About the Role
The Individual and Major Giving Director will serve as a strategic fundraising partner to the Chief Development & Communications Officer, developing and implementing individual giving and major donor strategies to drive revenue growth and long-term sustainability. This role will oversee the launch and growth of Encore’s major donor circle, build a pipeline of future donors, and systemize donor engagement.
Responsibilities
- Partner closely with the Chief Development & Communications Officer to develop fundraising strategy, hit and exceed revenue goals, and advance organizational priorities related to individual and major donor philanthropy.
- Build and implement a comprehensive individual giving program, including annual, major, and other strategies.
- Develop and manage annual revenue goals and budgets for individual giving (small gifts, mid-level, and major donors).
- Create a multi-year donor pipeline strategy, including acquisition, retention, and upgrade pathways.
- Oversee and grow key programs, including monthly giving and donor societies (e.g., Encore Society).
- Conduct and oversee donor research to better understand giving capacity, interests, and engagement opportunities.
- Create and manage donor portfolios and engagement strategies for the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Development & Communications Officer, and Board members, ensuring coordinated cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
- Implement and manage a moves management system to track cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.
- Support and hold portfolio managers accountable for donor engagement goals, ensuring consistent progress.
- Provide strategic guidance, briefing materials, and talking points for leadership and board donor interactions.
- Manage and grow Encore’s major donor circle, the Encore Society.
- Develop and manage an annual Encore Society stewardship calendar, coordinating the execution of all member benefits, communications, recognition activities, and engagement opportunities in partnership with leadership and staff.
- Identify and segment Encore Society members and prospects based on giving history, engagement, interests, and capacity to develop tailored cultivation and stewardship strategies.
- Design and execute targeted donor engagement, recognition, and stewardship initiatives that deepen donor commitment and increase retention.
- Partner with leadership to identify, cultivate, and solicit major donors.
- Develop strategies to upgrade and retain Encore Society members, creating pathways for increased giving and long-term philanthropic investment.
- Plan and execute meaningful donor engagement opportunities tied to the program.
- Track and analyze donor participation, retention, and giving trends to inform strategy and strengthen program performance.
- Partner closely with the Volunteer Engagement Specialist to integrate fundraising strategy into Encore’s robust volunteer program.
- Develop and implement strategies to convert volunteers into donors, creating a clear pipeline from engagement to giving.
- Identify segmentation opportunities within the volunteer base (e.g., long-term volunteers, corporate volunteers, high-capacity individuals) to tailor cultivation approaches.
- Design and execute targeted volunteer-to-donor engagement campaigns, including appeals, stewardship communications, and special recognition opportunities.
- Collaborate on shared engagement touchpoints (events, communications, recognition efforts) that deepen volunteers’ connection to Encore’s mission and increase philanthropic participation.
- Track and analyze volunteer giving trends and engagement metrics to inform strategy and improve conversion and retention.
- Ensure strong coordination between volunteer and development data systems to support holistic relationship management.
- Oversee the organization’s direct mail program, including planning, writing, and execution of appeals.
- Develop and manage an integrated annual appeals calendar (mail, email, and digital campaigns).
- Collaborate with Communications to align messaging and branding across campaigns.
- Analyze campaign performance and continuously optimize strategy.
- Build and strengthen Encore’s individual giving infrastructure, ensuring scalable systems and processes.
- Systemize donor engagement across the organization, including standardized touchpoints, communications, and stewardship practices.
- Improve donor tracking and relationship management within the CRM (e.g., DonorPerfect), ensuring accurate and actionable data.
- Establish workflows to ensure timely gift acknowledgment, follow-up, and stewardship.
- Develop dashboards and reporting systems to track donor trends, revenue performance, and engagement metrics.
- Produce regular reports on individual giving/major donor performance, including revenue, retention, acquisition, and pipeline development.
- Provide insights and recommendations to leadership based on donor data and trends.
- Partner with Finance to ensure accurate reconciliation and reporting of contributions.
- Partner with Development, Communications, and Finance to align strategies and systems.
- Support leadership and Board engagement in fundraising activities.
- Contribute to broader departmental planning and special projects as needed.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of experience in fundraising, with a focus on individual giving/Major Donor Giving preferred.
- Experience working with donor databases (DonorPerfect or similar CRM strongly preferred).
- Demonstrated experience with donor strategy, portfolio management, or moves management systems.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into strategy.
- Excellent writing and communication skills, especially for donor-facing materials.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Ability to work collaboratively and support senior leadership and board members.
- Interest in nonprofit work and/or aging services a plus.
- Experience launching or managing donor societies or major gift programs.
- Experience with direct mail and multi-channel fundraising campaigns.
- Familiarity with prospect research tools (e.g., DonorSearch, WealthEngine).
- Experience building or scaling fundraising systems and infrastructure.
Location
- Midtown Manhattan
Work Type
- Hybrid
- Full Time
Experience Level
- 5+ years of experience
Education Level
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
Salary/Compensations
- $125,000 - $150,000 annually
Benefits
- Medical insurance (with Employee contribution)
- Dental & Vision plans with coverage beginning on the first day of hire
- Generous paid time off (vacation, personal days, sick days and earned floating holidays)
- 403(b) with 3% Employer Match after a year of employment
- Flexible Spending Account
- Dependent Care and transit benefits
About the Company
- Widely known as Broadway's longest-running act of loving care, Encore’s mission is to improve the quality of life for older New Yorkers so they are not just surviving, but thriving.
- Through a robust array of programming, Encore takes a “no wrong door approach” to ensure older adults can age in place comfortably for as long as possible.
- Encore is recognized as one of the most respected and trusted nonprofit organizations providing services for older New Yorkers in New York City.
- Encore is on the cutting edge in the human service field and is a staunch advocate not only for older New Yorkers but also for the essential human service employees who serve as the City’s safety net.
- Do not miss this chance to work for a mission-oriented organization, which centers employees as its number one resource.
