Development Manager

About the Indigenous Desert Alliance

The Indigenous Desert Alliance (IDA) is an Indigenous-led, member-based organisation. Our membership is made up of Indigenous Land Management Organisations from the desert (ILMOs). The Australian desert covers more than one third of the continent and is the one of the largest indigenous-led culturally connected conservation corridors on the planet. We work with over 70 ranger groups and play a vital role strengthening desert ranger programs and keeping the desert connected. 

Directed by Traditional Owners, ILMOs and their ranger teams undertake a wide range of cultural, environmental, and natural resource management activities. These activities include:

• cultural knowledge transfer 
• cultural site and heritage management 
• fire management 
• feral animal and weed control 
• threatened species recovery projects 
• fee for service economic activities  

The IDA works closely with ILMOs to ensure that Indigenous rangers can collaboratively manage the Australian desert and realise their aspirations for community, culture, and Country. We do so by facilitating connections between ILMOs and stakeholders, by providing operational, capacity building and project management support, and through advocacy. 

About the role

IDA is seeking an experienced and relationship-focused Development Manager to lead our fundraising and income-diversification activities, build strong supporter relationships and manage the IDA Foundation on a fixed term two year contract.  

Reporting to the Chief of Engagement, this is a key, hands-on role within a small team that is expected to grow over time in line with fundraising success.

The Development Manager will lead activities across major gifts, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, philanthropic grants, donor stewardship, campaigns and events. The role will also provide strategic advice and reporting to the Chief of Engagement, Executive Team and IDA Board.

The responsibilities of the position will be prioritised and phased according to IDA’s organisational capacity, needs and emerging opportunities.

While this role is ideally based in Perth, we are open to the right candidate being based elsewhere in Australia, with the ability to travel as required.

Key responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Develop and implement fundraising plans, budgets, income targets and performance measures.
• Build a diverse funding portfolio across major gifts, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and philanthropic grants.
• Identify, cultivate and steward prospective and existing donors, funders and partners.
• Prepare high-quality proposals, funding applications, presentations and impact reports.
• Coordinate funding agreements, reporting, acquittals and donor communications.
• Manage the operations, growth and financial sustainability of the IDA Foundation.
• Ensure donor information and Aboriginal cultural content are managed securely, respectfully and appropriately.
• Lead a small team and foster a collaborative, accountable and culturally safe workplace.

About you

You are an experienced fundraising, philanthropy or business-development professional who can combine strategic thinking with practical delivery.

Selection Criteria

You will bring:

• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing successful fundraising, philanthropy or business-development strategies across multiple income streams.
• Proven ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with donors, corporate partners, funding organisations and senior stakeholders.
• Strong proposal-writing, presentation, communication and negotiation skills supported by effective project-management skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• A sound understanding of ethical fundraising, donor privacy, financial accountability and reputational risk.
• A demonstrated commitment to culturally respectful practice and working effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations.

Experience using donor-management or customer relationship management systems will be highly regarded.

Relevant qualifications in fundraising, philanthropy, business development, marketing, communications, management or a related discipline are desirable, as is experience working with First Nations organisations, communities or initiatives.

Why join IDA?

This is an opportunity to shape and grow IDA’s fundraising activities at an important stage in the organisation’s development.

You will work closely with IDA’s leadership, Board, members and partners to develop sustainable support for Indigenous land management and desert ranger programs.

You will join a collaborative, values-led organisation committed to strong relationships, cultural safety and meaningful outcomes for desert people and Country.

The IDA reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Our recruitment and selection process includes a variety of assessment methods that may encompass reference checks and verification of working rights in Australia. 

The IDA is committed to safeguarding vulnerable people. You may be required to undergo a screening process on appointment. 

The IDA is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to diversity and inclusion, and welcome suitable applicants from all backgrounds. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We encourage diversity of physical ability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, ethnicity, religious beliefs, cultural and family background.

A position description is attached.