Director, Donor Experience

Position Description

With an emphasis on ensuring a positive donor experience for all donors, this full-time position leads and oversees ACF relationship managers stewarding both current fundholders and legacy donors. This position will engage a large portfolio of ACF donors, including top donors with high potential for significant growth. This position will support new asset development activities as well and work closely with the Development team to ensure a smooth onboarding experience for every new donor.. While supporting and guiding statewide donor experience, this position will focus on the greater Phoenix metro area.

Essential Job Functions

• In partnership with CDO and DDE Sr. team members, lead, develop and execute ACF’s overall development strategy to support asset growth goals associated with ACF’s component funds, initiatives.
• Innovate new strategies that increase charitable resources to more deeply engage fundholders including customized engagement plans for ongoing stewardship and the creation of donor orientation experience.
• Create donor experience marketing and stewardship events to increase giving from existing fundholders and encourage planned gifts.
• Serves as a relationship manager to significant portfolio of existing donor and nonprofit fundholders and legacy donors and partner with ACF colleagues to serve and amaze donors.
• Partner with, cultivate and maintain relationships with professional advisors, e.g., estate planning attorneys, CPA, financial advisors, etc., who refer their clients to ACF.
• Supervise staff that manage large portfolios of fundholders and legacy donors by providing exemplary customer service as well as identifying opportunities for fund growth and grantmaking.
• Work closely with colleagues across business units to support giving circle donors.
• Lead development and implementation of key ACF strategies to engage ACF donors and prospectives donors.
• Present on ACF’s behalf to external audiences, including donors, prospective donors, professional advisors, nonprofit community.
• Train and support statewide team of relationship managers (RMs).

Major Accountabilities

• Effectively represents the Foundation in a positive manner to its three core audiences – donors, nonprofits and professional advisors.
• Provide leadership and guidance to supported staff with professional and timely oversight.
• Plan and execute annual new business development and fundraising goals, foster an environment of cross-departmental collaboration.

Knowledge or Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years of experience in nonprofit sector. JD, CPA, CFP, or PG certification (CAP®, CGPA, CGPP, etc.) welcome. Advanced degree/certification and/or experience working with clients in the financial or wealth management industries may substitute for 7+ years of nonprofit experience.

• Exceptional and proven customer service experience.  Extensive background and proven results in client or donor stewardship and constructing and implementing client/donor development plans.
• Experience with nonprofit industry development practices or charitable giving strategies combined with knowledge of the latest best practices relative to the development field at large.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills; research skills; ability to analyze, think critically and explain alternatives clearly.
• Aptitude for public speaking, training and meeting facilitation.        
• Strong interpersonal skills: Ability to actively listen and to work with widely diverse individuals and groups, including donors, volunteers and community leaders, demonstrating professionalism and confidentiality.
• Ability to work as part of a professional team with enthusiasm and commitment and ability to take initiative and work both collaboratively and independently.
• Experience with strategic planning, management, problem-solving and decision-making.
• Ability to multi-task while staying on a course of planned action.
• Skill in both analytical thinking and building personal relationships.
• Strong capacity to listen, keen sense of judgment and propriety, and ability to follow-up on details with great speed.

Other Requirements

This position functions in an office environment and requires some local and/or regional travel.  Must be available for occasional evening and/or weekend work hours.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of the position.  Incumbents may be required to perform other job-related tasks other than or in addition to those specifically presented in this description.