Director of Development

As the world’s leading animal photojournalism agency, We Animals (WA) advocates for animals through photojournalism. Our global investigations and stories expose our complex relationships with animals, create ethical and cultural shifts in society, and empower human capacity for compassion and change. To support our mission, we investigate industries, mentor photographers, operate a stock site to share our visual content, and engage with media and NGO partners to shift attitudes, industries, and policy. 

We are seeking a Director of Development to lead and grow our fundraising program. This is a senior leadership role responsible for setting fundraising strategy, driving revenue, and building the systems and relationships required to sustain and scale our work.

This role is both strategic and hands-on. The Director will set direction and lead execution, while building the structure, processes, and executing day-to-day fundraising activities.

We Animals is in a period of growth and transition. We are moving from a founder-led fundraising model toward a more structured, systems-driven approach to revenue generation. We Animals is a federally incorporated Canadian nonprofit with an annual budget of ~1.8M CAD and 14 staff members (~12.5 FTE).

The Director of Development owns fundraising strategy, revenue performance, and the systems and processes required to support long-term, sustainable growth.

You will work closely with the Executive Director on organizational priorities, grant strategy, and high-level donor relationships, and, in partnership with the Director of Marketing & Communications, align fundraising and storytelling. You will also collaborate with the Founder & President on messaging, outreach, and key donor engagement. The Director of Development has final decision-making authority on fundraising campaigns and revenue strategy, and works closely with and directly manages the Donor Engagement Specialist.

This role is well-suited to someone who enjoys building structure, keeping up with current tools and trends, improving systems, and taking ownership of fundraising in a growing organization.

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Strategic Leadership & Fundraising Planning (30%)

• Develop and lead the annual fundraising strategy, which has a current annual revenue target of $1.7M CAD, with clear KPIs across individual giving, major gifts, grants, and institutional funding
• Own revenue forecasting, pipeline development, and performance tracking
• Partner with the Executive Director to align fundraising priorities with organizational strategy
• Lead campaign planning across the year (e.g. year-end, monthly-giving campaigns, lead generation campaigns, annual matching campaigns, and special appeals)
• Report monthly to the leadership team and quarterly to the Board on revenue performance and pipeline health

Campaign Leadership & Execution (25%)

• Lead fundraising campaigns from planning through execution, including messaging, segmentation, timelines, and performance tracking, with final responsibility for campaign direction and results
• Write and review key fundraising materials (appeals, donor communications, campaign briefs), keeping in line with the We Animals voice, tone, and branding.
• Work closely with the Marketing & Communications team to integrate fundraising communications into shared planning and content workflows
• Continuously assess and improve campaign performance based on results

Grants & Institutional Funding (15%)

• Set direction for foundation funding
• Work closely with the Executive Director on proposal development and submission processes
• Maintain a clear grant pipeline and calendar
• Ensure reporting requirements are met, and relationships are maintained

Donor Strategy & Major Gifts (10%)

• Set overall donor strategy, including segmentation, stewardship, and growth of the donor pipeline with support from the Donor Engagement Specialist
• Support and guide the Donor Engagement Specialist in execution
• Identify and support key major donor opportunities in partnership with the Founder & President 

Team & Systems Management (15%)

• Manage and support the Fundraising team (currently Donor Engagement Specialist)
• Ensure CRM integrity and effective use of fundraising systems
• Improve internal processes related to donor tracking, reporting, and stewardship

Note: These percentage breakdowns are general and may vary by time of year and the organization’s specific needs.

• 5+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising at the management level or above, with a proven track record of meeting or exceeding revenue goals within a small team
• Strong writing, editing, and English communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, compelling fundraising materials
• Management experience with a demonstrated ability to lead and mentor staff, ideally in a remote environment.
• Strong understanding of charitable sector rules and regulations, including CRA regulations and US fiscal sponsorship nuances.
• Proficiency with CRM/donor database systems and digital fundraising tools. (We use Keela and FundraiseUp.)
• Expertise with project management tools (Asana) and the Google Workspace
• Values alignment: a demonstrable understanding of, and commitment to, our organizational philosophy regarding animal advocacy. You must be comfortable working in an environment that challenges the status quo of human-animal relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to work remotely effectively.
• Ability to travel once per year (min.) for our annual team retreat and/or conferences.
• Strong assets:
  • An understanding of animal advocacy and/or photojournalism
  • Familiarity with the animal advocacy giving landscape
  • Interest in and experience with AI tools in the nonprofit/fundraising sectors

We are a federally incorporated non-profit based in Toronto, Canada. We are a small team with 14 staff members (~12.5 FTE), fully remote and distributed across different time zones in North America and Europe. We offer a flexible working schedule, professional development opportunities, and operate with autonomy to support diverse needs and working styles. Visit our website weanimals.org.

If you’d like to apply for this position, please complete this form by April 26, 2026. Interviews will be held on an ongoing basis until a qualified candidate is found.

Mostly qualified? Please read this!
If you meet most, but not all, requirements and still think you would be a great fit for the role, we encourage you to apply and let us know how we can support you. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, particularly those from underrepresented groups. We value diversity and believe that work on behalf of animals benefits significantly from collaborating with people from all backgrounds and identities. Accommodations are available during the screening process upon request.

Screening process (subject to minor adjustments):

• Application form
• Skills assessment
• Interview 1
• Interview 2
• Reference check