Development Officer, Thomas Merton Family Center

Bridgeport Diocese; Bridgeport (CT); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Thomas Merton Family Center, a program of Catholic Charities of Fairfield County, is seeking a Development Officer to promote the Center among community partners, corporations, foundations and families. Reporting to the Director of Philanthropy, you will grow fundraising operations and donor engagement.

You will work closely with the Director of the Thomas Merton Family Center, the Advisory Council, and Catholic Charities' Philanthropy Team to cultivate a larger donor base and sustain

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Nonprofit fundraising experience preferred.
• Networking with corporate, civic or religious groups.
• Strong writing and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and develop donor relationships; cultivate new donors.
• Oversee annual giving, sponsorships, events and campaigns.
• Manage grant research, writing and reporting.
• Collaborate with the Philanthropy Team and Advisory Council.
• Represent the Center at events and community meetings.
• Maintain constituent records in the organization database.

Skills

Donor relations

Fundraising strategy

Public speaking

Communication

Event planning

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Office 365

Job description

Development Officer

The Thomas Merton Family Center, a program of Catholic Charities of Fairfield County is seeking a Development Officer. Reporting to the Director of Philanthropy and working daily with the Director of the Thomas Merton Family Center, this full-time, benefits-eligible position is responsible for promoting the Thomas Merton Family Center and Catholic Charities of Fairfield County among community partners, civic organizations, corporations, private foundations, religious organizations, and families/individuals. The candidate will be a self-starting, highly motivated individual responsible for maintaining and implementing strategies that ensure sustainability and organizational growth as they relate to The Thomas Merton Family Center's fundraising operations. This individual will work closely with the Director of the Thomas Merton Family Center, its Advisory Council, and Catholic Charities' Philanthropy Team in seeking new opportunities to cultivate a larger donor base to sustain and expand Thomas Merton Family Center programming. This position will require occasional evening and weekend work.

Accountabilities

• Maintain/develop relationships with current donors and cultivate/ develop new individual and corporate donors.
• Responsible for annual giving for the Thomas Merton Family Center, including developing and managing an annual stewardship strategy for corporate and individual donors for annual giving, events, and special campaigns. Create a formalized major gifts and planned giving program.
• Sell sponsorships and tickets to the annual fundraiser. Follow up on leads provided by the Director and Advisory Council. Support production and management of Thomas Merton Family Center events.
• Work with the Director and the Advisory Council on annual appeals and any other appeal or fundraising initiative throughout the year.
• Represent the Thomas Merton Family Center at relevant events such as fundraisers, conferences, and community meetings.
• Oversee and manage the research, solicitation, writing, and reporting of both existing and new private and government grants.
• Conduct market analysis and research to identify development trends.
• Lead tours for potential donors and community groups.
• Attend fundraising and development training webinars.
• Participate in cross-training within all operational areas of the organization.
• Participate in weekly meetings with the Philanthropy Team in Shelton.
• Use database to maintain accurate constituent records.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Experience in non-profit development and fundraising track record preferred, or similar sales/development experience in the private sector.
• Networking experience with corporate, civic, religious, or other groups.
• Database management experience.
• Experience building partnerships with external constituencies.
• Strong writing and communication skills.

Skills and Abilities

• Detailed oriented, able to multi-task, self-motivated.
• Comfortable with public speaking.
• Excellent communication and time management skills.
• Customer focused and oriented.
• Strong verbal and written presentation experience and knowledge.
• Good strategic, analytical, and tactical skills in promoting/selling programs.
• Able to adapt to changing priorities and working under pressure.
• Maintain and grow positive relationships with donors and be accountable and collaborative with team members.
• Self-starter; able to work independently and with a team.
• Proficient in the use of Office 365, Raiser's Edge, and established technology platforms.
• Maintain compliance; ensure privacy and confidentiality with sensitive data.

Qualifications and Characteristics

• Committed to the mission, goals and objectives of Catholic Charities of Fairfield County and the Thomas Merton Family Center.
• Understanding and appreciation for the challenges of underserved populations.

Catholic Charities is an Equal Opportunity Employer