Assistant Director, Donor Engagement and Partnership

The Boston Foundation believes that one of the great strengths of the Greater Boston community is the rich diversity of its residents in race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age and physical abilities. The Foundation seeks to enhance and support that diversity, not only by its grant making, but also by adopting and implementing employment policies and practices designed to recognize and respond to such diversity.

The Boston Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experience.

All applications should be submitted online. Go to https://www.tbf.org/who-we-are/careers and select “Assistant Director, Donor Engagement and Partnership” to complete our online application process.

Job Description

Title: Assistant Director, Donor Engagement and Partnership

Department: Philanthropy

Reports To: Associate Vice President, Donor Engagement and Partnership

FLSA Classification: Exempt FTE: (1)

Supervises: None

Hybrid Schedule (subject to change): In office at least 2 days a week, Tuesday and Thursday. Additional days in the office may be required, based on business needs.

Position Budgeted: $100,000.00 to $110,000.00

Position Summary:

The Assistant Director of Donor Engagement and Partnership plays a pivotal role in advancing the mission of the Boston Foundation by cultivating and managing meaningful relationships with current and prospective donors. This position is responsible for developing and executing strategic engagement, solicitation, and stewardship plans for a portfolio of fundholders, individual donors, and prospects, with the goal of deepening philanthropic investment and aligned giving.

In addition to portfolio management, the Assistant Director manages the process for Presidential acknowledgements, ensuring timely, high-quality communications that reflect the Foundation’s values and priorities. The role also leads the design and execution of high-level donor events and experiences, creating opportunities for connection and impact within the donor community.

As an ambassador for the Foundation and its Campaign for a Greater Boston, the Assistant Director contributes to ambitious goals to inspire and align resources in support of equity for Greater Boston residents. The Campaign focuses on building the Foundation’s discretionary endowment, expanding the Annual Fund for Civic Leadership, and growing the Donor Advised Fund program to increase alignment with the Foundation’s equity-centered vision. Through strategic donor engagement and innovative stewardship, this position helps foster transformative community impact.

Essential Functions:

• Lead and manage a portfolio of 50-75 individual donors and prospects, deepening engagement and driving increased philanthropic investments and aligned giving;
• Build and sustain trusted, mission-aligned relationships through personalized engagement, tailored communication, and high-touch stewardship;
• Design and implement individualized cultivation and stewardship strategies to encourage DAF growth, co-investments and aligned giving opportunities;
• Manage the process for Presidential acknowledgements, ensuring timely, accurate, and high-quality correspondence that reflects organizational values and priorities;
• Develop and execute high-level donor events and experiences, including interactive gatherings and convenings that strengthen donor relationships and advance strategic goals;
• Create and implement a strategic approach to engage and steward corporate donors and fundholders, aligning their interests with community and Foundation priorities;
• Partner with donors to identify charitable goals and connect them to community needs and funding opportunities in collaboration with program staff;
• Identify, qualify and cultivate new fundholders, building a robust pipeline of aligned donors to support long-term growth;
• Collaborate cross-departmentally to resolve complex fund and grant issues, develop creative solutions, and ensure an exceptional donor experience;
• Solicit contributions for the Annual Fund for Civic Leadership and other co-investment opportunities;
• Maintain a high standard of donor data integrity, documenting all interactions and strategies in Salesforce, and leveraging data for strategic decision making.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Individuals assigned to this position may perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Preparation, Knowledge, Previous Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience;
• Advanced degree, CAP and/or CFRE preferred; and
• 7+ years of progressive experience in fundraising, donor relations, or related fields.

Skills, Abilities, Competencies:

• Demonstrated success in managing high-value donor relationships;
• Demonstrated ability to advance the mission and work of the Boston Foundation in greater Boston;
• Understanding of the role community foundations play in philanthropy;
• Proven ability to build and deepen relationships with high-net-worth donors and corporate partners;
• Strong understanding of fundraising principles and philanthropic empathy, with the ability to align donor interests to community priorities;
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and professional presence, with demonstrated ability to build trust and rapport with donors, corporate clients, and community leaders;
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, including experience crafting high-level correspondence and donor-facing materials;
• Strong customer service orientation and an entrepreneurial mindset, eager to innovate and grow engagement strategies;
• Experience in event strategy and execution for high-level donor audiences is strongly preferred.
• Highly organized, with excellent project management skills and ability to prioritize competing demands;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and CRM systems (Salesforce strongly preferred);
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and integrity;
• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and cultural humility in donor engagement.
• A willingness to collaborate and undertake whatever tasks need to be done and a commitment to contributing to an overall organizational culture of learning and wellbeing;
• Familiarity with community foundations, donor-advised funds, and charitable giving vehicles is highly desirable; and
• Deep awareness of and connection to the Boston community, including relationships with community-based organizations and leaders, preferred.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands:

• Ability to work at workstation for long periods of time;
• Ability to use a keyboard and electronic screen for extended periods of time; and
• Ability to work on-site and remotely as required.

The content is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by persons assigned to this job. It is not intended to constitute an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents, who are or become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act or applicable state law, must be able to perform the essential functions of the job (including those listed above) either with or without reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodation, if any, will be determined by management in consultation with the employee on a case-by-case basis.

This job description is intended to be general and may be revised from time to time. At management’s discretion, the employee may be assigned different or additional duties from time to time.