Permanent, Full time | Sydney | Remote/Hybrid

Plan International Australia exists to create justice and equality for girls. We're evolving, shifting from program implementer to bridge builder, connecting resources to impact so locally led organisations can drive change for girls at scale.

Our new strategy, Girls Rise, is bold. We're investing in philanthropy as a primary growth engine, building our thought leadership, pursuing climate finance, and getting smarter with AI and data. We're becoming a leaner, more focused organisation, and we need the right people in the right roles to make it real.

This could be your next move.

The Role

We're looking for an experienced philanthropy professional to lead our growth in Sydney and NSW, one of our priority markets for expanding philanthropic income and influence.

As Senior Philanthropy Adviser, you'll manage and grow a portfolio of major-gift and high-value philanthropic relationships across NSW, QLD, ACT and NT, with a particular focus on building Plan International Australia's philanthropic presence and pipeline in Sydney. You'll develop and lead a Sydney/NSW market development plan, cultivate new networks and prospects, and work closely with the Philanthropy Lead and broader team to grow long-term, multi-year philanthropic investment in girls' equality.

We are in Melbourne and the Philanthropy Team is in Melbourne. We make it work with flexible, remote/hybrid arrangements. There will also be some adhoc travel to Melbourne required for this role.

What you'll actually be doing

Strategy and planning

- Develop and lead a Sydney/NSW philanthropy market development plan, identifying priority networks, prospects, intermediaries, events and partnerships




- Bring insight from the broader NSW, QLD, ACT and NT portfolio into planning, flagging emerging opportunities, risks and regional trends
- Contribute to a stewardship and retention strategy that strengthens donor experience, retention, upgrade and multi-year giving
- Support wider Fundraising and Finance planning, annual budgeting and income forecasting for your portfolio

Prospect research and pipeline

- Identify, qualify and cultivate new philanthropic prospects with the Philanthropy Development Officer, managing a systematic pipeline from identification through to solicitation
- Maintain accurate prospect and pipeline records with robust moves-management in the CRM
- Build sector relationships and attend networking and cultivation events to reach new markets and sources of support

Cultivation and solicitation

- Develop a personalised cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plan for each high-value donor and prospect
- Deliver tailored proposals, budgets and funding agreements that match donor interests to organisational priorities
- Secure, retain, upgrade and reactivate gifts against agreed targets by confidently making direct funding asks

Stewardship and donor experience

- Help shape and continuously improve the Philanthropy team's stewardship and retention approach
- Deliver high-quality acquittals,



impact reporting and recognition that build donor trust
- Plan and deliver donor events and engagement opportunities, and partner with program colleagues locally and globally to co-create compelling philanthropic offers

Who you'll be working with

This role connects closely with:

- Philanthropy colleagues - sharing donor intelligence, market insights and opportunities across portfolios
- The Fundraising team (regular giving, mid-value and gifts in wills) - maximising major donor opportunities through campaigns and appeals, and progressing "ready-to-upgrade" supporters into philanthropic relationships
- Evidence & Influence and Communications - drawing on our core narrative and proof points to shape donor-ready propositions
- The Philanthropy Lead - keeping accurate pipeline and moves-management information so the portfolio view stays current

Externally, you'll build relationships with major donors, philanthropists, family offices, trusts and foundations, and relevant sector bodies and intermediaries.

What you'll bring

Skills and experience

- Significant experience in major-gift, philanthropy or high-value relationship fundraising, with a strong record of securing, retaining and growing gifts over $10k
- Solid relationship-building, influencing and negotiation skills with high-net-worth individuals, trusts and foundations
- Demonstrated ability to use portfolio and market insights to identify opportunities and grow philanthropic income, markets or donor pipelines
- Ability to translate complex programs into compelling, donor-focused propositions and reports
- Strong knowledge of the Sydney/NSW

📌 Senior Philanthropy Adviser (Sydney)
🏢 Plan International
📍 Sydney