Philanthropy Officer

Why This Role Is Different

Flatbush Cats is on a mission to reduce overcrowded animal shelters in New York City. We’ve grown from a grassroots rescue group into a citywide disruptor with an inspiring mission: to make veterinary care more affordable and accessible for pet owners.

We’re looking for a Philanthropy Officer to lead us through an exciting period of growth. You will help shape the next chapter of Flatbush Cats by building relationships with donors who believe in bold, agile, high-impact work and who are ready to invest at the six-figure level to expand it.

Our fundraising strategy reflects our daring programmatic work; we don’t do galas, we don’t sell “naming opportunities” as our primary strategy, we don’t rely on restricted revenue to close large gifts. We build real relationships. We make compelling cases. We sit across the table and confidently ask for transformative support, live and in person.

This role is ideal for someone who is:

• A proven fundraiser who has personally secured six-figure gifts and can speak clearly about how those relationships were built and closed
• Relationship-driven, with a belief that fundraising is built on trust, not transactions
• Assertive and proactive, comfortable initiating conversations and making direct asks
• Adaptable and comfortable in a fast-moving, evolving environment
• Highly accountable, with strong ownership over goals, follow-through, and results
• Reflective and solutions-oriented, with a focus on continuous improvement
• Energized by ambitious goals and motivated by securing transformational support
• A strong communicator and storyteller who can inspire action
• Detail-oriented and disciplined with systems, using tools like Salesforce effectively
• Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively

Role Summary

The Philanthropy Officer is responsible for developing, growing, and stewarding a portfolio of high-capacity individual donors and prospects capable of making annual and capital campaign gifts of $5,000 to $250,000+. This position leads donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies, integrates a moves-management approach across the portfolio, and partners across teams to ensure meaningful donor experiences.

Key Responsibilities

Donor Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Build, manage, and grow an active portfolio of approximately 75–125 major gift prospects and donors with the potential to give $5,000 - $250,000.
• Lead strategic cultivation and solicitation activities, including personalized engagement plans and moves-management strategies for each donor
• Conduct donor visits (in person and virtual), meaningful outreach, and follow-up with consistency and professionalism.
• Utilize CRM tools to track donor interactions, update records promptly, and generate clear reports that inform strategy and forecast revenue.

Relationship-Based Fundraising

• Develop deep, long-term relationships with donors characterized by active listening and alignment of donor interests to organizational priorities.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and, when appropriate, Board members or team members on coordinated donor outreach, cultivation events, and high-impact solicitations.
• Create customized proposals and compelling cases for support that reflect donor interests, mission impact, and campaign objectives.

Solicitation & Closing Gifts

• Lead the preparation and execution of major gift solicitations, focused on live and in-person six-figure asks, with confidence, clarity, and care.
• Present funding opportunities and tailored giving strategies that reflect an investor-mindset toward philanthropy.
• Drive gift closures while maintaining donor dignity and ensuring clarity on the use and impact of contributions.
• Clearly articulate the case for unrestricted and strategic growth funding

Stewardship & Donor Care

• Design and implement highly personalized stewardship plans that deepen donor engagement encourage long-term loyalty
• Work closely with Development and Communications teams to ensure timely stewardship communications, recognition, and reporting.

Collaborative Leadership

• Serve as a strategic partner to the Director of Development and other staff, offering insight on portfolio strategies, donor trends, and best practices.
• Contribute to a culture of accountability, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous learning.

Qualifications

Required

• A proven track record of securing major gifts at or above the six-figure level.
• Demonstrated success in relationship-based fundraising, including significant experience with highly personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Assertive yet humble communicator capable of initiating donor relationships, confidently asking for transformational support, and effectively managing complex conversations.
• Highly accountable: able to set, track, and deliver on measurable objectives with integrity and transparency.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to build trust quickly with donors, volunteers, and internal team.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities; comfortable preparing proposals and presenting to high-level stakeholders.

Preferred Experience

• Using Salesforce to maintain accurate donor records and portfolio tracking.
• Participating in a capital campaign or working closely with campaign leadership.
• Mentoring or coaching volunteers and board members on engagement and solicitation practices.
• Thrive in a fast-growing team that takes quick action

We strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented and marginalized communities to apply.

To Apply: https://bit.ly/FBCPhilanthropyOfficer

Benefits

• Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance (employer covers 100% of health premiums and deductible)
• 401(k) matching
• 3 weeks PTO
• Flexible hybrid schedule
• Professional development assistance
• A collaborative, mission-driven team, plus unlimited cats