Position Summary

The Donor Relations Officer is responsible for stewarding a portfolio of donors (including fund advisors and Pledge 1% members) and cultivating new and deepened investments across multiple funding streams (Donor Advised Funds, Permanent Fund for Boston, Civic Leadership Fund, partnership initiatives and The Philanthropic Initiative). S/he will also manage events, donor-initiated special projects, memorial funds and supporting organizations, as assigned.

Essential Functions

• Initiate and cultivate relationships with new and existing donors - both fund holders and Pledge 1% members - with the goal of repeat gifts, deeper engagement in the work of the Foundation, and legacy planning through the planned giving program;
• Manage relationships with a portfolio of 100-125 Donor Advised Fund holders and other donors;
• Manage special fund services for supporting organizations and memorial funds, as assigned;
• Manage an integrated stewardship plan for a variety of constituencies including Pledge 1% and Legacy donors;
• Develop and manage donor education and engagement activities and participate in the development and coordination of events;
• Work with the investment, finance and/or fund administration teams to resolve and/or develop creative solutions to fund and grant issues and donor requests;
• Maintain prospect, donor and fund records in Salesforce database; ensure timely entry of activities;
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to implement and uphold data integrity protocols to ensure accurate reporting and inform departmental activities;
• Field inquiries via telephone, correspondence and email;
• Support gift acknowledgement processes during peak seasons;
• Support the development and growth of partnership opportunities to deepen engagement and meaningful collaboration between the Boston Foundation and donors; and
• Support business development and cultivate referrals for The Philanthropic Initiative.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Individuals assigned to this position may perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Preparation, Knowledge, Previous Experience:

• Bachelor degree or equivalent; and
• At least 5 years of work experience in development and client relations.

Skills, Abilities, Competencies:

• Demonstrated experience working with high net worth donors and familiarity with fundraising and philanthropy;
• Strong collaboration and influencing skills;
• Demonstrated ability to advise and council individuals and families on their philanthropy  decision making and planning;
• Ability to understand and communicate finance, accounting and investment strategies to a wide range of audiences, including donors and professional advisors;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong customer service orientation;
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office products - especially Word, Excel, Outlook and Power Point; database experience (Salesforce) strongly preferred;
• Excellent data management and reporting skills;
• Solid organization skills and impeccable attention to detail and accuracy;
• Willingness and ability to work outside the regularly scheduled work day as needed;
• Professional and mature interpersonal work style, ability to interact well with a diverse range of people;
• Must be independent, proactive and able to work under the pressure of tight deadlines;
• Participatory work style; team player and sense of humor; ability to give and receive feedback;
• Strong goal orientation with flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and respond to development opportunities as they arise; and
• Willingness and ability to handle confidential information.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands:

• Ability to sit for long periods of time;
• Ability to use a computer keyboard for extended periods of time; and 
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds occasionally.

The content is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by persons assigned to this job.  It is not intended to constitute an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents, who are or become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act or applicable state law, must be able to perform the essential functions of the job (including those listed above) either with or without reasonable accommodation.  Reasonable accommodation, if any, will be determined by management in consultation with the employee on a case-by-case basis.

This job description is intended to be general and may be revised from time to time.  At management’s discretion, the employee may be assigned different or additional duties from time to time.

Updated 4-2018