Head of Philanthropy

Posted: 18/08/2025

Closing Date: 18/09/2025

Job Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Macquarie

Job Category: Fundraising

Our Purpose and Ambition

NextSense is a not-for-profit organisation supporting people with vision or hearing loss across Australia. We work with children, adults, and their families, providing a holistic approach to hearing services for newborns through to people over 90 years old, and helping children who are blind or have low vision to develop the right skills, mobility, and independence to confidently explore their world.

NextSense has been breaking boundaries since 1860, and we've been expanding our services ever since. Today, we deliver world-class education (both to children with sensory loss and to professionals in the field), cochlear implants, allied health services, therapy, research, and clinical services to children and adults. We're a registered NDIS provider, working with our clients to achieve their own goals and potential.

We're committed to research and innovation; harnessing the latest technologies and new ways of thinking and educating the next generation to lead the way in hearing and vision services.

Our new world-leading centre for innovation on-site at Macquarie University NSW represents a new era for hearing and vision loss. This nationally significant social infrastructure project was undertaken to nurture, trial and share new ideas and form new partnerships that will drive better outcomes for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision. While the centre is based in Macquarie, its impact will extend across the country to all our sites.

The Role

NextSense has an exciting opportunity for a Head of Philanthropy to join our team at Macquarie Park. This is a permanent full-time role.

Working closely with the Director Fundraising and Development, this role is responsible for driving the Philanthropy team to success across High Value (HV) programs including Major Donors (MD), Mid-Value (MV), Grants, Trusts & Foundations. This role is a senior leadership position within the Fundraising Department, responsible for the development and execution of strategies to build and significantly grow revenue and drive acquisition across these programs. You'll make a difference in this role by:

What we can offer you

• Competitive remuneration
• 100% salary packaging allowing you to increase your take home pay
• Extensive personal/carer's leave
• 2 weeks paid leave over Christmas in addition to 4 weeks annual leave
• Paid parental leave of 14 weeks for primary carer and 6 weeks for secondary carer
• Access to industry leading education and professional development
• Collaborative work environment
• Wellbeing program including Employee Assistance Program

To be successful in this role you'll need to demonstrate you meet the following selection criteria.

Required qualifications, skills or experience:

• Previous business development, sales, fundraising and/or marketing experience of at least 7 years
• Relationship management experience in the NFP fundraising environment, with a successful track record of building a pipeline and closing sales/securing significant major gifts
• Evidence of an existing network of High-Net-Worth individuals
• Demonstrable results in developing and executing on strategy and creating strong value propositions for donors
• Strong capability in professionally developing presentations and delivering to an audience
• Excellent organisational and planning skills with the ability to work under pressure and manage multiple conflicting priorities
• Ability to initiate, cultivate, and maintain personal relationships with High-Net-Worth supporters and diverse personalities
• Highly developed skills to influence individual giving through tailored 'asks'. You are comfortable asking for large amounts of money and possess a great ability to sell ideas and close deals, and are not afraid to hear 'No'
• Strong research and analytical capability
• An innovative and creative mindset prepared to try new thinking and approaches
• Strong financial analysis skills with demonstrated experience in budget management, pipeline management, reporting, and strong commercial acumen
• You are obliged to become familiar with, and comply with child protection policies and legislation, as amended from time to time
• a verified Working With Children Check, Criminal Record Check and NDIS Worker Screening Check

Preferred qualifications, skills or experience:

• A shared commitment and alignment to NextSense Values and brand
• You are an authentic, passionate, glass half-full person, with a positive can-do attitude
• A born 'people-person' with high emotional intelligence and influencing skills. You are a natural at developing and nurturing strong relationships, and love networking with a genuine interest in people. You love dealing with Philanthropists, business leaders, and influencers, and build relationships with professionalism and maturity
• Results driven and self-motivated. You always like to take initiative and be proactive
• You are a strong team player and enjoy working collaboratively with others
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, in person, over the phone, via online meeting platforms (e.g. Zoom, and MS Teams), and in written form, with people of all levels, networks, and backgrounds
• Strong organisational skills with good high attention to detail
• A willingness to innovate, try new things, and learn and grow from mistakes and feedback
• A strategic thinker with the ability to think critically, laterally, and analytically to solve problems
• You have a growth mindset, and the drive and hunger to learn and constantly develop
• Outstanding presentation and communication skills, and you are an articulate and engaging storyteller

We're here to help. If you have any further questions, please reach out to our People & Culture Team at Good luck

NextSense is a child safe organisation, candidate compliance with child protection legislation is essential.