Philanthropy Officer, Animal Welfare

The Humane League; United States; Remote; USD 96,000 - 117,000; Full time

Job summary

The Humane League (THL) seeks a strategic Philanthropy Officer to advance its mission by securing philanthropic resources and stewarding major donors. You will lead engagement across the donor lifecycle, cultivate relationships, and coordinate with senior leadership to grow impact in the United States and beyond.

This remote role requires travel and evening/weekend hours; you will manage a portfolio of high net worth supporters, craft tailored proposals, and partner with finance to align budgets

Qualifications

• 5+ years of fundraising, philanthropy, or donor relations experience for large nonprofits.
• Proven track record of cultivating, soliciting, and closing five- to seven-figure gifts.
• Strong written and verbal communication for donor-facing proposals and reports.
• Strategic donor engagement with cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to manage a high-value donor portfolio and complex timelines.

Responsibilities

• Lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for major gifts and campaigns.
• Prepare personalized proposals and budgets in collaboration with Finance for major gifts.
• Build and maintain trust-based relationships with high-net-worth donors across lifecycle stages.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to advance donor engagement strategies and represent THL externally.

Skills

Fundraising

Major gifts

Donor relations

Proposal writing

Strategic planning

Data-driven

Relationship-building

Leadership

Communication

Global perspective

Job description

The Humane League (THL) is a global nonprofit working to end the abuse of animals raised for food. Recognized as a Top Charity by Animal Charity Evaluators for multiple years running, we are regarded as one of the most effective animal protection organizations in the world. We are a high-impact, mission-driven team that uses our time, talent, and resources strategically to dismantle factory farming and create lasting change for farmed animals worldwide. We set bold goals, embrace continuous improvement, and hold ourselves accountable to the animals who depend on us. As a fully remote organization with 100+ staff across the globe, we collaborate across borders and with partner organizations to build a powerful, united movement for animals.

YOUR OPPORTUNITY

As a Philanthropy Officer, you play a critical role in advancing The Humane League’s (THL) mission by securing the philanthropic resources needed to drive sustainable, meaningful progress for farmed animals worldwide. This position is central to sustaining and expanding our impact, with a focus on building, cultivating, and stewarding relationships with major donors and philanthropic partners.

The ideal candidate for this role is a strategic mission-driven and relationship-driven fundraiser with a strong track record of engaging high-capacity donors. You bring both the judgment and interpersonal acumen to develop trust-based partnerships, align donor interests with organizational priorities, and inspire significant investment in our work.

The Philanthropy Officer will report to the Sr. Director of Global Philanthropy and will work in close collaboration with the CEO, Senior Vice President of Development, Associate Vice President of Philanthropy, and the broader Philanthropy team. In this role, you will lead donor engagement efforts across the full lifecycle, from identification and cultivation through solicitation and stewardship, ensuring a thoughtful and coordinated approach to securing and growing philanthropic support.

This is a full-time, remote position. This position requires domestic and international travel, equivalent to 4 or more trips per year, as well as occasional night and weekend hours. The West role will be working primarily in Pacific Time or Mountain time. The East role will be working primarily in Central or Eastern time zones.

This position is based in the United States. We are only able to employ applicants who possess authorization to work in the United States and undertake the performance of this role from within the United States or U.S. Territory for the duration of the role.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Fundraising Strategy and Portfolio Management

• Lead the development and execution of comprehensive cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) fundraising, managing a portfolio of approximately 100 high-net-worth individuals in the Western or Eastern United States, with the goal of securing five- to six-figure gifts. Create and implement individualized annual engagement strategies that align donor interests with THL's funding priorities to retain and upgrade giving. Leverage data insights to continuously refine engagement approaches and fundraising outcomes.
• Responsible for qualifying, cultivating, and closing major gifts as part of a forthcoming capital campaign. Leverage campaign momentum to expand the donor base, conduct strategic gift conversations, and secure meaningful multi-year commitments.
• Prepare personalized, impactful proposals and grant applications to inspire major donors and foundations to invest in transformational gifts. Partner with the Finance team to develop proposal budgets and grant reports that clearly and accurately reflect organizational priorities and funding needs.
• Identify, cultivate, and secure new philanthropic relationships by building connections within key donor communities, including but not limited to Effective Altruism networks, to expand THL's visibility and fundraising base. Maintain a strong understanding of evolving philanthropic vehicles, including legacy giving, foundation partnerships, and expanding giving mechanisms like Donor Advised Funds, to offer tailored recommendations to donors.

