Donor Relations Manager

LifePath; Town of Greenfield (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

LifePath is seeking a Donor Relations Manager to lead fundraising and development initiatives. You will research and cultivate donors, build brand awareness, and collaborate across the organization to grow revenue streams.

The role calls for strong writing, relationship-building, and project management skills in a fast-paced environment, with focus on donor stewardship and campaign execution.

Qualifications

• Experience in fundraising for human services or healthcare settings.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for donor engagement.
• Ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience with donor databases and event coordination.
• Organized with strong time management and project planning skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee donor relations and stewardship programs.
• Oversee donor database management, gifts processing, and acknowledgments.
• Cultivate relationships with individuals, foundations, and partners.
• Design campaign materials and coordinate social media and digital fundraising.
• Create compelling donor communications and plan development events.
• Analyze performance and report on fundraising trends and opportunities.
• Collaborate on grant-writing and manage related processes.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Grant writing

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Donor database

Microsoft 365

Social media tools

Job description

LifePath Inc.

Job Description

TITLE: Donor Relations Manager

LifePath is a mission-driven, collaborative, and community-focused human services agency focused on supporting the lives of older adults, individuals with disabilities, and caregivers. We are expanding our Development and Marketing team and with the addition of the role of Donor Relations Manager.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

This position will be responsible for fundraising and development activities to include donor research and cultivation. This position is also responsible for continuously building brand awareness of programs and digital marketing campaigns. As a member of the Development and Marketing team, you will collaborate closely with team members across the organization, collectively building upon our fundraising and marketing Campaigns. This fast-paced position requires strong attention to detail, creative problem-solving abilities, and effective time and project management skills.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES / ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Develop and oversee donor relations and stewardship programs that enhance the donor experience and ensure that their gifts are used in a timely and appropriate manner.
2. Oversee donor database management, donor relations, donor communications, gifts processing, data entry and acknowledgements.
3. Establish, nurture, and maintain relationships with peers across various levels of the organization and with external parties such as individuals, agencies, corporations, foundations, elected officials, community partners, and governmental entities.
4. Participate in designing campaign materials. Implement and coordinate social media expansion efforts and digital fundraising strategies.
5. Create powerful and compelling written and oral communications, presentations, and materials for fundraising and marketing activities.
6. Plan and execute development related events.
7. Evaluate progress and outcomes to expand our brand awareness, recognition and reach, helping to meet financial goals.
8. Provide reports, analyze trends, and identify opportunities for fundraising development and additional revenue streams.
9. Participate in collaborative grant‑writing and grant‑management processes.
10. Conduct research and analysis in preparation for donor meetings and formulating donation request proposals.
11. Ongoing management and collaboration with staff, vendors, and volunteers.
12. Participate and professionally represent the organization in various community group settings.
13. Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Mission-driven focus and two to four years of fundraising experience in a human services agency or healthcare organization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to be forward‑facing with donors, partners, and other constituencies.
• Experience garnering financial support and contributing to project management efforts; experience coordinating events, meetings, and gatherings.
• Technical proficiency in donor databases, Microsoft 365, and social media platforms. Development of marketing collateral on publishing software a plus.
• Experience with media inquiries and creating press releases.
• Demonstrated organizational and time management and project planning skills.
• Skilled in identifying and researching prospective individual, foundation, and business donors for donor cultivation efforts.
• Experience leading teams of volunteers and inspiring volunteer teams in donor cultivation and fundraising efforts.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment requiring strong attention to detail, creative problem‑solving abilities, and effective time and project management skills.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required
• Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification a plus.

Interested in joining the compassionate LifePath team as a Donor Relations Manager?

LifePath is deeply committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusiveness. Bilingual, minorities, women and candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply. EOE/AA

SUPERVISION:

The Donor Relations Manager is supervised by the Associate Director of Marketing and Development.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Physical:

• Visual, speaking, auditory and mobile capacity necessary.
• Capacity to see computer screens, read written material, and drive a car.
• Capacity to hear and speak on the telephone.
• Capacity to communicate verbally with consumers, caregivers, supervisors, and managers.
• Capacity for fine manipulation in the frequent use of office equipment such as computers, copy machines, fax machines, telephones, calculators, etc.
• Capacity to drive in all weather conditions, within reason, to visit donors and financial partners where they live and work.
• Capacity to navigate uneven terrain in all weather conditions to visit donors and financial partners where they live and work.
• Capacity to climb stairs.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time.
• Occasional reaching and grabbing objects with both hands, twisting of hand and wrist, and pushing and pulling of objects.
• Occasional bending, squatting, and twisting to perform work functions.
• Occasional capacity to lift up to 25 pounds.

Mental:

• Ability to understand and/or interpret complicated program instructions and laws.
• Capacity to learn complicated computer software.
• Capacity to deal rationally and calmly with varying personalities.
• Capacity to work well in a fast‑paced, rapidly changing environment.

Environmental:

• Work is split between indoor office work, traveling outdoors to meetings, attending and/or participating in trainings, and visits to other locations.
• Must be able to tolerate by-products of office machine operation.
• Must be able to tolerate the heat and cold of seasonal changes and indoor temperatures.