Director of Major Gifts

 Donor Relations & Marketing Team

Founded in 1987, Damien Center is Indiana's oldest and largest AIDS service organization (ASO) and serves more than 8000 individuals living with or at risk for HIV through a comprehensive, innovative approach to care and prevention. Our purpose is to be a trusted partner in providing services, education and advocacy for all people living with or at risk for HIV and any person seeking a safe and welcoming home for care. Our services include care coordination, clinical and pharmacy services, mental health, housing, and nutrition.

Damien Center Values

Dignity-Collaboration-Accountability-Equity-Quality-Innovation

Protecting our team members, clients, volunteers, and community partners is an integral part of how we ensure our continued work with the clients we serve. As a condition of employment, Damien Center requires all new hires to be vaccinated against Covid 19 in compliance with the CDC vaccination guidelines including all boosters. All current Damien Center team members are fully vaccinated against Covid 19 and up to date with all boosters effective November 30, 2022.

Also, as a condition of employment, Damien Center requires all team members to be vaccinated against influenza and receive a tuberculosis skin test (or chest x-ray) annually, barring an approved exemption. Damien Center offers onsite vaccinations for all these vaccines on a regular basis including an optional Hepatitis B vaccination.

Position Summary:

The Director of Major Gifts manages a portfolio of approximately 120-150 donors. Approximately 80% of the Director of Major Gift's portfolio consists of individuals or households giving $1,000 or more annually; the remainder are prospective donors. The Director of Major Gifts cultivates, solicits, and stewards these donors, deepening their relationships with Damien Center and their understanding of the impact and importance of their philanthropic support. The director will be responsible for managing individual giving membership programs and will spend additional time prospecting new or potential donors and potential donor giving levels. Most of their time should be spent in direct interaction with donors and preparing support materials for these meetings. They must be able to work individually and in collaboration with staff, board, and committee members to move donors through the fundraising cycle.

Duties and Responsibilities:

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this position. It should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all required duties, responsibilities, and skills.

• Actively manage a portfolio of 120-150 donors and prospective donors as agreed upon by the VP of Donor Relations and Marketing.
• Execute plans for donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship in order to meet annual giving goals and expand Damien Center's base of community support.
• Achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual goals for prospect and donor visits and solicitations and document successes and donor interest information.
• Implement engagement strategies including personal visits, small group activities, tours, presentations, telephone calls, direct mail, and email communications with the support and partnership of full Donor Relations & Marketing team.
• Maintain giving society memberships, plan new member solicitations, develop benefits structure and programming for recognition events, and develop and promote other individual giving programs as appropriate and agreed upon with the CEO and VP of Donor Relations & Marketing  
• Develop solicitation goals, cultivation strategies, and stewardship plans that are tailored to each donor and make them feel respected, knowledgeable, included, and inspired to continue their support and increase when possible.
• Maintain an up-to-date portfolio of donors, including identification and research of potential new donors.
• Strategize and prioritize solicitations in order to meet goals and coordinate other staff involvement such as the CEO, program staff, or others who may help the donor better understand Damien Center.
• Work with Board members and volunteers to identify potential new donors and strategies to reach them.
• Coordinate with other donor relations team members to identify potential individual giving donors who attend special events and other Damien Center activities and create plans to engage deeper.
• Attend Damien Center special events, community events as a representative of Damien Center, and other activities that may lead to donor prospects.
• Develop personalized recognition and benefit programs for donors.
• Work with team to develop creative strategies for increased giving, such as match/challenge gifts, planned gifts, or gifts to support timely organizational needs.
• Communicate persuasively through individualized meetings and proposals.
• Use Raiser's Edge/NXT database to record touchpoints and movement through the fundraising cycle.
• In keeping with Damien Center's DEI Plan, consciously reach out to, respect, and incorporate donors and prospects of diverse identities and backgrounds.
• In collaboration with other team members, identify segments of donors to receive customized communications and recognitions.
• Ensure accuracy of annual donor listings
• Maintain records of pledges and planned gifts 
• Support and attend fundraising and outreach events.
• When not meeting with donors, the individual is expected to work in the office with the Donor Relations and Marketing team.
• Perform special assignments and other work, on an as needed basis.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor's Degree required. Nonprofit management or philanthropy degree preferred. Four years' experience in fundraising and/or sales required. Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) or ability to secure CFRE within one year of hire required. Knowledge and proven experience in donor engagement, fundraising, planned giving, and/or sales best practices preferred.

*Work or lived experience may substitute for education requirements on a case-by-case basis.

 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Possess superior organizational and administrative skills. Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities. Excellent computer skills in a Microsoft Windows environment. Ability to work independently and achieve high standards of productivity, achieving deadlines and with superior product results. Strong calendaring, organizational, and document management skills required. Proactive approach to solving problems and communicating to leadership. Knowledge of office management systems, procedures, and office equipment required. Excellent time management skills and ability to prioritize work.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the basic knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The individual in this role must display the highest level of integrity and confidentiality. The individual should have effective communication skills, attention to detail and organization, and flexibility and adaptability. The individual will also maintain knowledge of trends in their area of responsibility.

Physical Demands: 

The physical demands described here are general representations of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, reach with hands and arms, talk, and hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to touch and handle objects. The employee frequently stands or walks.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Remote work is on a case-by-case basis and must be approved by the supervisor. Remote work is the exception and not the rule.

• Office setting, with sustained use of a computer.
• The noise level in the work environment is minimal to moderate.
• Maintains personal and professional competency and works to create an environment of courtesy, respect, e inclusion and positivity in all interactions both internal and external to the organization.
• Flexibility with work schedules is required to accommodate meetings with donors and stakeholders outside of standard business hours. Flexibility will be granted to account for hours worked outside of typical office hours.

• FLSA Status: Full-time, Exempt               
• Leader: Vice President of Donor Relations & Marketing
• Salary: $76,000 annually

Benefits: 

• 150 hours of PTO in the first year followed by 195 hours per year moving forward.
• 12 paid holidays
• 2 medical plans to select from (PPO & HDHP)
• Dental & Vision plans
• Health Saving Account or Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Employee Assistance Program
• 403b Retirement Account with 5% matching and 100% vesting after 90 days
• Life Insurance @ 2 times the annual salary
• Voluntary Life Insurance Plan
• Short- & Long-Term Disability Plans

 

Damien Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer

 

Damien Center provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family status, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, amnesty, status as a covered veteran, other legally protected status, or genetic (including family medical history) information.

Damien Center complies with applicable federal laws and with all state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which Damien Center has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

 

 

Please apply at www.damien.org/job-opportunities

 

This position description does not constitute a contract of employment or guarantee of any terms or conditions of employment.  Damien Center employees are employed on an at-will basis. Nothing in this position description restricts Damien Center's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time.