Donor Engagement and Stewardship

• Build and sustain trust-based relationships with major donors through consistent, strategic engagement across the full donor lifecycle. Develop and deliver tailored proposals, impact reports, and donor communications that clearly articulate THL’s programs and impact, in collaboration with Programs staff and senior leadership.
• Maintain accurate, detailed records within the donor database to inform engagement strategies. Ensure all donor interactions are thoughtfully documented and leveraged to strengthen long-term relationships and philanthropic outcomes.
• Support the strategic planning and execution of donor cultivation and fundraising events, including in-person gatherings, conferences, and virtual engagements. Partner with the Donor Care team to engage donor volunteers in hosting and facilitating cultivation opportunities, including small-scale and peer-to-peer events that expand donor reach and deepen engagement.

Executive Partnership and Representation

• Partner closely with the CEO and other Senior Leadership to advance high-level donor engagement strategies, including preparing briefings, messaging, and solicitation plans for six- to seven-figure gifts. Provide coaching and guidance to Programs staff and organizational leaders on effective donor communication and representation across meetings, written materials, and external events.
• Maintain a deep and current understanding of THL’s programs and theory of change to effectively represent the organizations’ mission, strategy, and impact to donors and external audiences.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Leadership

• Collaborate with Development colleagues to identify, qualify and upgrade major giving prospects from annual fund and mid-level giving programs into major donor portfolios.
• Serve as a mentor and thought partner within the Philanthropy team, sharing expertise, strengthening team capabilities, and contributing to process improvements. Actively foster a collaborative, inclusive team environment that values diverse perspectives and supports strong cross-functional alignment across the organization.

In addition to the above essential job duties, other duties may be assigned as business needs arise. These may include non-essential, marginal job duties.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Experience: 5+ years of demonstrated fundraising, philanthropy, or donor relations experience for an organization of 5M or more with at least 1-2 years in major gifts fundraising, and a strong track record of cultivating, soliciting, and securing five- to seven-figure gifts and managing high-value donor portfolios. Familiarity with nonprofit or 501(c)(4) fundraising would be helpful, but not required.
• Interpersonal and Relationship-Building Skills: Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-management skills, with the ability to build trust, navigate complex dynamics, and influence high-net-worth donors and stakeholders with credibility and emotional intelligence.
• Strategic Thinking: Proven ability to develop and execute tailored fundraising strategies that align donor interests with organizational priorities, drive long-term growth, and provide solid frameworks to anticipate and resolve future challenges.
• Verbal and Written Communication: Experience with writing proposals, grant applications, and grant reports. Highly effective verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex programs and priorities into clear, compelling donor-facing messages and materials. Skilled in tailoring communication to the audience's needs and level of understanding, and managing cross-channel communication within projects to ensure stakeholders are well-informed and aligned while promoting inclusive and proactive dialogue within the team.
• Leadership, Teamwork, and Collaboration: Proficient to advanced ability to collaborate across functions and levels, including mentoring team members to build an atmosphere that leverages team member strengths and collectively resolves challenges, and effectively partnering with and coaching senior leadership to achieve shared fundraising goals.
• Donor Pipeline Development: Experience identifying, qualifying, and advancing prospects through the donor pipeline, with a focus on growing and strengthening a sustainable base of philanthropic support.
• Problem Solving, Adaptability, and Proactivity: Demonstrated ability to navigate complex, evolving challenges with sound judgment, proactively identify innovative solutions, and adapt strategies to drive results and impact. Foster team resilience through change management, bringing a curiosity to explore new opportunities and a proactive attitude to find new ways of working that align with team needs. Ensure that donors are thoughtfully informed and minimally impacted through organizational transitions or program adjustments.
• Decision Making and Discretion: Applies data-informed judgment to make strategic decisions that align with organizational objectives, and exercises a high degree of discretion and confidentiality in handling sensitive donor and organizational information.
• Time Management and Prioritization: Strong time management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage a high-volume portfolio and multiple project priorities, effectively balancing competing demands while maintaining attention to detail. Maintains composure, flexibility, and levity under tight deadlines or with competing or evolving priorities.
• Financial Acumen and Compliance: Ability to develop and interpret budgets and financial information to support compelling proposals and track progress toward fundraising goals. Complies with cash handling best practices for private donors, and maintains the highest level of confidentiality for major gifts.
• Global Perspective: Demonstrated ability to operate effectively within a global organization, aligning fundraising strategies with international programs and engaging donors with cultural awareness.

Please submit your application by Monday, October 19th, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range: $95,684–$116,586 USD annually.

Equal Employment Opportunity, reasonable accommodations policy, and AI policy.