an accomplished philanthropy leader, this represents an exceptional opportunity to lead at scale, influence at executive and Board level, and bring your experience, judgement and ambition to an organisation where philanthropy can have an extraordinary impact on the lives of children and families.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for SCHF’s entire philanthropy function, encompassing Major Gifts, Partnerships, Planned Giving, and Philanthropy Communications and Impact.
• Lead the development and delivery of SCHF’s comprehensive fundraising strategy and play a critical leadership role in the Foundation’s comprehensive campaign.
• Drive ambitious annual and multi-year fundraising plans, targets and pipeline strategies across all major philanthropy streams.
• Lead, inspire and develop a large multidisciplinary team, creating a unified, collaborative, accountable and high-performing fundraising culture.
• Partner closely with the CEO, Board and Board Chair to establish campaign priorities, monitor performance and strengthen senior-level engagement in philanthropy.
• Provide strategic leadership across the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of SCHF’s highest-value donors and prospects.
• Personally manage and advance relationships with some of the Foundation’s most significant donors, including transformational and seven-figure giving opportunities.
• Develop trusted senior relationships across the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, including its executive, clinical leaders and researchers, to identify compelling and fundable priorities aligned with donor interests.
• Represent SCHF across campaign governance structures, strategic working groups and senior stakeholder forums.
• Ensure the integrity and strength of fundraising performance through sophisticated pipeline management, forecasting, analytics, reporting and CRM disciplines.
• Lead philanthropy financial planning, including annual budgets, multi-year projections and performance against ambitious revenue targets.
• Provide the CEO, Board, executive leadership team and relevant committees with insightful reporting, financial analysis and strategic advice.
• Contribute as an active member of the executive leadership team to broader organisational strategy, culture and operational decision-making.
• Champion a culture of donor-centricity, collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement while leading teams effectively through growth, change and transformation.

Skills & Experience

• Significant senior executive or leadership experience in philanthropy and fundraising within a foundation, health, research or comparable purpose-led/not-for-profit environment.
• A demonstrated record of leading sophisticated fundraising programs at significant scale, with experience across major gifts, capital or comprehensive campaigns and high-value philanthropy.
• Proven success personally cultivating, soliciting and closing significant philanthropic gifts, including gifts at the seven-figure level.
• Deep knowledge of contemporary and innovative philanthropy practices and the complete donor lifecycle, from prospect identification and cultivation through solicitation, stewardship and planned giving.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, multidisciplinary fundraising teams, with the leadership capability to inspire performance, develop senior leaders and build an outstanding culture.
• Strong strategic capability, with the ability to set a compelling vision and translate organisational ambition into sophisticated, executable fundraising strategies.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills and the gravitas, judgement and authenticity to engage effectively with philanthropists, CEOs, Boards, executives, clinicians, researchers and community leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to engage Boards and senior executives meaningfully in fundraising, campaigns and high-value philanthropic relationships.
• Outstanding communication and influencing skills, including the ability to articulate compelling cases for support and present confidently at executive and Board level.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with experience managing significant budgets, revenue forecasts, fundraising pipelines and performance metrics.
• A sophisticated understanding of fundraising data and analytics, with experience using CRM platforms to drive pipeline management, prioritisation, forecasting and continuous improvement.
• A leadership style grounded in integrity, sound judgement, collaboration and respect, with the ability to navigate complexity and manage highly sensitive relationships and information.
• Experience leading teams through growth, transformation and organisational change, balancing ambition and accountability with strong people leadership.
• A genuine passion and commitment to changing the future for sick kids.

We believe in recognising and rewarding the valuable contributions of our team members:

• Along with competitive salaries, enjoy salary packing with charity-sector tax exemptions, allowing you to enjoy more take-home pay.
• SCHF will provide 2% additional superannuation to help take care of your future.
• At SCHF, we are all about that flex with a choice of 3 office locations (CBD, Randwick, and Westmead), remote working, and flexible working hours.
• SCHF has a host of amazing leave benefits including 2 weeks of compassionate leave, public holiday swaps and 26 weeks parental leave (primary and secondary carers).
• There’s a chance to be a real-life digital nomad, working from a different location, including overseas, for up to 3 months.
• Each career journey is unique. With our Learning Program benefits you can access 5 learning leave days to attend trainings, $1,500 learning dollars per financial year to support your learning goal and access to our Online Learning Library to enrol in online courses.
• To support you in your wellness journey, our Wellness Program includes a range of benefits to fit diverse needs like access to $500 wellness dollars per financial year to spend on a wellness initiative that suits your needs or Fitness Passport to have access to a multitude of facilities to workout.
• We focus on mental health support with free training and tools, as well as relief and support resources.

ApplicationsPlease apply by uploading your resume. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, with conversations progressing with suitable candidates throughout the recruitment process. Interviews may commence prior to the closing date, so we encourage early applications.

Please direct all enquiries to Rosheen Singh at Impact Advising on *******@impactadvising.com.au

Impact Advising is committed to creating diverse and inclusive work environments that reflect the rich tapestry of our communities. We believe that diversity enriches organisations and fosters innovation. We are dedicated to building workforces that are representative of the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of our society. We strongly encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds, and we value a range of experiences, perspectives and career pathways. We actively seek to foster inclusive workplaces where all employees can bring their whole selves to work, feel respected and valued, and have equal opportunities for growth and advancement. We are committed to providing a fair and unbiased recruitment process, and we strive to eliminate any barriers that may impede the inclusion and participation of underrepresented groups in the workforce.
  
Acknowledgement of First Nations people

Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and recognises their continuous connection to country, community, and culture. We are committed to helping to close the gap to achieve equality in health and life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As such, if you require any adjustments to submit your application, please get in touch with us.