Director, Individual Giving

Job Purpose:

The Director, Individual Giving is a unique opportunity for an experienced fundraising professional to join a rapidly expanding development department within an organization poised for significant growth over the next five years. The position will focus on seeking support from individuals through well-researched personal solicitations connected to a series of special events, cultivation activities and programs.

This position oversees all aspects of individual giving, including the development of departmental strategies with the Chief Development Officer and the implementation of those cultivation and solicitation strategies for the major gifts campaign, planned giving campaign, grassroots campaign, all fundraising events and house parties/salons to achieve revenue goals. The Director, Individual Giving will be responsible for tracking and reporting for the department on a weekly basis.

Specific Duties and Key Responsibilities:

• Developing and executing a comprehensive plan for planned, major gifts and grassroots fundraising for operating, and reserves which outlines measurable objectives and outlines courses of action for all significant activity during the year
• Strategically developing and managing a portfolio of donors while building strong relationships, increasing donor renewal rates, and securing new major gift donors
• Analyzing supporter data to uncover new opportunities, drive efficiencies, and maximize results
• Researching prospective funding opportunities, cultivate prospects, and solicit contacts (current and new prospects)
• Managing the CDO and CEO's individual fundraising time and partner with them to cultivate and solicit prospective donors; prepare briefings and implement follow-up
• Working with committee members, staff and dedicated volunteers to plan major gift strategies for special events, securing event sponsorships and integrating follow-up donor cultivation strategies
• Working with the CDO to establish and implement planned giving program
• Developing and implementing cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plans, using conferences, programs, activities, web site, and social media platforms
• Preparing written proposals for individual donors
• Writing personalized donor correspondence, acknowledgement and pledge agreements
• Conducting prospect research and generating prospect profiles
• Managing the conceptualization and creation of print and web-based campaign materials for individual donors and cultivation activities
• Ensuring the effective delivery of individual benefits and naming opportunities, as appropriate
• Working with the corporate development team to maximize individual giving from corporate partners' employees

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree or higher
• Three to five years' experience in fundraising within a non-profit environment
• Engaging, resilient, positive, high energy personality; critical thinker and creative problem solver who seeks win-win solutions, builds bridges and relationships within and outside the organization
• A successful history in fundraising leading to sustainable results
• Experience in cultivating relationships with major gift donors and gift solicitation
• Ability to work with wealth screening tools and to conduct high-level prospect research
• Mandatory discretion and professional judgment in dealing with highly confidential donor information
• Extensive knowledge of regional philanthropic community and ability to seek out and engage new prospects
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and use of the Internet
• Exceptional people skills and high level of proficiency in written and oral communication skills.
• Skilled in fundraising/CRM databases, preferably Raisers Edge
• Must be able to travel throughout the tri-state area