Membership & Donor Relations Associate

San Francisco Zen Center

San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC) was established in 1962 by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi ) and is one of the leading Buddhist practice and training centers in the West. The SFZC community has a diverse population made up of internationally known Zen teachers, short and long-term residential students, non-residential lay practitioners, ordained priests, and visiting guests. We have three California practice centers:
City Center (located in San Francisco), Green Gulch Farm (located in coastal Marin County), and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center (located in the Ventana Wilderness, inland from Big Sur). The purpose of SFZC is to express, embody, and make accessible the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha as taught and practiced in the Soto Zen tradition.

SFZC’s long-term vision is to embody diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility throughout San Francisco Zen Center’s teachings, practice, organizational culture, policies, and operations as a manifestation of our vow to awaken together with all beings.

The Membership & Donor Relations Associate is a full-time position supporting SFZC’s Development Department in raising operating revenue for a thriving spiritual community. This position is responsible for a mid-range donor portfolio and oversees the membership program. This position will also assist with capital campaigns, peer-to-peer campaigns, annual fundraising campaigns, legacy giving, research/data analysis, and donor stewardship. This position works closely with the Development Director, Major Gifts Officer, Annual Fund Manager, and our Mar Com team on a variety of strategic and creative projects.

The right candidate will have experience supporting fundraising campaigns with strong project management skills and a flair for event planning (some evenings and weekends).

• Manage a portfolio of mid-level donors (typically $500–$5,000 annual giving), ensuring timely cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develop individualized engagement strategies for mid-range donors to deepen connection with SFZC’s mission, programs, and practice locations.
• Conduct regular outreach through personalized emails, phone calls, handwritten notes, and occasional in-person meetings.
• Identify donors with the capacity to increase their giving and create tailored pathways to Membership, Major Gifts, or Legacy Giving.
• Design messaging and segmentation for mid-range donor audiences.
• Assist with donor cultivation events, both virtual and in-person.
• Support donor stewardship by preparing customized communications and recognition opportunities.

• Manage all aspects of the SFZC membership program, including renewals, upgrades, new member acquisition, and stewardship.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for members, responding to inquiries, processing membership changes, and ensuring a positive member experience.
• Implement segmented outreach while coordinating monthly and quarterly membership communications that include newsletters and events.
• Maintain accurate membership records in Salesforce, ensuring data integrity across all member categories and engagement histories.
• Partner with Mar Com to create and update membership-related materials, including brochures, web content, and stewardship messages.
• Collaborate with residents and staff to ensure members feel welcome and recognized.
• Track membership metrics and prepare monthly and quarterly reports on member numbers, retention performance, revenue, and engagement.
• Support Year-end campaign with direct mail and segmented online solicitations.
• Support Spring campaign (Zen-a-thon), an online peer-to-peer fundraising campaign
• Support Dharma Lamp legacy giving program
• Support yearly events, newsletters, and activities with volunteers.

• Able to accurately meet multiple deadlines with strong project management skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments
• Familiarity with Salesforce, Asana, and Google Suite
• Mindfulness, attention to detail, and ability to manage complex processes.
• Familiarity with Buddhism and temple life (not required)
• 2‑3 years of experience supporting fundraising…