Philanthropy and Donor Acquisition Officer

Position Summary

As the Philanthropy and Donor Acquisition Officer, you play a key role in advancing the Jewish Federation of St. Louis's mission by building meaningful relationships with donors and identifying new philanthropic partners. This position manages a portfolio of current and prospective donors, develops strategic cultivation and solicitation plans, and helps grow the Federation's annual campaign through donor engagement, stewardship, and acquisition efforts. The ideal candidate is a skilled relationship builder who is motivated by connecting people to purpose and inspiring philanthropic investment in our community.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Management and Donor Engagement

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 100 donors and prospects with annual giving potential of $1,000+.
• Develop and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
• Conduct donor visits, calls, and outreach activities to deepen engagement.
• Maintain timely and accurate donor activity records in the CRM system.

Stewardship & Collaboration

• Build authentic, long-term relationships with donors to enhance engagement and loyalty.
• Develop compelling donor proposals, impact reports, and stewardship materials.
• Engage through Federation events and activities that current donors and prospects to share the mission of Federation
• Coordinate, plan and execute stewardship activities, including thank‑you calls, recognition, and donor briefings.
• Ensure high-quality donor experience aligned with organizational values.

Donor Acquisition and Fundraising

• Solicit annual campaign gifts and increase donor engagement through strategic relationship-building.
• Identify opportunities to move donors through the pipeline toward increased giving and involvement.
• Collaborate on fundraising strategies supporting both Annual Campaign and TFRD initiatives.

Volunteer and Campaign Leadership

• Partner with campaign volunteers and lay leaders to support donor outreach efforts.
• Provide volunteers with training, tools, and coaching necessary for successful solicitations.
• Support campaign events and engagement opportunities that advance fundraising goals.

Collaboration & Internal Partnership

• Work closely with the AVP, Annual Campaign on prospect strategy, growth, and pipeline management.
• Partner across departments to effectively communicate Federation priorities and community impact.
• Participate in fundraising events and organizational initiatives as needed.

Success Metrics

• Achievement of annual fundraising goals.
• Growth in donor retention and engagement.
• Number of qualified new donor relationships established.
• Completion of portfolio moves management goals.
• Accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions.

Responsibilities

• Implement campaign strategy, donor development pipelines, and coordinate with lead staff on major campaign events.
• Prospect new donor engagement opportunities
• Collaborate with Development Leadership to set campaign goals and metrics.
• Manage strategies for benchmark giving levels through moves management.
• Personally solicit from a donor portfolio and oversee a group of volunteer solicitors
• Coordinate with finance team on pledge/payment documentation, acknowledgements, tax letters, tributes, and billing for portfolio of donors
• Ensure campaign volunteers are motivated, trained, and prepared for donor outreach.
• Serve as a collaborative member of the Development team; perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 5+ years of fundraising, sales, relationship management, or related experience.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to connect with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.

• Comfort with donor databases (CRM), data entry, and tracking activities.
• Ability to articulate a complex organization’s mission, accomplishments, and goals.
• Maturity, sound judgment, and ability to interact with major donors, Board members, and staff.
• Proficiency with database systems and constituent relationship management software (e.g., Dynamics 360) and Microsoft Office.
• Familiarity with Jewish culture, values, traditions, and communal organizations is preferred. Candidates who are eager to learn and effectively represent the Federation's mission are encouraged to apply.
• Demonstrated ability to use data to achieve strategic outcomes.
• Strong organizational, strategic planning, and relationship-building skills.
• Team-oriented and collaborative mindset.