Development Manager

About this position

THE OPPORTUNITY
TFS Foundation is nearing the close of their Can’t Wait / C’est Parti! campaign and is seeking a Development Manager to play an important role focused on stewardship, peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns and the annual giving strategy and program.
Reporting to the Senior Director of Development, the Development Manager will join a collaborative team in a creative and innovative environment, bringing excellent relationship building and management skills to support them as they engage with volunteers, families, students, faculty and staff in support of the fundraising activities of the foundation.
This is a meaningful opportunity to develop professionally through direct exposure to senior leadership and engaged volunteers, gaining experience in a major campaign. With hands-on experience supporting significant philanthropic relationships through all stages, from identification and cultivation through to solicitation and stewardship, the Development Manager will play a key role in creating personalized stewardship plans, executing cultivation events and supporting the campaign.
The Development Manager will bring strong communication, organization and project management skills that will guide them as they manage peer-to-peer fundraising and work closely with colleagues in the development of the strategy for annual giving campaigns.
Although fluency in French and/or Mandarin would be considered an asset, it is not a requirement for this position. At TFS, staff are working full-time in the office, with some flexibility to work from home on a project basis from time to time.

ABOUT TFS – CANADA’S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
TFS – Canada's International School is the only full-continuum International Baccalaureate world school for French and English in Canada.
Co-educational, bilingual and internationally minded since 1962, TFS teaches the curricula of France and Ontario through the framework established by the IB programs, leading to the French National Brevet diploma, the Ontario Secondary School Diploma and the Advanced Bilingual IB Diploma. As such, it offers an experience that is rich in challenge, diversity and opportunity to students whose families come from 40+ different countries.
Students exude academic ambition, benefit from an all-round development as individuals and citizens, and view the world from an international perspective. TFS has two campuses serving 1,500 students from age two to university entrance. The TFS Alumni Association (TFSAA) comprises over 3,500 alumni currently living in 31 countries around the world.

Mission
The TFS community develops multilingual critical thinkers who celebrate difference, transcend borders and strive for the betterment of humankind and the planet.
Vision
Our students are empowered to make a positive impact on the world.
Values
Integrity, Discernment, Respect, Engagement
Motto
Individuals who reflect, citizens who act.
HOMINES CONSIDERANTES, CIVES AGENTES

ABOUT TFS FOUNDATION
The TFS Foundation team leads the outreach to engage TFS families, alumni and friends to provide the financial resources needed to advance the school’s mission. Their raison d’être is to strengthen school pride and connections with the school through giving, volunteer activities and event participation.
This outreach includes leading the school’s fundraising program encompassing annual giving, major and special gifts, donor recognition, stewardship, and special events.
The team works collaboratively with our partners – our parents, through the TFS Foundation Board of Directors, the Investment and Finance Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee, as well as our alumni, through the Alumni Association Executive – to engage our community, helping to nurture a culture of philanthropy and volunteering, which is critical to the school’s well-being.

About the Can’t Wait! Campaign
TFS launched its most ambitious campaign, Can’t Wait! / C’est Parti!, in February 2025. The $40 million goal will fund the construction of labs, classrooms, an auditorium, music studios, and an athletic wing across the school’s Toronto and Mississauga campuses, while also expanding the TFS Entrance Scholarship Program to give exceptional students facing financial barriers access to a life-changing education.
A historic milestone was reached in April 2025 when TFS broke ground on the West Campus Athletic Wing, the first expansion of the school’s footprint in over 20 years. The campaign has also attracted significant philanthropic momentum with which has carried the campaign past the $34 million mark, enabling the completion of the West Campus Athletic Wing by fall 2026 and beginning the construction of L’Atelier, a new state-of-the-art facility on the Toronto campus this summer.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
School History
The TFS Experience
Our International Perspective
Community Report 2025 - Entre Nous    
Strategic Plan 2023-2028
News, Events & Publications
TFS Foundation News
TFS Advancement Team
Master Campus Plan

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Donor Recognition & Stewardship

• Lead the stewardship and recognition program for the comprehensive campaign to ensure the program tactics act as incentive for new principal and major gift support, while also ensuring the successful retention and renewal of all donors. This will require:
  • creating and adhering t a stewardship matrix;
  • develping a naming and recognition opportunity inventory, a calendar of activities, and a variety of donor events.
• Ensure adherence to all Foundation policies and contribute to the review and revision of policies, including those related to naming and gift acceptance.
• Steward annual giving donors to support renewal and identify major gift potential.
• Develop a systematic plan, process and content for stewardship reporting and other collateral.
• Write clear and compelling content for highly personalized stewardship.
• Prepare materials for meetings of the Gift Acceptance Committee, TFSF Board of Directors and other committees as necessary.    

