Donor Relations Manager

Vaco; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco in Jacksonville, FL is seeking a Donor Relations Manager to manage donor experiences, maintain donor records with confidentiality, and support the Director of Development. This role blends donor stewardship, database administration, gift processing, and community engagement.

The successful candidate will build donor relationships with churches and community partners, prepare reports, and ensure accuracy across donor data while providing administrative support to leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Experience in donor relations, fundraising, nonprofit development, customer relationship management, or related field preferred.
• Strong donor relation and customer service skills.
• Comfortable networking with donors, churches, and community partners.
• Experience with donor databases/CRM systems.
• Experience with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary point of contact for donors and provide high-level customer service.
• Build and maintain donor relationships; handle donor requests, preferences, and concerns promptly.
• Coordinate donor acknowledgements via mail, email, and phone.
• Create and maintain donor thank-you letters and stewardship communications.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen donor engagement and retention.
• Maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive donor information.
• Maintain oversight of the donor database including gift entry, records, and stewardship activities.
• Prepare donor and development reports for leadership and the Board.
• Develop and maintain donor portfolios for leadership.
• Support strategies to strengthen long-term donor relationships.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with churches and community partners.
• Represent the organization professionally within the community.
• Provide high-level administrative support to the Director of Development.

Job description

Donor Relations Manager

Location: Jacksonville, FL

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Reports To: Director of Development

Position Summary

The Donor Relations Manager is responsible for creating an exceptional experience for donors while maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and confidentiality of donor information.

This role combines donor relationship management, database administration, gift processing, stewardship, community engagement, and administrative support. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, relationship-focused, and comfortable working with donor data as well as directly engaging with donors, churches, and community partners.

This position also provides high-level support to the Director of Development and plays an important role in strengthening long-term donor relationships.

Key Responsibilities

Donor Relations & Stewardship

• Serve as a primary point of contact for donors and provide a high level of customer service.
• Build and maintain strong donor relationships while ensuring donor requests, preferences, and concerns are handled professionally and promptly.
• Coordinate donor acknowledgements through mail, email, and phone.
• Create and maintain donor thank-you letters and stewardship communications.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen donor engagement and retention.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality when handling sensitive donor information.

Donor Database & Gift Processing

• Maintain oversight of the donor database, including gift entry, donor records, acknowledgements, and stewardship activities.
• Ensure donor records are complete, accurate, and up to date.
• Research donor information from multiple sources to maintain accurate records.
• Partner with the Finance team to reconcile donor database totals with accounting records.
• Prepare donor and development reports for leadership and the Board.
• Maintain a high level of accuracy in all donor records and reporting.
• May assist with training or oversight of a database support specialist.

Donor Portfolio Management

• Develop and maintain donor portfolios for executive and development leadership.
• Provide updates, reminders, follow-up prompts, and scheduling support related to donor relationships.
• Manage and grow the organization's legacy giving portfolio.
• Identify, cultivate, and steward prospective and existing legacy donors.
• Support strategies designed to strengthen long-term donor relationships.

Church & Community Partnerships

• Develop and support strategies to build relationships with churches and faith-based partners.
• Cultivate and maintain ongoing church partnerships.
• Identify and attend community events, luncheons, networking opportunities, and other development-related events.
• Represent the organization professionally within the community.
• Welcome donors, visitors, and community partners by phone and in person.
• Conduct organizational tours as needed.

Administrative & Development Support

• Provide high-level administrative support to the Director of Development.
• Prepare reports, correspondence, presentations, and other documents.
• Manage incoming calls and inquiries and ensure appropriate follow-up.
• Assist with scheduling appointments and donor meetings.
• Support development initiatives, campaigns, and special projects as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Previous experience in donor relations, fundraising, nonprofit development, customer relationship management, or a related field strongly preferred.
• Strong donor relationship and customer service skills.
• Comfortable networking and building relationships with donors, churches, and community partners.
• Experience working with donor databases, CRM systems, or other computerized data systems.
• Experience with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge is strongly preferred.

EEO Notice

Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.

Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [e-mail].

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.