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.