Manager of Philanthropic Engagement

New England Botanic Garden; Boylston (MA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

New England Botanic Garden is seeking a Manager of Philanthropic Engagement to lead major gifts and planned giving programs. You will manage a 75–100 donor portfolio, design strategies, and collaborate with staff and volunteers to advance fundraising priorities.

Ideal candidates have at least five years fundraising experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to build lasting relationships with high-capacity donors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of five years of progressive fundraising experience, including personal solicitation of major gifts and experience with planned giving.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust, establish credibility, and cultivate meaningful relationships with prospective and current donors.
• Proven success managing and strengthening relationships with diverse constituents, including high-capacity individuals and leadership-level donors.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to speak confidently and persuasively about the organization’s mission, vision, and funding priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, cultivate, solicit, and close gifts, with the confidence to initiate conversations about philanthropy, wealth, financial assets, and charitable giving.
• Financial acumen and comfort discussing complex gifts, including planned gifts, estate commitments, and other assets.
• Understanding of fundraising principles, donor engagement, moves management, stewardship practices, and emerging trends in major and planned giving, or a demonstrated willingness to learn.
• Sound judgment, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and consistent follow-through.
• Ability to establish and achieve measurable goals, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexibility and adaptability in responding to changing priorities, with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word and Excel; experience with a donor/customer relationship management (CRM) database preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to learn, accept coaching and feedback, and continuously develop professional skills.
• Experience collaborating with professional advisors, such as attorneys, financial planners, and estate planning professionals.
• The ability to be both strategic and hands-on, able to manage a portfolio independently while collaborating with colleagues across the organization.
• Follow safety protocols and contribute to a respectful, safe, and supportive workplace environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 75–100 major gift donors, regularly evaluating and adjusting prospects.
• Develop and implement strategies for qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of assigned prospects.
• Identify, engage, and cultivate prospective major donors, building meaningful relationships.
• Engage donors and prospects in conversations to align philanthropic goals with Garden's mission.
• Advance donors through the major gift pipeline and develop gift proposals.
• Collaborate with Advancement and Garden staff to connect donors with programs.
• Identify and qualify new major gift prospects through research, referrals, networking, etc.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Major gifts

Planned giving

Communication

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

CRM database

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Job Details: Job Location: Boylston, MA 01505, Position Type: Full Time, Salary Range: $80,000.00 - $85,000.00 Salary/year, Position Overview:

New England Botanic Garden is committed to connecting people with plants, fostering environmental stewardship, and creating meaningful experiences that inspire our community through horticulture, education, and nature. The Manager of Philanthropic Engagement (MPE) builds relationships with prospective and current donors to increase major and planned gifts through identification, cultivation, communication, solicitation, and stewardship. In collaboration with board members, volunteers, and staff leaders, the MPE will focus on the institution's fundraising priorities including unrestricted and restricted gifts, as well as bequests. The MPE will focus on gifts of $10,000 and more and work to increase the number of these donors to New England Botanic Garden. Major gifts will focus on operating, capital, and endowment funds. Facility with planned giving conversations and vehicles will enhance the gift officer’s ability to advance gift conversations and the mission of NEBG.

Our Culture

• Be part of an exceptional, respectful, and inclusive workplace culture that values both high performance and work-life balance.
• Be welcoming to all staff and the public and respectful of staff differences and preferences.
• Work for an organization deeply committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (IDEA).
• Explore opportunities to attend IDEA workshops and initiatives that foster a culture of belonging across the organization.
• Your well-being matters here. Enjoy comprehensive benefits, retirement savings options, generous paid time off, and holidays.

Responsibilities

Major Gift Portfolio Management and Relationship Development

• - Manage an active portfolio of 75–100 major gift donors and prospective donors, regularly evaluating and adjusting the portfolio as prospects are qualified, cultivated, solicited, or disqualified.
• - Develop and implement individualized strategies for the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of assigned prospects and donors.
• - Identify, engage, and cultivate prospective major donors, investing the time necessary to build meaningful relationships and understand their philanthropic interests, values, and giving capacity.
• - Engage donors and prospects in purposeful conversations to identify opportunities for alignment between their philanthropic goals and the Garden’s mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
• - Advance prospective donors through the major gift pipeline, determining readiness for solicitation and developing appropriate gift proposals based on their interests, capacity, and demonstrated intent.
• - Collaborate with Advancement colleagues and staff across the Garden to connect donors and prospects with programs, people, and initiatives that deepen their engagement with the Garden.
• - Identify and qualify new major gift prospects through research, referrals, networking, and other prospect development tools.

