Senior Philanthropy Adviser – Remote in Sydney

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.

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.

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.
  • Strong 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 philanthropy landscape, with a proven ability to build networks in a priority market (QLD, ACT and NT experience highly regarded).
  • Experience managing a prospect pipeline and moves-management in a CRM.
  • Sound judgement, discretion and professionalism handling confidential donor information.
  • Relevant tertiary qualification and/or equivalent experience.
• Connection and values
  • Proven ability to work across team boundaries, holding shared accountabilities and managing handoffs.
  • Established relationships with major donors, philanthropists, trusts or foundations.
  • A deep commitment to gender justice, feminist leadership and sharing power.
  • Comfort with change, ambiguity and evolving ways of working.
  • A genuine, ongoing commitment to child protection and safeguarding.

How you'll know it's going well

• Portfolio income is secured and grows year on year, with strong donor retention and upgrade rates.
• Our philanthropic presence and pipeline in Sydney/NSW grows measurably, with new networks, prospects and relationships established.
• Every donor in your portfolio has a current cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plan.
• Multi-year commitments make up a growing share of portfolio income.
• Ready-to-upgrade supporters are received and progressed cleanly between teams.

Safeguarding, Gender Equality & Inclusion

This matters to us, deeply. We take seriously our responsibility to ensure that everyone who represents Plan does not harm the people we work with, including children, young people, and all participants and partners. In this role, you'll handle donor information with strict confidentiality and integrity, and ensure fundraising and stewardship communications are ethical, accurate and consistent with our gender-responsive and anti-racist standards.

Our Safeguarding commitment

Plan International believes that in a world where children and program participants face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we do everything we can to keep children and program participants safe. As part of our efforts to create safe environments for children and program participants, candidates will be required to complete a satisfactory National police Check, sign our Safeguarding policies and code of conduct, and where necessary complete a Working with Children Check.

Why say yes?

• Purpose. You'll get up every day knowing your work creates justice and equality for girls.
• Flexibility. Genuine hybrid working, based in Sydney.
• Salary packaging. Up to $15,900 pre-tax plus $2,650 meals and entertainment.
• A moment that matters. You'll help shape what Plan becomes next as part of a bold strategic shift.
• Community. Team events, offsites, and staff-led groups including our DEI Working Group, RAP Group, Pride Network and Social Committee.

Plan International Australia is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and identities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and LGBTIQ+ individuals are warmly encouraged to apply.