Annual Giving Manager

Position Summary:

Democracy Forward Foundation (“Democracy Forward”) is seeking an Annual Giving Manager, providing a critical role in designing and implementing the organization’s annual giving program. This program is foundational to building steady, year-over-year revenue for the organization and creating a robust donor pipeline. 

The Manager of Annual Giving will work in collaboration with senior leadership and consultants to develop and implement fundraising strategies for an existing portfolio of donors as well as designing an upgrade program for identified prospects.  Reporting to Senior Advisor of Partnerships, the Manager of Annual Giving will hold primary responsibility for the cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and donor engagement activities as they relate to this portfolio of donors. This staff member will work closely with the Senior Philanthropic Advisor to leverage donor engagement strategies being used to cultivate, solicit, and steward major to principal donors. The manager will play a key role in building a comprehensive, multi-channel annual appeal process. Additionally, the manager will implement a strategy, co-created with the Senior Advisor, to engage, retain, and upgrade donors within this portfolio. Occasional travel to support donor visits, regional events, and to participate in team meetings may be required. 

The ideal candidate will have experience working within a fast-paced, high-performing environment and is both flexible and detail-oriented. This position requires strategic and creative thinking, high emotional intelligence, excellent project management skills, and the ability to integrate and adapt based on feedback. Additionally, experience working with a principal with deep relationships and strong engagement is a plus. 

This position is full-time. Democracy Forward’s office is located in Washington, DC. Candidates will be expected to work in the office at least three days per week to effectively support the nature of the role.

Key Responsibilities:

Below are the key areas of responsibility for this role. The specifics of each responsibility may vary based on the needs of the organization and department.

• Learn and maintain a deep working knowledge of Democracy Forward and its mission, values, strategic goals, and programs.
• Execute an annual communications plan and calendar for mid-range and annual giving donor portfolio including appeals and campaigns aimed at engaging, retaining and upgrading donors.
• Collaborate with marketing, communications, and development consultants to craft messaging.
• With the Senior Advisor design, implement and manage a comprehensive, proactive development plan for mid-level and annual giving that dovetails with major and principal donor giving strategies and plans. 
• Collaborate and problem solve with the development team to increase recruitment, retention, and renewal of donors.
• Working with the digital team, identify prospects for mid-level/annual giving portfolios and conduct comprehensive prospect research and a qualification program.
• Work with the current development team to plan and execute donor cultivation and stewardship activities, including briefings, meet and greets, recognition events, personalized thank you strategies, impact reporting, and other strategies tailored to prospect and donor interests which leverage internal staff expertise.
• Provide regular reporting and insights to optimize fundraising strategies.
• Assist with maintaining accurate records in the donor CRM, tracking research insights, moves management, and prospect and solicitation assignments. Utilize CRM tools to generate prospect and solicitation lists, reporting materials, and other key internal reports. 
• Assist in creation and maintenance of the highest standard of organizational and business practices as they relate to development. 
• Keep abreast of fundraising best practices and trends. Seek out and participate in external events and networking opportunities.
• Engage in regular check-ins with supervisor, members of the Executive Office and consultant team to review work plans and develop solutions to ensure programmatic success. 
• Other related duties as assigned or they arise.

Qualifications:

We recognize that strong candidates may not meet 100% of the qualifications listed. If you believe you can contribute meaningfully to our team, we encourage you to apply.

Key Qualifications:

• Commitment to Democracy Forward’s mission.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible work experience within campaign fundraising operation or a nonprofit environment, including individual giving, annual gifts, and planned giving.
• Certification in Blackbaud strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate donor solicitations and successful donor pipeline management.
• Experience working with and soliciting gifts from low dollar to mid-range or more. 
• Ability to effectively fundraise for and within a rapidly growing multi-million dollar organization with several programmatic priorities and strategies that pivot quickly based on evolving federal and state-level legal landscape.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. 
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Google Suites and Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge.
• Excellent judgment, flexibility, and emotional intelligence.
• Highly detail-oriented and organized, with strong communications skills.
• Ability to plan for and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively with people of different backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles.
• Commitment to an inclusive workplace.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

• This role may require occasional travel for team retreats, conferences, or organizational meetings.
• This role may involve sitting for extended periods and working on a computer. Accommodations will be provided as needed.

The salary range for this position is $90,000-$115,000 plus excellent benefits. Compensation is commensurate with experience.

Democracy Forward Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals. We strongly encourage people of color; LGBTQIA+ people; women; people with disabilities; and veterans to apply. Please note that all lawyer positions require a law degree and active membership in the bar of a state or the District of Columbia. 

Not sure you meet all of our qualifications? Research shows that men apply for jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria. Yet women and other people who are systematically marginalized tend to only apply if they meet every requirement.  If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. Whether you are new to mission-based legal and policy work, returning to work after a gap in employment, or simply looking to transition or take the next step in your career path, we welcome the opportunity to have you on our radar.  Please include in your cover letter the nature of your interest in legal and policy work promoting democracy and progress and what you hope to bring to our team and the role for which you are applying. 

Democracy Forward is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all, including those with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to complete this application, interview, or otherwise participate in the hiring process, please email [email protected] or 833-391-4732.