Fundraising Specialist

Fundraising Specialist (Development Associate)

Location:
Sydney, Australia (must be willing to meet donors and prospects in person)

The Opportunity

Room to Read is seeking a dynamic, personable, and results-oriented Fundraising Specialist to cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and partners across Australia. This role is critical in strengthening existing relationships and building new ones to grow financial support for Room to Read's mission.

Reporting to the Development Director, Australia, you will manage a portfolio of mid- to high-net-worth individuals, corporate partners, and foundations. If you are Sydney-based, motivated, and experienced in fundraising or high-value relationship management, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll Do

Fundraising (85%)

• Generate a minimum of AUD 600,000 annually by managing a portfolio of ~75 donors and prospects at the AUD 5,000+ giving level.
• Partner with the Development Director to implement a mid-level giving strategy, engaging and upgrading donors at the AUD 1,000+ level.
• Cultivate and steward high-value donors by developing tailored engagement and long-term giving strategies.
• Identify new fundraising opportunities and build a robust pipeline of individual, corporate, and foundation prospects.
• Match donor interests with organizational priorities by staying current on Room to Read's programs and strategy.

Donor Engagement & Events (15%)

• Support events in Australia, including fundraising galas, boutique donor gatherings, virtual events, and leadership engagements.
• Collaborate with Room to Read's global team to create donor communications, proposals, updates, and stewardship materials.
• Represent Room to Read at cultivation meetings and fundraising/awareness-building events.
• Analyze donor trends and track revenue using Salesforce CRM and other tools to inform strategies, forecasts, and reporting.

In Your First 3–6 Months, You Will

• Build knowledge of Room to Read's programs, fundraising operations, and global team.
• Develop annual stewardship plans for your donor portfolio.
• Support and contribute to fundraising events, especially the annual gala, and other donor engagement activities.

What You'll Bring

• 3–5 years of fundraising or high-value sales experience, with demonstrated success securing AUD 20,000+ gifts or equivalent sales results.
• Strong track record in managing and growing relationships with high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and/or foundations.
• Persuasive communication and presentation skills for donor meetings, proposals, and events (in-person and virtual).
• Experience supporting or leading fundraising events such as galas, cultivation dinners, or donor engagement activities.
• Proven ability to create and execute strategies that strengthen donor engagement and long-term giving.
• Skilled at building and managing fundraising pipelines.
• Proficiency in Salesforce or similar CRMs; comfortable with data-driven analysis and reporting.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Experience from the private sector (e.g., private banking, family offices, luxury brands, or corporate foundations) also welcome.

Compensation & Benefits

At Room to Read, we want our team to thrive both professionally and personally. We offer:

• Competitive salary range:
  AUD 86,110 – 102,359, commensurate with skills and experience.
• Superannuation contributions
  to support your financial future.
• Generous paid leave
  including 20 days of annual leave, personal/carer's leave, and recognition of all national public holidays.
• Paid parental leave
  in line with Australian legislation to support you and your family.
• Flexible working arrangements
  , including hybrid options, to help you balance work and life.
• Professional growth opportunities
  , with access to global colleagues, learning resources, and skill development initiatives.
• A
  mission-driven, supportive workplace culture
  where your work directly contributes to creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality.