Head of Fundraising and Supporter Engagement

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• Help shape the future of fundraising in healthcare
• Lead the growth of supporter engagement and fundraising programs
• Full time, fixed term for 3 years and hybrid working with Heidelberg office location

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and statewide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives. 

About the Austin Health Foundation

The Austin Health Foundation leads philanthropic fundraising and volunteer engagement across Austin Health. Fundraising enables vital investment beyond government funding, supporting:

• Advances in medical equipment
• Research and clinical innovation
• Education and workforce development
• Improved patient care and experiences.

The Foundation manages a growing portfolio of fundraising programs including appeals, digital fundraising, regular giving and supporter engagement, alongside a philanthropy team focused on major gifts, and a partnerships team overseeing corporate and community fundraising.

About the role 

Philanthropy is playing an increasingly important role in enabling innovation across public healthcare. The Austin Health Foundation is entering an exciting phase of growth as we expand fundraising capability to grow sustainable non-government income supporting research, clinical innovation and patient care. This role offers a rare opportunity to shape the future of supporter engagement and fundraising growth within one of Victoria’s leading public health services.

We are seeking an experienced and strategic fundraising leader to drive the growth of Austin Health Foundation’s donor acquisition, engagement and retention programs.

Reporting to the Foundation Director, the Head of Fundraising & Supporter Engagement leads the development and execution of integrated fundraising strategies across appeals, regular giving, digital fundraising and loyalty communications. The role will expand the Foundation’s community of supporters and donors, while building a strong pipeline of mid and high-value donors for progression into the philanthropy portfolio.

Working closely with clinical leaders, researchers and senior executives, the role translates healthcare priorities into compelling fundraising opportunities. As a member of the Foundation leadership team, the role contributes to shaping the future strategic direction of fundraising across Austin Health.

A regular day will see you:   

• Lead the development and delivery of the Foundation’s fundraising strategy
• Drive donor acquisition across direct marketing and digital channels
• Oversee segmentation, targeting and campaign strategy to maximise return on investment
• Develop supporter journeys to increase engagement, retention and lifetime value
• Use data and analytics to identify mid and high-value donor prospects
• Lead donor engagement and loyalty strategies
• Contribute to Foundation leadership planning and organisational growth

About you 

You are a strategic and commercially minded fundraising leader who combines strong analytical capability with a passion for supporter engagement and growth. You bring the ability to translate strategy into impactful fundraising programs and to build strong relationships across complex organisations.

To be successful in this role you’ll bring with you:

• Significant experience leading donor acquisition and engagement programs
• Proven success growing fundraising income and supporter participation
• Strong strategic and analytical capability including budget and performance management
• Leadership experience managing and developing people
• Experience using CRM platforms to drive fundraising insights and segmentation
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• A growth mindset and the ability to innovate in complex environments

Our benefits 

Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including: 

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation. 
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program. 
• Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options. 
• Mentoring and career development opportunities. 

Work with us! 

We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures. 

If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. What matters most is your passion, your drive and your willingness to learn and contribute. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date. 

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Heidi Reid, Director Austin Health Foundation at Heidi.Reid@austin.org.au

Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the position description for further details. 

Application closing date: Sunday 26 April 2026