About Us
Our vision at Diabetes Canada is a world free from the effects of diabetes. That’s why we work together to improve the lives of those living with diabetes – sharing knowledge and resources, supporting health-care professionals to improve patient care, advocating for change through policy, and funding research to advance treatments and discover a cure.
Living with diabetes is a complex and often relentless journey, testing the resilience of every individual affected. Diabetes Canada is here to help—providing tools, resources, and support to make that journey easier.
Join us in leading with strength and compassion - so no one faces diabetes alone.
About the Role
We’re seeking an Executive Director, Annual Giving to provides strategic leadership for Diabetes Canada's (DC) national direct response marketing (DRM) portfolio, with responsibility for annual giving, monthly giving, tribute giving, mid-level giving and digital fundraising programs. The role leads the development and execution of integrated fundraising strategies that drive donor acquisition, retention, reactivation, stewardship and revenue growth while enhancing donor engagement and lifetime value across the donor journey.
As a senior leader within the Fund Development (FD) team, the Executive Director is accountable for the achievement of annual revenue and expense targets, long-term portfolio growth, donor experience strategy, fundraising innovation and operational excellence. The role works collaboratively with leaders across FD, Marketing & Communications, IT & Data, Donor Stewardship & Operations, and other organizational functions to ensure an integrated and donor-centred approach to fundraising.
The Executive Director leads a high-performing team of fundraising professionals and fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement and innovation in support of DC's mission.
Location: Diabetes Canada’s National Office is located at 1000–170 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. We offer a flexible work arrangement, allowing employees to work remotely while occasionally coming into the office as required by their manager or the organization. This role may involve travel for meetings.
Compensation: The hiring salary range for this role is $140,000–$155,000 annually, commensurate with experience and alignment with the requirements of the position.
What You’ll Do
Strategic Leadership & Revenue Growth
- Develop and lead a comprehensive Direct Response Marketing (DRM) strategy that aligns with organizational priorities and supports sustainable revenue growth.
- Establish annual and multi-year plans, goals and performance metrics for annual, monthly, tribute, mid-level and digital fundraising programs.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen donor acquisition, retention, reactivation and upgrade strategies across all donor segments.
- Evaluate program performance and donor trends, using data and analytics to inform strategic priorities and future investments.
- Champion a donor-centred fundraising approach that maximizes donor engagement, loyalty and lifetime value.
- Collaborate with FD leadership to strengthen donor pipeline development and integration across annual giving, mid-level giving, major gifts, planned giving and other fundraising programs.
Portfolio Leadership & Fundraising Strategy
- Provide strategic oversight of all direct response fundraising programs and campaigns across mail, digital, phone, face-to-face and emerging channels.
- Ensure donor journeys, communications strategies and fundraising activities are integrated across channels and donor segments.
- Lead the development of innovative fundraising approaches, testing frameworks and optimization strategies that improve performance and donor experience.
- Oversee campaign analysis, performance reporting and revenue forecasting, ensuring continuous learning and evidence-based decision making.
- Ensure fundraising activities reflect industry best practices, regulatory requirements and ethical fundraising standards.
Digital Fundraising & Innovation
- Lead the organization's digital fundraising growth strategy and support the continued evolution of digital fundraising capabilities.
- Champion innovation in donor acquisition, engagement and stewardship through the effective use of technology, automation, data and digital platforms.
- Identify emerging trends, opportunities and risks within the fundraising sector and bring forward recommendations that strengthen performance and operational effectiveness.
- Foster a culture of experimentation, testing and continuous improvement to enhance fundraising results and donor experiences.
Financial & Operational Stewardship
- Develop and manage the DRM operating budget and oversee revenue forecasting for all portfolio programs.
- Monitor and report on program performance, revenue, expenses and return on investment, ensuring accountability against established targets.
- Ensure effective operational processes, data management practices and campaign workflows are in place to support program success.
- Lead procurement, contract negotiations and vendor management activities related to fundraising agencies, technology providers and external partners.
- Ensure appropriate controls, policies and procedures are maintained to support organizational compliance and risk management.
Team Leadership & Talent Development
- Lead, coach and develop a team of fundraising leaders and professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and high performance.
- Establish clear goals, expectations and development plans that support individual growth and organizational success.
