The Donor Engagement and Communications Liaison Officer oversees two distinct, yet related functions within the Individual Philanthropy Group (IPG) to support our growing donor base: 1) the qualification of new major donors and prospects to build the pipeline for assignment into fundraiser portfolios and (2) serve as IPG’s communications liaison on outreach to major donors including the coordination and delivery of fundraising communications such as appeals, reports and newsletters. The role will work closely with the Research team, the IPG Managing Directors and individual fundraisers to support the qualification aspects of the role and will coordinate with the Impact Communications team and the Marketing, Communications and Fundraising (MCF) division on donor messaging and materials.

The Officer will manage a revolving portfolio of an estimated 100 - 150+ new major donors who have made a qualifying gift of $10K+ or donors who give at lower levels and have been identified as having high net worth with propensity to make a significant gift. This will include tracking the effectiveness of messaging and materials and working with the Senior Managing Director and the Research team to refine the qualifications outreach strategy. The role will also ensure timely delivery of quality materials in optimal formats (i.e., printed, electronic, video, etc.) to support donor engagement and stewardship in alignment with key moments throughout each year and ad hoc events as they arise.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

Qualifying New Major Gift Donors – Strategy and Execution (55%)

Oversee the creation and evolution of IPG’s new donor qualification strategy in coordination with the Senior Managing Director, Individual Philanthropy and colleagues from Mid-Level, Operations and Prospect Management, and Research among others, based on learnings from the pilot and ongoing assessment of outcomes. Align and coordinate outreach with the Mid-Level team for jointly managed donors throughout the qualification process. Manage a revolving portfolio of an estimated 100 – 150+ new prospective major donors who have made a gift of $10K+ or donors who are giving at lower levels and have been identified as having net worth of $10M+ with high propensity to make a gift of $100K+. Qualify donors for assignment into fundraiser portfolios through outreach and communication over the phone, by email, mail and through online platforms such as LinkedIn to assess interest in deepened engagement and increased giving, including offering donors the opportunity to meet in person with a fundraiser. Upon qualification, oversee the smooth transition of donors from the Officer’s qualification portfolio to a major gift officer’s portfolio to continue development of the donor relationship. Analyze donor capacity, giving history, and philanthropic interests to assess alignment with the organization’s mission and funding needs. Develop strategies and materials for donor engagement and qualification of the donors in the Officer’s portfolio, utilizing existing content and creating new messaging and approaches as needed to meet targets. Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records in the fundraising database, including qualification status and moves management, in line with the recommendations and guidance from Operations and Prospect Management. Propose and agree changes to processes as needed to ensure efficient entry and tracking of outcomes. In coordination with the Research team and Operations and Prospect Management, develop a process to provide fundraisers with donor research and relevant information to support outreach and relationship-building with newly assigned donors. Leverage CRM system to make the process as efficient as possible. Collaborate with managing directors and frontline fundraisers to assign qualified major donors to portfolios based on strategic fit and geographic territory. Communicate effectively with fundraisers and other stakeholders to ensure alignment and address any issues related to donor qualification and assignment. Coordinate closely with Operations and Prospect Management and other colleagues as needed to review, finalize, present and adapt/improve metric reports on key indicators including donor responsiveness, giving and upgrades into major gift officer portfolios. Recommend changes and improvements in qualification criteria, processes and strategies based on evolving organizational goals and donor trends. Stay current with best practices and trends in donor qualification and fundraising strategies.

Serve as Major Donor Fundraising Communications Liaison (35%)

Serve as key liaison from within IPG with the Impact Communications team and the MCF division to ensure timely delivery of quality materials in optimal formats (i.e., printed, electronic, video, etc.) to support donor engagement and increased giving in alignment with key moments throughout each year and ad hoc events as they arise, including select major donor webinars and in-person events with program experts. Serve as lead from within IPG coordinating with Impact Communications colleagues on the development of strategies and materials for donor solicitation and stewardship for planned outreach, campaigns and ad hoc moments, including monthly e-newsletters, annual thank you videos, the annual report, etc. Submit trackers with detailed communications requirements to engage other teams in the creation of the materials needed. Review, edit and provide feedback on content as appropriate and needed. Garner feedback from fundraisers on strategy, content and quality/timeliness of materials on an ongoing basis with an eye toward continuous improvement and evolution of approaches to leverage new technologies and meet/exceed donor needs/expectations. Provide analysis of results of outreach to guide ongoing strategy. Oversee schedule of production, outreach and reports in coordination with Impact Communications, Mid-Level/MCF and other stakeholders.

Stakeholder/Agency Engagement (10%)

Maintain knowledge of programs and emergency responses of Save the Children through attendance of agency learning opportunities, proactive search and collaboration with peers to find overviews and updates to utilize in donor outreach and engagement efforts. Perform other duties including working on special projects and possibly management of interns or other volunteer staff.

Required Qualifications

Minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, plus at least 5 years of relevant experience Experience and enthusiasm for personally reaching out and communicating over the phone, by email, mail and through online platforms such as LinkedIn to engage donors or clients on a journey toward increased engagement, giving or purchasing that includes meeting in person with a fundraiser or sales associate Demonstrated experience, creativity and innovative thinking in coordinating with writers on the creation of major donor or client outreach communications to meet the needs of fundraisers or sales teams to increase engagement and commitment to an organization or company Project management and organizational skills including detail orientation, with ability to oversee multiple deliverables, manage stakeholder groups with potentially different points of view and adapt to evolving priorities A high level of integrity and work ethic including the ability to maintain professional demeanor in high pressure environments Professional proficiency in MS Office suite  Experience using CRM databases such as Blackbaud or Salesforce Professional proficiency in spoken and written English

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working in non-profit organizations

Compensation

Save the Children is offering the following salary ranges for this position, dependent on candidate location: 

Geo 1 - NY Metro, DC, and other locations with labor costs significantly above national average: Target Salary for this position is $84,150 – $94,050 base salary  Geo 2 - Locations around the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $76,500 – $85,500 base salary  Geo 3 - Locations significantly below the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $68,850 – $76,950 base salary 

The salary ranges listed above are for US based candidates. For candidates located outside of the US, salary ranges will be based on the salary scales of the local employer of record.  

Actual base salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, base salary of internal peers, business sector, and geographic location (more information on job structure is available here). Employee may be eligible for an incentive program. Save the Children US also offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, a retirement savings plan with employer contribution, paid vacation leave, safety & wellness leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, caregiver leave, and much more. 

About Save the Children 

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share. 

Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond.  As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging. 

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. 

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.