Job Listing: Regional Philanthropy Officer (The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation)

Regional Philanthropy Officer

As an integral part of the Regional Philanthropy team at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the Regional Philanthropy Officer will primarily be responsible for contacting major gift prospects for qualification to move them through the discovery pipeline over the next several years. The role will also be responsible for renewing and upgrading existing donors at the leadership levels of the CW Fund ($5k+), while encouraging these donors to make a major or planned gift in support of the mission and priorities of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Reporting to the Executive Director of Regional Philanthropy, the Regional Philanthropy Officer will work closely with other members of the team, colleagues across Development, and internal partners throughout the Foundation to meet and exceed goals. The Regional Philanthropy Officer will be expected to develop a robust major gift portfolio by the end of year two of the incumbent’s tenure in the position.

Essential Functions:

• Works collaboratively to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospects capable of making philanthropic gifts and multi-year commitments at the leadership annual fund and major gift level to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
• Conducts qualification visits via in-person and remote channels for a bi-annually rotating list of assigned identified prospects.
• Manages a portfolio of approximately 90-120 leadership annual fund donors and major gift/planned giving prospects and implements donor-centric development strategies designed to engage leadership annual fund and major gift prospects, many of whom have multiple philanthropic interests across the Foundation.
• Conducts a high number of quality engagement interactions through personal visits requiring travel to the region, telephone and virtual qualification and solicitations.
• Coordinates customized written proposals to obtain and/or increase major gift contributions, as needed.
• Connects donors’ philanthropic interests to the Foundation’s priorities and solicits for unrestricted, restricted, and planned gifts in support of the Foundation.
• Achieves and exceeds annual dollar, qualification, proposal, and donor visit goals established in consultation with the Associate Vice President of Development.
• Works closely with the Prospect Development team to identify new major donor prospects using data driven decision making and helps develop individual strategies to engage and cultivate them for new gifts.
• Researches and writes briefings to prepare colleagues, including leadership, for effective meetings with donors and prospects.
• Directs follow-up correspondences and objectives resulting from donor meetings.
• Documents all development activity in the CRM in a timely manner to maintain accurate prospect records and contact reports to facilitate repeated donations and establish gift histories.
• Establishes and maintains productive working relations with donors, potential donors, and colleagues across the Development team and the Foundation.
• Prepares comprehensive short- and long-range activity plans, including plans for travel and proposals for strategic events, in pursuit of the annual goals.
• Participates in and assists, as needed, in supporting and managing as assigned, the annual meetings of the special donor societies, and campaign events.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• 3-5 years of previous professional experience in fundraising, customer service, or sales environments working directly with people for engagement.
• Must have the ability to drive given that this role requires travel 25 – 50% of the time.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, including face-to-face donor stewardship and solicitation, in a non-profit setting.
• Experience with fundraising software systems or CRMs.

Key Skills / Competencies:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles, ethics, and practices of successful fundraising.
• Appreciation for the importance of philanthropy.
• Have high degree of interest in associating with a non-profit educational institution.
• Knowledgeable about the private sector.
• Either possess or rapidly acquire a detailed knowledge of Colonial Williamsburg and the workings of the organization.
• Have strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills and possess the ability to write and speak convincingly about the importance of Colonial Williamsburg’s mission.
• Be enthusiastic, entrepreneurial, and self-motivated.
• Exercise good judgement in working with sensitive information.

In addition, the candidate should: enjoy meeting and interacting with donors; be a good listener; use excellent judgment; be responsive to the needs and interests of donors; have a willingness to plan and execute travel for donor visits that may include overnight trips; and be willing to learn, collaborate, and grow within a high performing fundraising team.

Typical Work Schedule:

• Regular/FT Monday - Friday, with some evening and weekend work required.
• Travel required, local and nationally, possibly 12 - 15 trips annually

To apply, click HERE.