Individual Giving Officer

Washington Policy Center; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Washingtonpolicy in Seattle is seeking an Individual Giving Officer, responsible for managing individual philanthropic support to advance the organization’s mission. The ideal candidate will engage donors through personalized outreach and work collaboratively with various teams to secure financial contributions necessary for impactful public policy research.

This role includes implementing fundraising strategies and ensuring donor engagement aligns with the organization's nonpartisan approach to solutions-oriented public policy.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in fundraising or related fields.
• Ability to initiate conversations and follow up consistently.
• Strong communication skills for diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Engage, solicit, and cultivate individual donors.
• Maintain a dynamic donor interaction pipeline.
• Translate policy research into compelling donor messages.

Skills

Fundraising

Sales experience

Client relations

Communication skills

Organization

Tools

CRM software (NeonOne)

Job description

Job Title: Individual Giving Officer

Location: Seattle, WA

Direct Supervisor: Assistant Vice President for Development

Status: Permanent, full-time hire

Washington Policy Center (WPC) is a nonpartisan, free-market think tank committed to breaking barriers and building futures in Washington state. Through research, outreach, and civic engagement, we equip policymakers, media, business leaders, and citizens with fact-based solutions to the most pressing public policy challenges.

Headquartered in Seattle with satellite offices and full-time staff throughout the state, Washington Policy Center publishes studies, sponsors events and conferences and educates citizens on the vital public policy issues facing our region. Our mission is to improve the lives of Washingtonians by promoting high-quality, non-partisan, evidence-based research to advance policy solutions for a better Washington state.

Broadcast, print and online media throughout Washington and across the nation cover WPC's work regularly and seek out WPC to analyze and commentary. In addition, lawmakers routinely invite WPC to testify before legislative committees.

Join us in creating a Washington where everyone can thrive.

The Individual Giving Officer is a frontline fundraiser responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and securing individual philanthropic support that advances Washington Policy Center’s mission. This role focuses on engaging donors through timely, personalized outreach and translating interest in public policy, research, and free-market solutions into meaningful financial investment. The Individual Giving Officer thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and is motivated by building momentum, securing early commitments, and growing donor support.

The ideal candidate is proactive, well-organized, and enjoys collaborating across teams to move donor relationships forward. This position reports to the Assistant Vice President for Development and partners closely with WPC’s research, leadership, and development colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

Frontline Fundraising & Individual Giving

• Proactively identify, engage, and solicit individual donors capable of investing $5,000–$50,000+, with a strong emphasis on early commitments, timely follow-up, and efficient gift conversion.
• Maintain a robust and active solicitation pipeline, conducting 30–40 meaningful donor interactions per month (in-person meetings, virtual meetings, and cold calling).
• Execute targeted cultivation and solicitation strategies that move donors from interest to investment, while maintaining thoughtful stewardship to encourage renewal and growth.
• Manage the full cycle of individual giving engagement—including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship—with a focus on outcomes and revenue growth.
• Make confident in-person and virtual asks for annual gifts, leadership gifts, multi-year commitments, sponsorships, and planned giving opportunities, as appropriate.

Mission-Driven Donor Engagement

• Confidently communicate WPC’s research, impact stories, policy positions, and free-market principles in donor meetings and events.
• Partner with policy center directors to connect donors with areas of programmatic interests.
• Translate policy research into clear, compelling donor messages that inspire investment.
• Serve as an ambassador of WPC’s nonpartisan, free-market mission.

Events & Outreach

• Attend and support WPC events including Annual Dinners, Pillar Society gatherings, regional donor events, and small in-home donor dinners.
• Assist in recruiting event sponsors and converting event attendees into sustaining donors.
• Represent WPC at community events, conferences, and meetings to broaden visibility and pipeline development.

Collaboration & Internal Coordination

• Work closely with the AVP for Development on strategy, metrics, and portfolio management.
• Collaborate with the development team to ensure accurate gift tracking, acknowledgment, stewardship workflows, and donor research.
• Use WPC’s CRM (NeonOne) to document donor interactions, portfolio activity, and track goals.
• Participate in team meetings, quarterly workshops, and organization-wide initiatives.

Key Qualifications

• A genuine interest in—and alignment with—Washington Policy Center’s mission and commitment to advancing free-market, solutions-oriented public policy in Washington State.
• 3+ years of experience in fundraising, sales, business development, client relations, or a 5+ years of experience in related roles where building trust, making proposals, and closing commitments were part of the work.
• Comfortable initiating conversations, following up consistently, and asking for support or investment, whether in a fundraising, sales, or relationship-management context.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain ideas clearly and connect naturally with people from a variety of backgrounds.
• Organized, self-directed, and able to juggle multiple conversations and priorities in a fast-moving, team-oriented environment.
• Willing and able to travel regionally throughout Washington state for donor meetings and events.
• Collaborative by nature, with a positive attitude and comfort working closely with colleagues across development, research, and leadership teams.