Zeno is seeking an entrepreneurial relationship builder to lead its efforts to identify, build, and strengthen relationships with individual donors, especially major donors. The Donor Stewardship Manager will work closely with the Executive Director and the board to develop and implement creative strategies to increase donor engagement and individual giving. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is looking to join a collaborative team in an exciting period of organizational growth. 

The ideal candidate might be someone newer to fundraising who is looking to develop major gifts expertise and grow with Zeno as our funding grows, or it might be a more seasoned development professional who is seeking creative opportunities in a unique development role, where the board is involved, the Executive Director is joyfully leading fundraising efforts, and the goals are both clear and reasonable. Either way, the successful candidate will be a curious, growth-oriented person who wants to keep learning and trying new things, and who shares Zeno’s vision of a world where everyone knows they can do math. 

About Zeno

At Zeno we work to ensure kids are math-ready for school.

We accomplish this by working directly with the adults in kids’ lives, supporting kids’ competence and confidence in math from early learning through elementary school in communities with high economic needs. Our programs serve over 1500 families a year, incorporating games, fun, and play to build foundational math skills.  Zeno’s programs are starting to garner national attention making this a particularly exciting time to work at Zeno.

Founded in 2006, Zeno currently employs 11 team members and has a budget of approximately $1 million a year.  Zeno is proud of its progressive, flexible work culture based on our guiding principles, including: a learning mindset, the willingness to take risks and fail, diversity in perspectives and ideas, execution over perfection, and a genuine belief in the importance of work-life balance. To learn more about Zeno, please visit www.zenomath.org.

The Role

The Donor Stewardship Manager will work in partnership with the Executive Director to prospect, build, and strengthen relationships with individual donors, especially major donors.

The work includes donor research, interacting with donors by email and phone, planning small donor gatherings, attending donor meetings with the Executive Director, and executing behind-the-scenes organizing, planning, donor proposals, and reporting.  The Donor Stewardship Manager will work closely with the Executive Director and Board to set strategy and goals that will lead to increased donor engagement and giving, and to ensure that donor interactions align with Zeno’s mission, values, and culture. They will also help to lead the Development Team, which consists of the Development Coordinator (responsible for gift processing and coordination of events) and the Communications & Grants Manager (responsible for overall communications and grant writing/reporting).

In keeping with Zeno’s belief that there is almost always more than one good way to solve a problem, this position’s responsibilities will be based in part on the skills and experience of the person selected.  Candidates who are newer to development work will have opportunities to hone their skills in planning donor strategies and making asks without having supervisory responsibilities.  More seasoned development leaders would be responsible for developing overarching strategy and supervising the development team from the start.  The salary will be adjusted accordingly 

Key Job Responsibilities

Engage Donors: With the strong support of the Executive Director, prospect, engage, solicit, and steward major donors. Plan and implement engagement activities for donors, including planning site visits, donor meetings, and engagement events. Develop long-term partnerships with donors.

Develop and Implement Donor Strategy: Work with the Executive Director to develop and implement fundraising strategies and plans. Monitor donor communications to ensure purposeful and positive interactions.  Ensure all donor interactions align with Zeno’s mission, culture, and strategy.

Lead the Development Team:  Act as a leader of the Development Team of three members (including this role).  Lead the collaborative creation of team goals, and ensure the smooth coordination of events and donor communications. Supervision of the team may be included depending on previous development and supervisory experience.

Ideal Skills & Qualifications

The Ideal Candidate will have 3-5 years of experience in fund development, or related experience in for-profit sales or other positions involving building strong relationships with clients and moving them towards a shared goal. They will have experience engaging with donors or customers both face to face and on the phone, and they will have creative ideas about new ways to engage Zeno’s donors. They will be a talented storyteller who can help a donor understand the value of their investment in Zeno.  All of this will require excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

In addition to working directly with donors, the ideal candidate will have the analytical abilities to measure progress and spot trends, and facility with technology so they can efficiently navigate a donor database and create written materials and reports. Experience working in Excel to analyze sets of data and experience with Salesforce are both a plus. The candidate also needs to have excellent organizational skills and attention to details to ensure that tasks are completed, donors are responded to in a timely manner, and all records are properly maintained.

Success at Zeno requires a commitment to being part of a diverse and goal-oriented team that values ongoing learning and willingness to try, fail, and persevere. Part of our work is exploring ways we can increase equity and inclusion, and a willingness to engage in that work with curiosity about diverse perspectives and the ability to self-reflect is an important part of our team culture. Finally, in an office culture based on personal accountability and trust, we seek someone who will maintain the highest level of professionalism and integrity while still valuing fun and having a life outside of the office.

Compensation
and Benefits

This is a full time exempt position reporting to the Executive Director. Salary range is between $50,000 and $70,000, depending on previous development and/or major gift experience. Benefits include a flexible work schedule, unlimited paid time off, and healthcare benefits.  The candidate would ideally start by July 1, 2017. 

Zeno’s office is located in Seattle’s Central District.  The workspace is a shared open area, and there are opportunities to work remotely when necessary. This position requires the ability to transport oneself to donor meetings throughout the Seattle metro area.

To Apply

Please apply online by clicking on this link: https://cloversearchworks.recruiterbox.com/jobs/fk0mon7

In your cover letter, please describe as specifically as you can how your interests, skills, and experience are a fit with the goals and requirements of this position as described in this announcement.

Applications will be accepted through May 15, 2017. Serious consideration will be given to applications as soon as they are received, and interviewing will begin in mid-May. All applications will be acknowledged via an email receipt and will be held confidentially within the hiring committee.

The search for this position is being facilitated by Clover Search Works, a search firm that provides a full range of search services to nonprofit organizations in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Clover Search Works is honored to work with Zeno and is working hard to recruit a motivated team member who is passionate about advancing Zeno’s mission. 

Questions regarding this opportunity can be directed to Emily Anthony of Clover Search Works.

Email: [email protected] Phone: 206-355-9132