Leadership Giving, Annual Giving and Mini Campaigns    

• Support volunteer committees with all aspects of mini campaigns (peer-to-peer fundraising), including personally following up with potential donors, supporting volunteers in their approaches, coordinating meetings, and providing campaign updates.
• Analyse donor giving histories and patterns to identify, cultivate, and solicit potential new donors.
• Help identify and develop opportunities for engagement with mid-level donors.
• Apply excellent written communication skills to write scripts and marketing collateral to support volunteers as they solicit donors, and work with marketing colleagues to create dynamic and compelling documents.
• Manage a portfolio of annual prospects and donors.
• Ensure maintenance of up-to-date prospect and donor records in Raiser's Edge.
• Track and report on the revenue of all annual, leadership, and mini campaigns, ensuring final goals are being met.
• Contribute to annual planning and strategy development of the annual giving program.
• Formulate innovative new tactics for engaging with and securing mid-level donors.
• Ensure the Head of School and other academic leadership are briefed, coached, and supported in their work on behalf of the TFS Foundation.

Major Gift & Campaign Support

• Provide support to the President of the Foundation and the Senior Director of Development with major gift activities, including prospect research, preparing for senior volunteer and donor meetings, and tracking pertinent donor activities.
• Prepare communication with donors, volunteers, and colleagues, such as biographical profiles, briefing notes for meetings, meeting agendas, letters, reports, and presentation proposals.
• Prepare gift agreements and ensure all terms committed to are satisfied.
• Contribute to campaign strategy and execution of all major campaign milestones, including launches, donor cultivation events, and gift and goal celebrations.

Other

• Manage occasional contract employees.
• Assist with and attend institutional events as needed.
• Contribute to departmental planning and goal setting, and track and evaluate progress against key performance indicators.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated, progressive prior experience working with individual donors, volunteers and organizational leaders in a major gift fundraising environment.
• Knowledge and experience of stewardship and donor recognition best practices with the proven ability to develop highly personalized stewardship plans.
• Familiarity with annual giving, peer-to-peer fundraising and event planning.
• Experience in planning and executing fundraising events and donor cultivation activities.
• Ability to analyze donor giving histories and patterns to identify potential annual, mid-level, and major gift prospects.
• Competency in tracking and reporting on fundraising results and other key performance indicators.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills with the ability to write for a variety of audiences.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build and develop relationships with a variety of constituents.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across teams and manage multiple projects and timelines in an environment with shifting priorities.
• Demonstrated skills in time management, organization, and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to exercise discretion and good judgment, take initiative, and respect the confidentiality of sensitive information and materials.
• Strong project management skills with experience in work-back scheduling.
• Experience in Raiser’s Edge/NXT or equivalent donor database is an asset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Workspace.
• Previous experience in an independent school or education fundraising environment is an asset.
• Proficiency in French and/or Mandarin is an asset, but not a requirement.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

KCI Search + Talent has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of Toronto French School (TFS) for more information about this opportunity, please contact Jody Jacobson, Senior Consultant, KCI Search + Talent by email at TFS@kcitalent.com.

All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence. Interested candidates should send resume and letter of interest to the email address listed above by April 12, 2026.

To view the full Position Brief, please visit: www.kcitalent.com
The hiring salary range for this position is $105,000 – $115,000 and includes a competitive benefits package.

TFS welcomes applications from Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and all others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities.

If you require accommodation, please notify Jody Jacobson in advance and she will work with you to meet your needs. TFS is committed to providing accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process.

This posting is for a current vacancy resulting from an internal promotion. Artificial intelligence will not be used to screen resumes nor assess candidates in this search.
 

About us

The TFS Foundation team leads the outreach to engage TFS families, alumni and friends to provide the financial resources needed to advance the school’s mission. Their raison d’être is to strengthen school pride and connections with the school through giving, volunteer activities and event participation.
 

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