Job Title:                            Director of Philanthropy                                      

Reports to:                         Executive Director 

Start Date:                          Until filled. Preferable start: Spring 2026       

Location:                            VIFF Centre Offices in Downtown Vancouver

Employment:                     Fulltime office hours with occasional weekends and evenings

                                            Fulsome benefits package after 3 months

                                           Three weeks vacation + two additional bonus weeks (post festival/winter holidays)

Remuneration:                  $90-108,000 Annually

Who We Are

VIFF is the largest festival in Vancouver, and one of North America’s most prestigious cinema institutions, a fast-rising star amongst the world’s top film festivals.  Every year is an immense celebration of film and film culture; an expertly curated program, hundreds of filmmakers interacting with sold-out audiences, award winning films, parties and galas. At the same time, VIFF defies tradition by exploring cinema’s furthest boundaries through an ever-evolving blend of cinematic live performances, interactive masterclasses with top-tier artists, and a massive exhibition of cutting-edge creative technology.

Our home, the VIFF Centre is Canada’s finest arthouse cinema dedicated to featuring new film by international, Canadian, and Indigenous filmmakers. The Centre plays a vital role in the city’s cultural landscape, serving as a platform for dozens of other film festivals and community-centric non-profits.

We are an indispensable showcase of Vancouver’s film and television industry, connecting inspiring international leaders with Canada’s unparalleled emerging talent. In 2026 VIFF will begin an exciting expansion of artist and industry programming into the year-round, in a new ‘Film Institute’ framework, to greatly increase our impact on the artistic practice and careers of filmmakers from across the country.

The Role

VIFF is seeking a talented and passionate fundraiser, with a specialty in prospecting and stewarding major donors, to join our small, dynamic team as Director of Philanthropy. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Philanthropy is responsible for all philanthropic fundraising activities and donor relations in support of VIFF’s strategic goals. 

Working in close collaboration with the greater Development team, including our Director of Corporate Partnerships and Government Relations Manager, the Director of Philanthropy will help grow VIFF’s relatively nascent but thriving philanthropic program into a substantial financial mechanism for the organization. Since founding the department in 2022, we’ve laid a strong foundation of philanthropic giving at VIFF. We are looking for a director capable of taking our fundraising program into the next chapter, increasing both the number of donors and scale of donations. We are seeking a subject matter expert capable of increasing the sophistication of our fundraising processes and the level of fundraising professionalism within the organization.

As a leader internally and as an advocate for the organization externally, the director will embrace VIFF values and passionately articulate our vision and mission. The Director of Philanthropy is an expert relationship builder and advocate, capable of welcoming new supporters while setting the tone of care for our existing donors and community members.

Core Responsibilities

Fundraising

VIFF’s development revenue is a unique blend, with the responsibility of securing funding being spread across three roles, the Director of Corporate Partnership (sponsorship), Government Relations Manager (grants), and the Director of Philanthropy (foundations and charitable contributions). The Director of Philanthropy’s primary responsibility is as a fundraiser. They lead a small team in the pursuit of revenue across a variety of sources, as it relates to VIFF’s role as a charitable non-profit. Leads VIFF in the pursuit and securing of small and large donations, foundation support, legacy gifts, capital project funding (as required) and reserve funds.

• Responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, securing and stewarding of all major gifts, foundation funding, and planned gift prospects and donors.
• Leads the development team to secure all individual gifts, monthly gifts, and other small donations.
• Reinforces a culture of philanthropy across VIFF through developing expertly crafted campaigns, cases for support, marketing copy, and other correspondence, ensuring alignment with the organization’s values and voice.
• Tracks, monitors and evaluates performance of all fundraising programs and identifies opportunities for revenue growth.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with a wide range of foundations, carefully aligning funding with programs to encourage long-term support.

Strategy

The Director of Philanthropy contributes significantly to VIFF’s strategic direction of the through two primary ways, through supporting the Executive Director in the development and execution of organization wide strategic plan, and by developing department specific strategies to increase fund development.

• Develops 3 to 5-year fundraising plan, closely aligned with the overall strategic plan.
• Develops an annual fundraising plan and budget; provides hands-on management and implementation of the plan and ensures revenue and expense goals are met.
• Establishes annual targeting, segmentation and contact plan for direct communications with donors.
• Continues to develop VIFF’s development structure to meet VIFF’s evolving financial goals as they evolve over time.

Leadership

The Director of Philanthropy is a leadership position within VIFF. They not only lead the philanthropy team, but are a key figure in the overall organization, and one that encourages a collaborative, inclusive, and highly productive culture within VIFF. They are also an important component in VIFF’s leadership position in the Western Canadian arts and culture sector and within the city of Vancouver. 

• Provides leadership and mentoring to the Membership and Development Manager, a dedicated volunteer team, and regular interns. Capable of growing the team, hiring, and restructuring as the program’s scope increases. 
• Actively works to improve VIFF’s working culture, creating a convivial and welcoming environment for all staff and volunteers.
• Participates in professional organizations and community events, staying current on trends in fund development.
• Works with VIFF’s Board of Directors to donate and to cultivate new relationships. 

Requirements

VIFF is seeking an experienced fundraiser and leader. The Director of Philanthropy must have strength in major giving, foundations, and strategic planning. The organization needs a director with expert prospecting and stewardship skills, capable of growing fundraising in a strategically and sustainably.

• Master’s degree or equivalent training or experience, plus additional fundraising-related professional training; CFRE accreditation is an asset.
• Minimum 5 years of experience planning and executing revenue-generating fund development programs at a senior manager or director level.
• Strong strategic, organizational, management and administrative skills.
• Ability to lead, coach, mentor, and motivate a team.
• Deep fundraising knowledge of and experience in all aspects of fundraising including annual giving, mid-level giving, monthly giving, major gifts, legacy giving and foundation giving.
• Experience with fundraising in an arts environment is considered a strong asset.
• Self-motivated, detail-orientated, highly organized and able to think outside of the box in a fast-moving environment.
• Highly developed interpersonal and relationship skills and proven ability to exercise a high degree of diplomacy and discretion. Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required.