Director of Annual Giving & Foundation Relations

Director Of Annual Giving & Foundation Relations

American Jewish University (AJU) seeks a Director of Annual Giving & Foundation Relations to strengthen and expand its philanthropic support. Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, this role creates and executes engagement strategies that increase annual donor gifts, retention, and long-term loyalty — leading multi-channel annual fundraising, managing a portfolio of individual and institutional donors, and cultivating foundation relationships including proposal writing and grant reporting.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive annual giving strategy with integrated campaigns across direct mail, email, digital, and social media
• Analyze campaign performance and donor data to improve acquisition, retention, response rates, average gift size, and ROI
• Build new donor welcome, lapsed donor re-engagement, and recurring/monthly giving strategies
• Develop cultivation and solicitation strategies for a portfolio of approximately 50–75 mid-level donors and prospects
• Write grant proposals, letters of inquiry, supporting materials, and grant reports
• Research and identify prospective foundation funders and develop relationships with program officers
• Maintain grant calendars, reporting schedules, and accurate CRM records

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
• 5–7 years of progressive fundraising or nonprofit development experience
• Demonstrated success managing annual giving programs and a portfolio of individual donors
• Strong grant writing experience with a track record of securing foundation funding
• Background with digital fundraising platforms, email marketing systems, and donor CRM
• Strong analytical skills and experience using fundraising data to inform strategy
• Knowledge of the Jewish community, Jewish nonprofit sector, or Jewish philanthropic landscape strongly preferred

Salary: $100,000–$120,000 annually, commensurate with experience. 35 hours/week; 4 days per week in person in Sherman Oaks with Friday remote. Benefits may include health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plan participation, and paid time off.