Donor Communications Manager (10-month contract) – Chris O’Brien Lifehouse 10-month maternity leave contract. Open to full-time, 4-day or 9-day fortnight, based in Sydney-Central with hybrid work on offer. Lead the donor communications function, ensuring high-quality and consistent messaging across fundraising portfolios, while mentoring and developing a junior team member. Impact of the Organisation Chris O’Brien Lifehouse is the only independent, not-for-profit, comprehensive cancer centre in NSW. We offer every treatment and therapy a person with cancer may need, all under one roof. We aim to achieve lasting change in the way we treat and prevent cancer in Australia, by bringing together all of the elements of cancer research, treatment, care, education and emotional support within the one centre of excellence. Join us in this mission to minimise the burden of cancer by providing integrated expert care, delivered with compassion and founded on research, innovation, education and training. Impact You Will Have in This Role As Donor Communications Manager, you will be the guiding voice behind Chris O’Brien Lifehouse’s philanthropic storytelling, leading the development and delivery of donor communications across Major Gifts, Annual Giving, Community Fundraising, Planned Giving and Donor Relations. A key part of your role will be overseeing all outgoing donor communications to ensure every piece is polished, compelling and consistent. Acting as the team’s quality guardian, you’ll provide proofing, editing and content support to maintain alignment in tone, design and grammar across all donor touchpoints. Working collaboratively with colleagues across the hospital, you will produce high-quality written content, including appeals, proposals, impact reports and newsletters, that connect supporters to the life-changing work happening at Lifehouse. Your ability to translate complex clinical and research information into clear, human-centred stories will be vital. This is an ideal role for a collaborative, detail-focused writer who loves shaping narratives that inspire generosity and long-term engagement. You will also have the opportunity to grow your leadership capability by mentoring and supporting a junior team member. Key Responsibilities Develop and implement a unified donor communications plan across portfolios. Build and manage a content calendar aligned with stewardship and fundraising objectives. Produce polished written materials including fundraising appeal letters and packs, proposals, cases for support, newsletters, , reports and general donor updates. Translate complex clinical and research content into clear, engaging stories for donor audiences. Support stewardship through donor impact reports, receipt letters and personalised communications. Provide editing, proofing and quality control across all donor communications. Ensure consistency of tone, messaging, grammar and brand presentation across portfolios. Offer writing guidance to colleagues, lifting capability and maintaining high standards. Identify new and innovative ways to communicate impact and share patient and research stories. Refresh and repurpose existing content to maximise engagement and support stewardship goals. Work closely with Development managers, clinicians, researchers and hospital staff to gather stories and insights. Contribute to a culture of creativity, learning and shared excellence across the team. Key Skills Demonstrated experience in writing donor communications tailored to a variety of different audiences Demonstrated experience with the techniques and strategies of fundraising letters and direct mail donor packs and digital communications Bachelor's degree with 3–5 years of writing experience. Outstanding writing, editing and verbal communication skills. Ability to communicate complex scientific or medical concepts simply and engagingly. High attention to detail and strong organisational skills. Confidence managing deadlines and competing priorities. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across clinical and fundraising teams. Sensitivity and sound judgement when working with patient and family stories. Ability to develop compelling proposals and big-vision narratives. Creative thinking and ability to juggle multiple projects. Experience using project management platforms such as Monday.com and CRMs such as Salesforce An interest and desire to work for a non-profit in a healthcare setting. Applications Please apply by uploading your resume. Please direct all enquiries to Kristina Lesko at Impact Advising on kristina@impactadvising.com.au Impact Advising is committed to creating diverse and inclusive work environments that reflect the rich tapestry of our communities. We believe that diversity enriches organisations and fosters innovation. We are dedicated to building workforces that are a representative of the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of our society. We embrace diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and cultural background. We actively seek to foster inclusive workplaces where all employees can bring their whole selves to work, feel respected and valued, and have equal opportunities for growth and advancement. We are committed to providing a fair and unbiased recruitment process, and we strive to eliminate any barriers that may impede the inclusion and participation of underrepresented groups in workforces.
