Manager of Individual Giving

• Base Pay $55,000.00 - $67,000.00 / Year
• Employee Type Full-Time Exempt

Ghost Ranch is seeking a thoughtful, relationship-centered fundraiser to cultivate, engage, and steward individual donors in support of our mission and priorities. This role is well suited to a self-motivated professional who enjoys building genuine relationships, connecting people to a meaningful place, and working collaboratively toward shared goals. The right person brings strategic thinking, strong follow-through, and a positive, resilient spirit to the work.

The Manager of Individual Giving & Annual Fund builds and deepens relationships with the people who believe in Ghost Ranch and want to help sustain its future. Working closely with the Director of Development, this position develops and carries out annual giving strategies, serves as Board Liaison to improve their engagement and relationships, manages a small portfolio of individual donors, supports major gift fundraising, and creates meaningful opportunities for donor cultivation and stewardship.

Reporting to the Director of Development, the Manager works across Development, Marketing, and Programs, and partners with the CEO, Board members, volunteers, and colleagues throughout Ghost Ranch to connect supporters with the people, programs, and possibilities their generosity makes possible.

Ghost Ranch is a historic, mission-driven retreat and education center set on 21,000 acres in the high desert of Northern New Mexico. It’s a place of wide-open skies, stunning clouds, and fierce natural beauty. Artists, adventurers, and seekers of all sorts find what they are looking for here: opportunities to learn, experiences that nourish and challenge, and connections that transform. Our guests come from near and far to take part in classes, workshops, and retreats;

to camp, hike, and star gaze; and to reunite with family and friends.

While much of Ghost Ranch’s budget comes from earned revenue through hospitality and programs, philanthropy has been part of our story from the beginning. Ghost Ranch was born from a gift. For seventy years the generosity of donors has helped sustain this remarkable place and make its programs and experiences possible.

• Develop and implement annual giving strategies to achieve fundraising goals. The Development team has a target of $1million for contributed revenue in 2027.
• Manage a portfolio of 25-50 individual donors, with a primary focus on those giving $500–$5,000, through proactive personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Identify and build relationships with prospective donors through research, conversations, visits, and other opportunities to learn about their interests and connection to Ghost Ranch.
• Develop renewal, retention, and upgrade strategies that strengthen annual giving and donor loyalty.
• Create and oversee donor recognition activities, including personalized acknowledgments, impact updates, and opportunities for continued engagement. Show and express gratitude to donors consistently and authentically.
• Steward and administer the Camposanto Memorial Wall program, including responding to inquiries, coordinating orders and placements of memorial plaques, assisting with family visits to the site, and appropriate acknowledgement and communications with families.

• Develop and implement annual fundraising plans in collaboration with the Director of Development and Marketing team, including direct mail, email appeals, targeted campaigns, and other donor engagement activities.
• Establish and track annual fundraising goals and measures of success, including donor acquisition, retention, increased giving, and overall revenue growth.
• Segment audiences and tailor appeals and communications to increase engagement and giving.
• Collaborate with the Director of Development and Marketing Director on fundraising messaging and cases for support.
• Stay curious about emerging fundraising practices, donor engagement trends, and new opportunities to strengthen Ghost Ranch’s annual giving program.

• Partner with the Director of Development, CEO, and Board members to develop thoughtful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for major donors.
• Support the Capital Campaign and Board Development initiatives by providing donor insights, narratives, data, and strategic engagement support.
• Collaborate across…