Annual Giving Specialist - Foundation Physical Therapy Research

Title: Annual Giving Specialist - Foundation for Physical Therapy Research

Department: Foundation for Physical Therapy Research

FLSA Status: Full-time, Exempt

Location: This position is located onsite at the APTA headquarters in Alexandria, VA.

The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research is the only national nonprofit solely dedicated to funding physical therapy research and promising researchers through grants, scholarships, and fellowships. Through these investments, researchers go on to yield exceptional research that helps us learn more about the efficacy of physical therapy practices, pioneer breakthrough treatments, and build the evidence-base to define the value of physical therapy among payers, other health care professions, and patients.

The Foundation is an affiliate of the American Physical Therapy Association. Foundation staff are employed by APTA and receive the same employee benefits and adhere to APTA policies and procedures.

Do you want to contribute to an organization dedicated to improving societal health? Would you like to collaborate with colleagues who are passionate about making a difference? Are you excited to work in a new state-of-the-art building designed to encourage movement, participation, and employee health?

Then you want to work for APTA!

APTA is the trusted leader for the physical therapy profession, representing more than 100,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical therapy students. Our approximately 150 employees support the association’s mission to build a community that advances the profession of physical therapy to improve the health of society.

Located in Alexandria, Virginia, APTA has outstanding employee benefits, including flexible work schedules, generous retirement contributions, and travel subsidies for employees who choose public and active transportation.

Join us in advancing the future of physical therapy research by leading annual giving and donor engagement at the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research. Reporting to the Development Manager, the Specialist plays a pivotal role in cultivating a broad base of support through strategic campaigns, stewardship, recognition programs, and donor appreciation events. The Specialist also serves as the lead staff for the Foundation’s annual student-led fundraising initiative, a nationally recognized grassroots campaign.

This position offers the opportunity to work closely with senior leadership, the Communications team, and the Data Specialist to drive donor acquisition, retention, and growth. The ideal candidate is highly organized, passionate about building relationships, and adept at using data and insights to guide strategy and deepen donor engagement? This is a visible role with significant opportunity to shape the Foundation’s annual giving program and strengthen its impact on the physical therapy profession.

• Lead multi-channel annual giving campaigns (email, direct mail, digital, phone) that inspire donors to participate.
• Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects with varying capacity to give up to $5,000 annually.
• Use segmentation, screening data, and CRM insights to tailor communications and deepen engagement with key audiences, including funded researchers.
• Partner with Communications to develop compelling appeals, donor recognition materials, and stewardship content that highlight impact.
• Track and evaluate annual giving campaign results, using data insights to inform future strategies.
• Co-lead digital fundraising campaigns, developing content and strategy for initiatives including Giving Tuesday, year-end appeals, lapsed donor outreach, social media-driven efforts, and e-news communications.

• Drive engagement strategies for PT and PTA students and recent graduates, with a focus on the nationally recognized Marquette Challenge.
• Collaborate with Communications to create dynamic content for student-facing platforms (email, social media, and digital toolkits).
• Share the impact of Foundation-funded initiatives and present meaningful ways for faculty and students…