Major Donor Partnerships Lead

Foundation for Individual Rights in Education; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and life insurance

Section 125 Flexible Spending Account

401(k) matching

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Foundation for Individual Rights in Education is seeking a dedicated fundraiser in a hybrid role based in the Philadelphia area with flexibility for remote work. The position focuses on identifying and cultivating major donors, building relationships, and expanding FIRE’s donor pipeline to support free expression in education.

The role emphasizes entrepreneurship, proactive outreach, and collaboration with philanthropy leadership to move prospects toward meaningful giving.

Qualifications

• Must believe deeply in FIRE's mission and be able to communicate that enthusiasm to others.
• A successful candidate will have a good work ethic, be a self-starter, and have the ability to work independently.

Responsibilities

• Find FIRE's next major donors by identifying, researching, and qualifying individuals with capacity and inclination to give $10,000+, using prospect research, relationship mapping, AI, and curiosity.
• Turn prospects into relationships by managing a portfolio of donors, developing personalized engagement strategies, and conducting outreach (emails, letters, calls, meetings, referrals, events).
• Open doors through FIRE's network by leveraging existing donors, board members, staff, and friends to secure introductions and expand visibility.
• Create compelling ways to introduce people to FIRE with personalized emails, letters, presentations, and briefings aligned to donor interests.
• Know the landscape and spot opportunities by monitoring news and influential figures related to FIRE’s mission and identifying opportunities to connect with potential supporters.
• Build and continually improve FIRE’s new donor pipeline by partnering with leadership, tracking progress in Salesforce, and testing new tools and approaches.

Skills

Entrepreneurial mindset

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Proactive

Relationship building

Research skills

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Foundation for Individual Rights in Education is seeking a dedicated fundraiser in a hybrid role based in the Philadelphia area with flexibility for remote work. The position focuses on identifying and cultivating major donors, building relationships, and expanding FIRE’s donor pipeline to support free expression in education.

The role emphasizes entrepreneurship, proactive outreach, and collaboration with philanthropy leadership to move prospects toward meaningful giving.