The Philanthropy Officer for Annual Giving and Stewardship works as an integral leader of the Philanthropy Team, meeting both individual and team fundraising goals. The Philanthropy Officer is responsible for all aspects of the organization’s membership and annual giving program. Key responsibilities include creating, planning and executing membership campaigns; planning and executing philanthropy events; managing a comprehensive stewardship plan; and connecting membership as a pipeline to increased and major giving. The Philanthropy Officer will supervise the Membership Coordinator and work collaboratively across teams to maximize the annual giving to Island Institute. Most importantly, the person in this position provides creative strategies and works collaboratively with the Marketing and Philanthropy Teams to increase the number of active members.

The Philanthropy Officer is also team-minded and self-aware, able to give and accept constructive and consistent feedback, and committed to the Institute’s organizational values. The Philanthropy Officer carefully allocates time and organizational resources while working across multiple projects and deadlines.

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor’s degree, advanced degree preferred
• Minimum five years’ professional experience in supervision and team management
• Minimum five years’ professional experience in fundraising, including annual giving program design and execution
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to assist with meeting facilitation, listen, write, and speak effectively
• Familiarity with basic membership program operations, including constituent data management, acquisition and renewal strategies, mass mailings, event coordination, and stewardship
• The proven ability to develop and manage multiple projects in a collaborative work environment
• Demonstrated understanding of budget building and oversight related to annual giving and events
• Strong writing skills; able to effectively convey the organization’s mission, priorities, and programs to diverse audiences in a variety of formats (letters, outreach materials, online media)
• Excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills; the ability to speak about the organization’s work in an articulate, professional, and compelling manner (one-on-one and with groups)
• High level of organization and attention to detail; the ability to meet firm deadlines
• CRM database skills, including querying and analytical reporting
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Ability to work long hours, evenings, and weekends, as needed
• Ability to travel to off-site locations, including by boat
• The ability to maintain confidentiality of privileged information
• A polished, professional presence, able to interact with trustees, members and donors as needed

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Serve as a partner to other Project Leads to determine opportunities for philanthropy by attending Project Lead meetings.
• Serve as philanthropy strategist and partner to the Senior Marketing Officer to maximize use of Pardot, Classy, and marketing tools to expand membership and increase annual giving
• Serve as the Project Lead to guide the development and implementation of an annual giving plan, including membership appeals, stewardship tactics, and analytics
• Manage a portfolio of 25 mid-level donors qualified to move up the ladder of giving levels, leading to and inclusive of major gifts
• Coordinate membership campaigns; develop campaign schedule, identify list criteria, create content, oversee design of materials, and contract with outside providers as needed to meet stated campaign goals.
• Supervise the Membership Coordinator, including setting and measuring annual contribution and mastery goals
• Assist the Strategic Lead and Chief in setting agendas for and managing Philanthropy team meetings, retreats, and huddles to maximize team building and shared responsibility for fundraising goals
• Analyzes data, trends and giving patterns to increase annual giving and encourage donors to move to the next level
• Manage the membership program to meet or exceed targets for new members, renewed members and consecutive years donors.
• Oversee moves management processes and policies to connect annual giving, prospect research, and assignments to major gift officers as implemented by the Membership Coordinator
• Serve as the primary solicitor for all corporate sponsorships
• Manages an annual stewardship plan for members at all donor levels; Make phone calls, write personal thank you notes and/or assign these tasks to the board, staff and others as appropriate so that all members are acknowledged and thanked in a timely manner.
• Participate in the annual Philanthropy budget building process, with responsibility for establishing the annual giving goal(s)
• Plan and oversee the annual lecture series and other philanthropy events as assigned.
• Oversee the annual membership survey, analyze results and prepare presentation to Senior Leadership Team

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics 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.

• Physical demands: While performing the duties, of this job, the employee is required to sit, enter data using computer keyboard and mouse, stand, walk, bend over occasionally and move about the office space as well as between building floors. There is no requirement to lift and/or move weights of more than 15 pounds.
• Work environment: This position requires a weekly presence at the Island Institute headquarters building in Rockland. The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal. There will also be the occasional requirement to travel to island and coastal communities by car, ferry, and boat. Evening and weekend hours will be necessary on occasion for events and stewardship.

The Philanthropy Officer for Annual Giving and Stewardship position is a full-time, salaried position, starting immediately, with a competitive salary range of $60,000-$75,000 plus benefits.

There is no application deadline, but preference will be given to candidates whose materials are received by May 27th. Only electronic applications are accepted.

Based in Rockland, Maine, the Island Institute is a nonprofit organization and an equal opportunity “at-will” employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities based upon an individual’s ability and qualifications. We do not discriminate against people on the basis of race, citizenship, ancestry, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, mental or physical disability. For more information about the Island Institute, please visit www.islandinstitute.org.