Manager, Individual Giving

Position Manager, Individual Giving

Status Full-time

Department Development

Location Hybrid, 3 Days/week in Norwalk, CT

About SeriousFun

Founded by Paul Newman, SeriousFun Children’s Network is a global community of 30 independently run camps and programs across five continents. Together, these camps provide transformative experiences — always free of charge — for children with serious illnesses and their families, reaching more than 150,000 individuals annually.

Each camp and program is locally led and tailored to its community, while connected through the global Network for shared learning, support, and standards of excellence.

The SeriousFun Support Center, based in East Norwalk, CT, is a team of 33 staff who provide services that ensure program and operational excellence, create awareness, and support the continued growth of the Network worldwide.

We are committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion by valuing the experiences and voices of all who carry out our mission.

To continue this mission, we are seeking a talented development professional to join our Support Center team.

About the Role: The Manager, Individual Giving drives revenue growth, strengthens donor retention, and builds a sustainable pipeline of individual support across SeriousFun Children’s Network. Reporting to the Director of Major and Individual Giving, this role owns strategy and performance for a defined portfolio of donors and related revenue channels, ensuring clear accountability for measurable fundraising results. By combining frontline relationship management with data-informed strategy, the role increases donor lifetime value, advances upgrade movement, and strengthens recurring revenue. Ultimately, this position converts individual engagement into predictable growth that advances SeriousFun’s mission.

Areas of Ownership

Please keep in mind that percentages reflect relative priority, not exact time allocation.

• • Individual Giving Revenue & Portfolio Growth (40%)
  • Donor Engagement, Stewardship, & Retention Strategy (30%)
  • Fundraising Strategy, Analytics & Infrastructure (20%)
  • Strategic Growth Initiatives & Partnerships (10%)

Key Responsibilities

This role is responsible for the following core areas of ownership and impact; additional duties may evolve based on organizational needs.

Individual Giving Revenue & Portfolio Growth

• • Own and grow a portfolio of individual donors, driving increased retention, average gift size, and donor lifetime value. Identify, design, and execute strategies that strengthen retention, advance donors across giving levels, and expand long-term pipeline potential.
  • Contribute to portfolio strategy design, optimization, and execution, including the growth of the recurring donor program through targeted engagement and conversion strategies.
  • Develop annual revenue targets and growth plans for assigned donor segments and support performance tied to overall individual giving growth.

Donor Engagement, Stewardship, & Retention Strategy

• • Design and execute a segmented, year-round stewardship strategy that deepens donor relationships and strengthens renewal rates.
  • Lead outcomes-based cultivation and stewardship efforts, including structured donor outreach rhythms (calls, notes, updates, briefings).
  • Monitor donor engagement and renewal trends; proactively intervene to prevent lapses and increase sustained giving.
  • Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to ensure donor-facing materials support retention and upgrade goals.
  • Ensure stewardship activities are strategic, measurable, and tied to revenue outcomes.

Fundraising Strategy, Analytics & Infrastructure

• • Own donor data integrity and lead moves management strategy to ensure accurate tracking, portfolio visibility, and measurable revenue progression.
  • Lead the strategic use of data, systems, and analytics (we currently use DonorPerfect) to inform donor segmentation and support fundraising goals and growth.
  • Develop, run, analyze, and refine reporting frameworks that allow forecasting, pipeline visibility, and, ultimately, the execution of our fundraising goals.
  • Identify and implement opportunities to strengthen fundraising systems, database integrity, and scalable processes that support our fundraising strategy.
  • Contribute to long-term individual giving strategy development through analysis of performance metrics and donor trends.

Strategic Partnerships & Engagement Initiatives

• Oversee select revenue-generating initiatives and partnerships that contribute to individual giving growth and donor acquisition.
• Support the design and execution of cultivation platforms and engagement opportunities that expand the individual giving donor pipeline, including Young Executive Board (YEX) initiatives as well as events aligned with donor upgrade and pipeline development goals.
• Identify new growth opportunities within individual giving, testing and scaling strategies as appropriate.

Perform other responsibilities as needed to support the development team and organization.

What Success Looks Like

Individual giving revenue grows year over year, donor retention and upgrade rates improve, and a stronger, more predictable pipeline of committed supporters advances SeriousFun’s ability to provide life-changing camp experiences free of charge.

Key Competencies

• Job-Specific Skills: Demonstrates strong technical accounting knowledge and nonprofit finance expertise.
• Authority & Accountability: Provides direction for processes, projects, and staff; accountable for results.
• Critical Thinking & Decision-Making: Solves problems with sound judgment in complex situations.
• Planning & Organizing: Defines tasks and milestones; manages resources effectively.
• Interpersonal Skills: Builds productive relationships, collaborates respectfully, and communicates inclusively.
• Adaptability: Adjusts to changing circumstances and new information with resilience.
• Leadership: Models integrity, humility, and teamwork while supporting others’ success.

Qualifications:

Minimum

• Education: Bachelor's Degree (e.g. BA, BS) or equivalent
• Years of Relevant Work Experience: 3-5 years
• Proven skills in:
  • Microsoft Office suite.
  • Using donor databases (DonorPerfect strongly preferred).
  • Managing and upgrading donors within annual giving or mid-level portfolios.
  • Designing donor retention, stewardship, and upgrade strategies tied to revenue outcomes.
  • Running fundraising reports and interpreting donor data to guide strategic decisions.
  • Strong project management, managing multiple priorities, and collaborating cross-functionally to achieve revenue goals.
  • Develop and maintain dashboards that provide visibility into pipeline forecasting, performance trends, and revenue tracking.

Preferred:

• Experience in working in NGOs or other non-profit organizations, particularly those with federated/networked structures.

Culture, Benefits and Pay

• At SeriousFun, we pride ourselves on being a fun, respectful, and collaborative workplace where staff are supported both professionally and personally.
• Work–life balance: Respect for your non-working time (EST), with limited evening/weekend contact.
• Time off: including vacation, holidays, and volunteer opportunities at SeriousFun camps.
• Professional development: Ongoing opportunities for growth and learning.
• Leave benefits: Paid time off for family, medical, and civic service needs.
• Retirement: Company-sponsored 403(b) plan after one year of service.
• Workspace: New office in East Norwalk with free onsite amenities; steps from the train station.

Salary Range: $60,000–$70,000, based on qualifications and experience.

As part of our commitment to equity and fair pay practices, offers are not negotiated. Our transparent pay bands ensure consistency and fairness for employees of all identities and backgrounds.

Please read more Support Center here to get a sense of what’s important to us.