Philanthropy Officer

Job Summary

Working within the Development Department, the Philanthropy Officer is responsible for implementing and maintaining the annual fund for the Erie City Mission. The Philanthropy Officer will lead donors toward a deeper understanding of the homeless needs in our community and challenge them to prayerfully respond to those needs through the work of our ministry. Working directly with individual donors, corporations, churches, and foundations, they will raise funds to support the programs and services of the Erie City Mission. Principal duties and responsibilities include developing and executing cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for a 100–125-person portfolio.

This position also oversees the management of the Gifts Processor.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Develop and maintain a personal portfolio of 100-125 major donors and prospects to achieve increased engagement and revenue.
• Develop a strategic fundraising plan consisting of identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individuals capable of making outright and/or planned gifts.
• Design and implement short- and long-term engagement plans geared toward securing gifts of $5,000+.
• Actively solicit and close gifts at the major gift level from a portfolio of current and prospective donors.
• Continually identify and qualify new major gift prospects using a prospect research platform.
• Conduct eight-10 in-person and/or virtual visits per month. 
• Working with the Development Director, create and manage a holistic annual plan, defining revenue and activity goals, and monthly metrics including a fundraising plan for prospects giving below $5,000.
• In collaboration with the Director of Development, continually review the donor pipeline and identify additional prospects for assignment to portfolios.
• Support the CEO, Director of Development, and Board of Directors by staffing donor visits when appropriate, preparing materials for solicitation, managing leadership communication, correspondence, proposals, presentations, and oral briefings.
• Appropriately track donor gift activity in CRM (Donor Perfect) as related to portfolio activity, solicitations and proposals, revenue, and reporting requirements, ensuring timely and accurate data entry.
• Provide monthly and year-end reporting to ensure that numbers are properly recorded, and that the Finance Department is provided accurate data from philanthropy activities.
• Work collaboratively with the Development Department to ensure the maximization of all donor giving opportunities; i.e.: marketing, special events, etc.
• In collaboration with the Director of Development, build and monitor the annual development budget that integrates all elements of the Mission’s fundraising programs and makes accurate assumptions about short and long-term income and expenses.
• Work directly with the finance department to closely monitor the success of fundraising efforts to meet current approved budget, fundraising, and strategic goals.
• Represent the organization in various community settings, including speaking engagements directly related to resource development to spread the word about our mission and ministry.
• Manage the Gifts Processor, ensuring gifts and pledges are processed and recorded according to current policies and procedures (including daily batch reconciliation, receipting, record keeping, year-end reporting, etc.).
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Qualifications
This role represents the Erie City Mission in a professional and polished manner when communicating with major donors, partners, and constituents. The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented, proactive, positive, confident, articulate, and highly professional while personable and friendly. This position requires a high level of discernment at all times.

Education and Experience
Bachelor’s degree in a related field (business, marketing, sales) or have had the equivalent professional training and successful experience needed to perform the defined job functions.
A minimum of three years of experience in fundraising with demonstrated results in leadership, major and principal gifts, and proven success in nonprofit philanthropy preferred.

Skills & Abilities
The Erie City Mission considers every position one of Christian ministry and every person a vital and valued part of our team. Therefore, it is essential that all employees of the Erie City Mission have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and subscribe to our Statement of Faith and Core Values.

• Demonstrated accomplishment in managing donor portfolios, strategic planning, solicitations, and achieving or exceeding personal and department fundraising goals required.
• Experience with a broad spectrum of fundraising practices (planned giving, annual fund, major gifts).
• Proven track record of identifying, cultivating, stewarding, soliciting, and closing gifts of $5,000 or more.
• Strong experience and confidence in working and communicating with Board members, donors, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Understanding of gift planning vehicles and strategies, as well as a command of current US fundraising regulations and practices. 
• Adherence to the highest ethical standards with the ability to act with discretion and diplomacy.
• Sound judgment in maintaining the strictest of confidentiality of donor information.
• Strong donor database management skills, knowledge of Donor Perfect software preferred.
• Detail oriented; demonstrating accuracy working with data entry and analysis.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Strong writing, proofreading, verbal, interpersonal, and group communication skills.
• Tech-savvy, computer skills: proficiency in Microsoft Office software required; familiarity with use of prospect research platforms preferred.
• Exceptional administrative, organizational, and time management skills.
• Personal qualities of maturity, humility, strong work ethic, and a roll-up-my-sleeves attitude.
• Demonstrated experience with and sensitivity to varying cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds, values, and attitudes.
  
  

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative 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 primarily sedentary, sitting for long periods of time and is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, and talk or hear.  The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms.  The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and taste or smell.

The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/ or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and /or move up to 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Viewing a computer screen for long periods of time is required.

Other
Works out of the main campus. May be required to adjust schedule during weekends and holidays. Role involves local travel.

Compensation and Benefits
$56,000 - $60,000 annually. Competitive salary wages are commensurate with experience.

Full-time employees after 90 days receive:

• 401(k) with generous 5% company match
• Dental and basic life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability
• Paid sick and personal days (9)
• Paid holidays (10)

Other full-time employee benefits include:

• Health insurance
• Paid vacation days
• 30-minute paid lunch
• Free on-campus lunch

To Apply: Interested applicants should submit a Cover Letter and Resume to [email protected]