- Promote employee engagement, inclusion and continuous learning within the team.
- Support succession planning and workforce development initiatives to ensure long-term organizational capacity.
- Provide leadership in employee relations, recruitment, onboarding, performance management and talent development activities.
Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement
- Build strong partnerships across the organization to advance integrated fundraising initiatives and donor engagement opportunities.
- Collaborate closely with Marketing & Communications to ensure consistent messaging, brand alignment and effective campaign execution.
- Partner with IT & Data teams to strengthen data quality, fundraising systems, reporting capabilities and donor insights.
- Represent DC with external agencies, consultants, partners and vendors.
- Leadership and contribute to organizational planning, strategy development and change initiatives.
Note: This role is not limited to the responsibilities listed above and may include other duties as required.
Team Leadership
This role currently provides leadership and oversight to three direct reports and two in-direct reports.
What You Bring
- Post-secondary degree in Fundraising, Business Administration, Marketing, Communications or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum 10 years of progressive fundraising experience with demonstrated success leading integrated direct response fundraising programs.
- Minimum 5 years of people leadership experience, including experience leading managers and developing high-performing teams.
- Demonstrated experience managing significant revenue portfolios, budgets and forecasting processes.
- Experience leading annual giving, donor acquisition, donor retention and stewardship programs.
- Experience incorporating digital fundraising channels into fundraising strategies and campaigns.
- Experience working at a national charitable or not-for-profit organization is considered an asset.
- Strong understanding of CRM systems, fundraising databases and campaign analytics platforms.
- Strong understanding of donor-centred fundraising principles and donor lifecycle management.
- Excellent financial, analytical and revenue management skills.
- Exceptional relationship-building, strong leadership and stakeholder management skills
- Strong project management and organizational skills, and seeking a solutions-focused approach.
- Commitment to fostering a positive, inclusive, and collaborative work environment.
- Demonstrates an understanding of and commitment to Diabetes Canada’s mission, vision, and core values.
Why Join Us?
At Diabetes Canada, you’ll play a meaningful role in making a difference every day for people living with or at risk of diabetes. We’re a national organization with an entrepreneurial spirit, where your contributions are valued, recognized, and rewarded.
What We Offer:
- Impactful Work Environment: Join a high-performing, collaborative team committed to building a healthy and engaged workplace culture.
- Flexibility: Our flexible work agreement allows for remote and hybrid schedules, supporting work-life balance on a 35-hour work week.
- Comprehensive Benefits: Receive competitive compensation plus a group benefits package, including health and dental coverage, life insurance, disability coverage, Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), and company-matched Pension/RRSP. Also access to a $350/year healthcare spending account.
- Day-One Coverage: Most group benefits including health, dental, life insurance, and EFAP, start on your first day.
- Wellness Support: Access to a mental wellness app with guided meditation and self-paced learning on a variety of topics.
- Generous Time Off: Enjoy additional paid holidays beyond provincial statutory holidays and an end-of-year office closure.
- Employee Engagement & Recognition: Be part of a culture that celebrates contributions at all levels through our rewards and recognition platform (WorkTango), enabling peer-to-peer, team, and manager-to-employee appreciation.
- Inclusive Culture: We celebrate diversity and foster an inclusive workplace that provides equal opportunities for all.
Our Core Values:
ACE-IT: Agility, Collaboration, Excellence, Integrity, Taking Initiative
These values guide how we work together, support our communities, and advance our mission every day.
About the Application Process
If you are already on Diabetes Canada’s job posting site, click on the “Apply” button found at the top-left of this screen. You will be required to complete a very brief questionnaire and submit your résumé and cover letter. If you are not on DC’s job posting site, go to the webpage: https://www.diabetes.ca/careers and click on “View Job Openings”.
If you experience any issues with the application process, please contact us at:
[email protected]
Additional Information
- You must be legally eligible to work in Canada. Where applicable, you must hold a valid work permit or study permit that allows you to fulfill the requirements of this role.
- Diabetes Canada welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including people of all genders, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities. We value a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.
- We are committed to providing accommodations during the recruitment process. If you require any support or adjustments, please let us know.
- We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
- Please note that this posting is to fill an existing vacancy at Diabetes Canada.
