Director of Donor Engagement

Director of Donor Engagement

The Director of Donor Engagement is responsible for the attainment of the organization's annual contributed income goal. The DDE will design and execute fundraising strategies and implement tactics in collaboration with the Executive Director, staff, and board.

Since the original opening in 2022, The Reser continues to expand opportunities for individual donors and corporate sponsors. Joining The Reser at this juncture, the DDE will have the opportunity to focus on the development of a major gift/planned giving program and expand the corporate sponsorship program. Working with the Development Manager to expand annual giving and membership engagement will add depth to the development functions at The Reser.

The Director of Donor Engagement will supervise a Donor Engagement Manager and Donor Engagement Coordinator and maintain strong partnerships with the board and the Executive Director. With a current donor pool of 750+ donors and a budget goal of $1.4 million on a $4.4 million budget for the next fiscal year, the Director of Donor Engagement has the support needed to grow our individual and corporate involvement at all levels.

A successful candidate will understand that fundraising is both an art and a science. With strong knowledge of systems, processes, and use of data to grow reach, they will also respect and engage in thoughtful and meaningful relationship building and support engagement opportunities for all donors.

Because the Reser is an Event and Arts Center, the Director of Donor Engagement is expected to attend Reser Events regularly.

Specific responsibilities will include:

Fundraising Strategy and Leadership

• With the Executive Director, build a fundraising strategy for 1-3 years.
• With the Senior Leadership Team, build an engagement strategy for each department.
• With the board of directors, develop individual and group portfolios.
• Oversee fundraising staff and provide goals, metrics and performance evaluations.
• Provide professional development opportunities and mentor staff growing in their career.
• Serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team
• Attend community events on behalf of The Reser.

Systems/Processes

• Assess current systems and database (Tessitura) for optimal functionality.
• Building a fundraising calendar that coordinates with programming and highlights opportunities for relationship building.
• Evaluate systems of donor communication.
• Supervise the Donor Engagement Coordinator in track pledges and pledge fulfillment.
• Ensure that all gifts are properly recorded and thank-you notes, tax receipts, and gift or pledge acknowledgments are sent in a timely manner by the Donor Engagement Coordinator.

Events

• In partnership with Programming and Communications and utilizing the The Reser facility, engage in donor events through performances, tours, discussions and other engagement opportunities.
• Engage board and staff to build fundraising events for the 5th anniversary.
• Oversee the Donor Engagement Coordinator's logistics work for events and communication of activities to donors and members.

Individual Giving

• Cultivate relationships with donors and potential donors at the $5,000 level and up.
• With Executive Director, facilitate and/or personally conduct donor gift solicitation
• With Donor Engagement Manager, build a monthly donor and annual giving program.

Grants/Proposals

• Lead sponsorship program (season, show, gallery, education, and community sponsor ships) by creating proposals, cultivating and stewarding relationships, and managing the fulfillment of sponsorship benefits.
• Work closely with the contracted grant writing team by targeting grant opportunities, gathering needed information from internal staff and reviewing all grant applications prior to submission.

Membership

• Direct membership program and supervise the Donor Engagement Manager supporting their work with planning and executing all donor and member events and managing the fulfillment of member benefits.

Primary Relationships

The Director of Donor Engagement will report to the Executive Director and supervise the Donor Engagement Manager and Donor Engagement Coordinator. Other important relationships will include members of the Board of Trustees, Senior Leadership Team members, including Directors of Marketing and Communications, Programming, and Managing Director, and Database Manager. Significant external relationships will include individual, corporate, and foundation donors.

Skills and Experience Needed

• 3-5 years of experience in direct fundraising.
• 3+ years of supervising fundraising staff, developing team metrics and serving on a senior leadership team.
• 3+ years of experience with development and implementation of fundraising plans and tactics.
• Experience with donor management software, preferably Tessitura.
• Excellent communication skills in writing and speaking.

Attributes:

• Comfortable communicating with donors, community members, ticket holders, etc.
• Ability to collaborate with team members and across teams to build cohesive organizational…