Job Title: Major Relationships Specialist

Job Title: Major Relationships Specialist

Location: Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane

Salary: Dependent on skills and experience

Hours: Part-time 3 days a week (22.8 hours per week) with potential for the role to grow to increased hours.

Contract period: Initial one-year contract with a view to extend to a permanent role.

Reporting: The Major Relationships Specialist reports to the Fundraising Manager.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is the only national group dedicated to protecting Australia’s oceans. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a great team and generous supporters who continue to inspire our hard work. This is a new position open to experienced candidates who are passionate about protecting our Great Barrier Reef, oceans and climate. Based from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, you will help grow AMCS’s major gifts and relationships program as part of the Fundraising Team and bolster our ability to deliver more wins for our Reef and oceans.

Purpose of the position

The Major Relationships Specialist is a key member of the Fundraising Team.

This post works to support the critical work of AMCS, raising much needed funds for our work to protect Australia’s oceans and their threatened marine life and helping donors fulfill their passions and interests through giving to AMCS.

The Major Relationship Specialist reports to the Fundraising Manager and works closely with the Communications and Relationships Manager to meet a fundraising target by implementing the major donor strategy. You will work to migrate mid donors to major donors. You will secure gifts of $5,000 and above from your own portfolio of donors and prospects and support the team in achieving the same. You will ensure effective cultivation and stewardship of donors and prospects, to retain existing support and secure new sources of funding.

You will also help to drive income from the philanthropic sector, including trusts and foundations.

This role will involve some interstate travel.

Main tasks and responsibilities

1. Work with AMCS Fundraising Manager and Communications and Relationships Manager to create individual goals for each donor;

2. Work with a qualified portfolio of donors and identify other potential donors to secure gifts of $5,000 or above;

3. Coordinate the prospect development program and transition mid donors to major donors;

4. Work with key staff to maintain and upgrade major donors;

5. Create plans for each donor that will serve as a foundational communication and marketing plan for each person, delivering that plan on a timely basis while supporting others in the team;

6. Administer the Major Gifts pipeline to support all of the above;

7. Ensure that donors are engaged and inspired about their contributions and that all obligations to donors are fulfilled;

8. Work with fundraising and campaigns to convey our critical work, and work with the Fundraising Manager to create offers, proposals and secure gifts;

9. Create bi-monthly reports that accurately reflect caseload activity and performance;

10. Co-ordinate with other teams and staff on data segmentation and strategic issues, with particular regard to major donor management;

11. Maintain and update major donor records on the supporter database and maintain a major donor pipeline using the database’s analysis and reporting functions;

12. Meet annual targets and medium-term strategic plan goals for income generation and expenditure;

13. Perform other major donor activities as required.

Measures and Key Outcomes

Successful implementation of mid and major gifts program including:

· Developing and maintaining the major gifts pipeline and moves management planning;

· Increased number of major donors, major donor prospects and related income;

· Ability to qualify caseload donors that represent AMCS’s highest giving potential;

· Ability to create financial goals for each donor, based on the donor’s giving and potential;

· Ability to create a personal contact and plan that retains and upgrades individual donors according to their interest, motivation and giving pattern in a timely and cost-effective manner;

· Ability to secure project and organisation information and create and write effective offers, proposals and asks;

· Ability to report back to donors on how their money was used;

· Ability to create timely reports that reflect caseload and program performance;

· Ability to manage people, processes, deadlines and budgets while adhering to the policies and procedures of AMCS;

· Ability to get along with colleagues and maintain a positive, constructive attitude;

· Ability to uphold the mission, goals and values of AMCS.

Essential Selection Criteria

· Demonstrated ability to fundraise from PAFs, middle and/or major donors;

· Experience in fundraising from individuals;

· Experience in developing fundraising appeals and marketing materials, including donor proposals;

· Experience/ability in planning and delivering small fundraising events (i.e. campaign briefings), including coordinating volunteers;

· Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing;

· Experience of using a contacts relationship database;

· Ability to construct and manage income and expenditure budgets;

· Commitment to protecting Australia’s oceans.

Desirable Selection Criteria

· Bachelor Degree in Marketing or equivalent;

· Knowledge of Direct Marketing techniques;

· Success with Trust and Foundation grant seeking, for large or small grants;

· Experience in strategic planning and project planning;

· Experience in managing external suppliers.

Key Relationships

· Fundraising Manager

· Communications/Major Relationships Manager

· AMCS Director

· Great Barrier Reef Campaign Director

· Marine Parks Campaign Manager

· Fundraising Officer.

About AMCS

The Australian Marine Conservation Society is the voice for Australia's oceans. We are an independent not-for profit charity. We deal with the big issues concerning the sea, working on behalf of the community to protect marine wildlife, tackle the major threats to our oceans and create marine sanctuaries, places in the sea where our wildlife is safe from harm. We are a committed group of professional and passionate scientists, educators and advocates who have defended Australia's oceans for over 50 years.

Application details

Applications are required as soon as possible. All applications should be submitted by email with the subject Application: Major Relationships Specialist, and must include a statement (maximum 3 pages) addressing the essential selection criteria, a covering letter and resume of previous employment experience. Applications that do not address and have most of the essential selection criteria will not be considered.

Please email applications to

If you have successfully raised fundraising income from major gifts and would like more information about the position, please contact AMCS Fundraising Manager Amber Sprunt on 0437 388 895.

AMCS is a strictly non-partisan and equal opportunities employer. Indigenous Australians are encouraged to apply.

Applicants must have the right to work in Australia.