The opportunity
Every day across South East Queensland, lives are changed through education, compassion and hope. The Catholic Foundation inspires generosity that enables ministries across the Archdiocese of Brisbane to strengthen communities and create opportunities for people to flourish.

We are seeking an accomplished Senior Donor Relations Manager to build authentic relationships with major donors and prospective supporters, understand what they want their giving to achieve and connect them with meaningful opportunities for impact. This is a senior major-gifts role for someone who combines warmth and emotional intelligence with strategy, disciplined portfolio management and the confidence to ask for support.

Just as importantly, this is a role for someone who enjoys being part of a close, capable team. We work hard and care about doing excellent work, but we also care about how we work together. Kindness, respect, good humour, and consideration for people's lives and families are part of the culture. We want people to do meaningful work, do it well and have the support and trust to manage the other things that matter in life.

Why this role matters
Your work will support ministries including St James College, Centacare Domestic Violence Support and Pastoral Ministries, and Romero Centre. Together, these ministries educate, advocate, care and serve people regardless of faith, background or circumstance.

You will join a collaborative Catholic Foundation team with specialist support across donor services, database administration, communications, marketing, design, digital strategy, copywriting and bequests. You will have experienced colleagues who can help you understand and segment your portfolio, develop compelling communications, create tailored proposals and materials, deliver digital campaigns, and identify opportunities for deeper or longer-term giving.

This allows you to focus on what you do best: listening, building trust, shaping donor strategy and developing relationships that can endure for years.
Major gifts work is at its best when all of those disciplines come together around the donor. You will bring the relationship, judgement and fundraising strategy, while drawing on the expertise of colleagues who can help turn a good donor conversation into an exceptional donor experience.

What you will do

- Manage and grow a portfolio of major donors and qualified prospects across an agreed group of Catholic Foundation clients.
- Lead donor discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, including face-to-face meetings, tailored proposals and thoughtful impact communication.
- Develop major-gift strategies, annual plans and sustainable pipelines aligned with each ministry's priorities.
- Act as a trusted fundraising adviser to executive leaders, clients key stakeholders, helping them engage donors with confidence.
- Lead the major-gift component of annual appeals, endowment campaigns and other strategic initiatives.
- Use donor insight,



relationship mapping and CRM data to qualify opportunities, plan next steps and report accurately on progress.
- Work closely with marketing, communications, digital strategy, copywriting and design colleagues to develop tailored donor communications, proposals, presentations and stewardship experiences.
- Share ideas, knowledge and relationships generously across the team, recognising that fundraising success is a collective effort rather than an individual pursuit.
- Work across the Archdiocese to connect donors with the people, ministries and information relevant to their interests.
- Represent the Catholic Foundation with professionalism, discretion and warmth at donor meetings, community events and occasional evening or weekend activities.

What you will bring

- Demonstrated success securing major gifts and managing high-value donor relationships.
- A genuinely donor-centred approach: curious, attentive and focused on helping others realise their philanthropic goals.
- The confidence to build rapport with diverse people, hold meaningful conversations and make a explicit, respectful ask.
- Exceptional emotional intelligence, judgement and diplomacy, with the ability to navigate sensitive matters and represent an agreed organisational position.
- Strategic and lateral thinking, including the ability to connect donor interests with opportunities across a diverse family of ministries.
- Strong written communication and experience preparing proposals, presentations, funding requests or Cases for Support.
- Sound CRM and portfolio-management discipline, with accurate records, clear next actions and reliable follow-through.
- Resilience, patience and perspective—you understand that a "no" may simply mean "not now".
- A collaborative style and the confidence to contribute your perspective constructively.
- Generosity as a colleague. You value other people's expertise, share information freely, ask for help when you need it and enjoy contributing to the success of the whole team.
- An instinct for treating people well, whether they are a major donor, a colleague, a client, a volunteer or someone seeking help from one of the ministries we serve.

Mission alignment
You do not need to be Catholic to succeed in this role. You will, however, need a genuine respect for and willingness to support the mission, values and ethos of the Catholic Church. Authenticity matters: donors and colleagues should experience your belief in the value of the work, your respect for each person and your commitment to acting with integrity.

Our donors also come from many different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences.



What connects them is not necessarily faith, but a desire to 'love their neighbor', especially those in vulnerable circumstances. You will be comfortable meeting people wherever they are and helping them connect with causes and communities they care deeply about.

Why join the Catholic Foundation?

- Purposeful work with a direct connection between generosity and measurable community impact.
- A diverse portfolio spanning education, social justice, pastoral care and support for people experiencing vulnerability.
- A well-supported major-gifts role within a multidisciplinary fundraising, marketing and communications team.
- A kind, respectful and family-centred workplace. We understand that talented people have lives beyond work and value flexibility, trust and a practical give-and-take approach.
- A team that values high standards without unnecessary hierarchy or ego. We challenge one another, share ideas and recognise that the best outcomes usually come from bringing different expertise together.
- The freedom to concentrate on relationships. Rather than spending your days trying to be fundraiser, database administrator, copywriter, designer and marketer all at once, you can draw on specialists and spend more of your time with donors and prospective donors.
- The prospect to build relationships of genuine depth and significance, not simply complete transactions.

About you
Your experience may have been built in philanthropy, advancement, higher education, health care, social services or the charitable sector. More important than a particular pathway is your track record with major donors, your relational maturity and your ability to combine patient cultivation with the courage to ask.

You would thrive in this role if you are someone who is ambitious about the impact of your work but humble in how you achieve it. You enjoy being surrounded by capable people, are happy to draw on their expertise and take satisfaction in shared success. You can operate independently with senior donors and leaders, while still being someone colleagues enjoy having a nice lunch with.

Apply
If you believe philanthropy can change lives, enjoy building authentic relationships and want your work to have lasting significance, we would welcome your application.

Please submit your résumé and a one-page cover letter outlining your relevant experience and connection to the purpose of the role.

The Archdiocese of Brisbane is committed to respectful, inclusive and safe workplaces. Appointment will be subject to the organisation's standard pre-employment requirements relevant to the role.
For a confidential conversation or to learn more, please contact Brendan Logue of C3Talent on 0411 736 ***.
Additional information

- Create lasting impact by connecting generous people with causes that transform l
- Join a kind collaborative and purpose-led culture where trust, relationships and
- Enjoy the rare convenience of a dedicated CBD car park.

📌 Donor Relations Manager (Brisbane)
🏢 C3 Talent
📍 Brisbane