Planned Giving and Donor Recognition

• - Manage and advance the Garden’s planned giving program, including the Perennial Circle, its planned giving recognition society.
• - Develop and implement strategies to identify, cultivate, and steward planned giving prospects and donors, including individuals interested in estate gifts, bequests, and other forms of legacy giving.
• - Coordinate planned giving communications and engagement activities, including drafting a monthly newsletter, organizing recognition and cultivation events, and developing stewardship opportunities.
• - Build relationships with donors and, as appropriate, their professional advisors to encourage and facilitate planned and legacy gifts.

Donor Engagement and Stewardship

• - Support and participate in donor cultivation, recognition, and stewardship events, helping to increase donor engagement and attendance.
• - Develop meaningful stewardship strategies that demonstrate the impact of philanthropy and strengthen long-term donor relationships.
• - Ensure donor preferences, special requests, and relevant relationship information are accurately documented and appropriately fulfilled.
• - Prepare thoughtful and personalized donor communications, including visit invitations, gift proposals, acknowledgment letters, and annual endowed fund stewardship reports.

Administration, Documentation, and Accountability

• - Maintain accurate and timely records of donor interactions, meetings, contact reports, solicitation strategies, and next steps in the organization’s CRM database and other portfolio management tools.
• - Monitor portfolio activity and progress toward established fundraising and relationship-building goals.
• - Ensure that donor information, gift intentions, special requests, and stewardship commitments are documented, communicated, and fulfilled in a timely manner.
• - Prepare correspondence, proposals, reports, and other materials that support effective donor engagement and fundraising activities.

Professional Standards and Organizational Collaboration

• - Demonstrate the highest standards of professional ethics, integrity, confidentiality, and accountability in all donor relationships and fundraising activities.
• - Approach donor relationships with empathy, discretion, persistence, and a genuine commitment to understanding and responding to donor interests and needs.
• - Represent the Garden with enthusiasm, professionalism, and a positive, mission-centered approach in all interactions with donors, colleagues, and external constituents.

Other duties as assigned.

Schedule

The Manger of Philanthropic Engagement’s position is salaried and exempt from overtime. The work schedule is typically Monday-Friday, but organizational needs may require evening or weekend work.

Physical Demands / Working Conditions

• - Must be able to work with appropriate computer and communications equipment.
• - Must be able to bend, squat, kneel, stand, and walk for extended periods of time and to navigate uneven grounds and stairs evenly.

Note: Duties described above, other duties and physical demands have been identified as essential functions as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Qualifications

• - Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• - Minimum of five years of progressive fundraising experience, including personal solicitation of major gifts and experience with planned giving.
• - Demonstrated ability to build trust, establish credibility, and cultivate meaningful relationships with prospective and current donors.
• - Proven success managing and strengthening relationships with diverse constituents, including high-capacity individuals and leadership-level donors.
• - Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to speak confidently and persuasively about the organization’s mission, vision, and funding priorities.
• - Demonstrated ability to identify, cultivate, solicit, and close gifts, with the confidence to initiate conversations about philanthropy, wealth, financial assets, and charitable giving.
• - Financial acumen and comfort discussing complex gifts, including planned gifts, estate commitments, and other assets.
• - Understanding of fundraising principles, donor engagement, moves management, stewardship practices, and emerging trends in major and planned giving, or a demonstrated willingness to learn.
• - Sound judgment, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
• - Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and consistent follow-through.
• - Ability to establish and achieve measurable goals, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• - Flexibility and adaptability in responding to changing priorities, with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach.
• - Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word and Excel; experience with a donor/customer relationship management (CRM) database preferred.
• - Demonstrated ability to learn, accept coaching and feedback, and continuously develop professional skills.
• - Experience collaborating with professional advisors, such as attorneys, financial planners, and estate planning professionals.
• - The ability to be both strategic and hands-on, able to manage a portfolio independently while collaborating with colleagues across the organization.
• - Follow safety protocols and contribute to a respectful, safe, and supportive workplace environment.