Senior Director for Philanthropic Engagement

Inside Philanthropy; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center (EDCJCC) seeks a relationship-centered fundraiser to lead our major gifts program and help build a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

You will report to the CEO and work closely with the Executive Director for Institutional Advancement as Senior Director for Philanthropic Engagement, managing a portfolio of major donors and coordinating with staff, Board members, and volunteers to deepen engagement and impact.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of fundraising, advancement, or relationship management experience.
• Proven success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors.
• Experience managing a major gift portfolio and achieving fundraising goals.
• Experience with DAFs, bequests, planned‑giving vehicles, and endowments.
• Strong collaboration and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to engage staff, board members, and volunteer leaders as fundraising partners.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead principal gifts strategy with executive and volunteer leadership.
• Manage a portfolio of 75–100 major donors with cultivation and stewardship.
• Identify, qualify, and engage new major donor prospects through research, referrals, events, and relationships.
• Build donor relationships through meetings and personalized outreach.
• Collaborate with staff and Board to connect donors with impactful funding opportunities.
• Maintain donor records in Salesforce and monitor portfolio performance.

Skills

Major gifts

Donor cultivation

Portfolio management

Salesforce

Communication skills

Ethical fundraising

Board engagement

Tools

Salesforce CRM

Donor database

Job description

The Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center (EDCJCC) is a hub for Jewish life in the nation's capital. This year as we have been celebrating the Centennial anniversary of our historic building, the EDCJCC has been engaged in a transformative special campaign focused on growing our endowment, building a capital reserve and investing in programming and critical capacities that will help ensure the long‑term vitality of the Center. The campaign has raised nearly $12.5 million today and is ongoing. Annually, 50% of the EDCJCC’s $13 million budget comes from philanthropic sources.

To build upon the success of our fundraising program, we are creating a new position to expand our capacity to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors. We are seeking a relationship‑centered fundraiser to lead our major gifts program and help build a culture of philanthropy across the organization. As the primary partner for our major donors and prospects, this individual will cultivate meaningful relationships, inspire transformational philanthropy, and expand the EDCJCC's community of supporters.

Reporting to the CEO and working in close partnership with the Executive Director for Institutional Advancement, the Senior Director for Philanthropic Engagement will manage a portfolio of major donors while partnering with staff, Board members, and volunteer leaders to strengthen donor engagement and advance the EDCJCC's fundraising priorities.

This individual will spend a significant percentage of time outside the EDCJCC, meeting with donors, attending events, etc. Success will be measured by dollars raised, an increase in the EDCJCC’s total number of donors, and greater donor engagement.

What You'll Do

Major Gifts & Portfolio Management

• Develop and lead the EDCJCC's principal gifts strategy in partnership with executive and volunteer leadership.
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 75–100 current, prospective, and lapsed major donors, developing and executing individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
• Identify, qualify, and engage new major donor prospects through research, referrals, events, and community relationships.
• Build meaningful donor relationships through regular meetings, personalized outreach, and thoughtful stewardship.
• Develop individualized giving opportunities that align donor interests with the EDCJCC's mission, strategic priorities, and community impact.
• Meet annual fundraising goals, including major gifts, endowment, and legacy giving commitments.

Organizational Leadership & Collaboration

• Partner with the CEO and Executive Director for Institutional Advancement to develop and implement major gifts strategies and fundraising priorities.
• Strategically engage the time, talent, and resources of the Institutional Advancement Committee and the Board of Directors to identify prospective donors, successfully solicit and close gifts with both new and existing donors and to provide input on the major gift strategy.
• Partner with colleagues across the EDCJCC to strengthen organization‑wide major donor engagement, foster a culture of philanthropy, and coordinate donor strategies across departments.
• Develop a deep understanding of the EDCJCC's programs and impact, working with program and communications staff to connect donors with meaningful funding opportunities and compelling stories.
• Collaborate with the Institutional Advancement team to prepare proposals, gift agreements, solicitation materials, and stewardship communications.

Operations & Accountability

• Maintain accurate donor records of your donor meetings in Salesforce CRM, conduct research and leverage CRM’s reporting and analytics to inform strategy, monitor portfolio performance, and measure fundraising outcomes.
• Analyze donor and portfolio trends to identify opportunities for increased engagement and philanthropic investment.
• Regularly report on fundraising strategy, portfolio performance, and progress toward goals to the CEO, Executive Director for Institutional Advancement, and Board leadership.

What You'll Bring

• 5–10 years of progressively responsible fundraising, advancement, or relationship management experience.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors.
• Experience managing a major gift portfolio and achieving fundraising goals.
• Experience with DAFs, bequests, planned‑giving vehicles, and endowments.
• Strong collaboration and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to engage staff, board members, and volunteer leaders as fundraising partners.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience using donor database/CRM systems and leveraging data to inform fundraising strategy. Salesforce experience is preferred but not required.
• Commitment to ethical, donor‑centered fundraising practices.

The Ideal Candidate

• Builds authentic relationships and inspires trust.
• Sees fundraising as an act of partnership rather than a transaction.
• Listens well and uncovers donor motivations and interests.
• Thinks strategically and systemically while executing with discipline and follow‑through
• Thrives in a collaborative environment and enjoys helping others succeed.
• Brings optimism, empathy, sound judgment, and persistence to their work.
• Enjoys being away from their desk at donor meetings, JCC and community events and is willing to work evenings and occasional weekends.

Our Mission

The Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center (EDCJCC) is the Jewish community's home in our nation's capital. Guided by Jewish values and heritage, we engage individuals and families through cultural, recreational, educational, and social justice programs. We welcome people of all backgrounds to connect, learn, serve, and be entertained together in ways that reflect the Center's unique role in the nation's capital.