Donor Relations Manager, Scripps Howard Foundation

Donor Relations Manager

Join the Scripps Howard Foundation as we seek a passionate Donor Relations Manager to lead our donor engagement and stewardship efforts. This role is critical to building lasting relationships with our supporters and maximizing the impact of their generosity. You'll craft strategies that keep donors connected, valued, and inspired by the tangible difference their gifts make in communities across the country.

What You'll Do:

• Serve as the donor relations lead, crafting strategies that enhance retention rates and foster meaningful donor engagement.
• Develop and implement donor engagement and stewardship strategy from planning through execution and evaluation.
• Customize strategy per fundraising campaign and market.
• Create effective communication that keeps donors connected, valued and informed, ensuring they see the tangible impact of their gifts.
• Segment audiences to tailor messaging to various campaigns and giving levels.
• Utilize compelling storytelling to illustrate the impact of donor gifts, going beyond solely reporting outcomes.
• Develop and implement strategies to increase recurring monthly donors.
• Collaborate with development team to align donor engagement and retention efforts with donor acquisition strategies.
• Actively listen to donors through surveys and feedback opportunities to understand donor motivations, reduce donor fatigue and build a partnership through two-way communication.
• Establish or follow policies and procedures to create, document and maintain an effective donor and prospect management system.
• Seek continual improvement in fundraising technology to ensure the organization's needs are met.
• Manage the unique lifecycle of donors from cultivation through solicitation and stewardship.
• Establish and monitor key donor retention metrics, ensure annual donor retention goals are met.
• Compile, analyze and share strategic prospect research data with SHF Leadership team and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure that all reports required are submitted accurately and in a timely manner.
• Work as an active member of the development team to design and implement donor appreciation, cultivation, and volunteer opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with SHF marketing/communications team to design and implement strategies for stewarding donors to increase donor retention.
• Ensure responsible use of allocated budget for assigned initiatives, adhering to established policies.

What You'll Need:

• BS/BA in related discipline or equivalent years of experience
• Generally, 5+ years of experience in related field preferred
• 10% travel required

What You'll Bring:

• Proven success in donor stewardship, including donor communications, cultivation, and long term relationship building, with the ability to engage donors at all levels
• Driven by philanthropic work and dedicated to maximizing community impact
• Energetic self-starter with the ability to manage multifaceted projects and a capacity to perform well in a dynamic, multi-tasking environment
• Able to anticipate needs and resolve problems in a timely manner
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written), including strong presentation skills
• Strategic thinker who is comfortable initiating and nurturing relationships inside and outside of the Fund/Foundation and company
• Able to create targeted and compelling communications that support donor stewardship efforts, foster lasting relationships, and align with campaign goals
• Self-motivated and organized
• Ability to identify and work through challenges, underscored by strong judgment and emotional intelligence
• Experience with fundraising/donor management software
• Thrives in a collaborative environment