Location: New York, NY (Hybrid)
Reports to: Director of Planned Giving
Position Type: Full-Time
About Us:
The Orthodox Union (OU) is the largest Orthodox Jewish organization in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs for the disabled, localized religious study programs, and international units. The OU maintains a kosher certification service, whose circled U symbol is found on the labels of many kosher commercial and consumer food products.
Job Summary:
The Orthodox Union’s Planned Giving department is looking for a dedicated and organized Planned Giving Officer to support the growth of legacy giving initiatives. This role will provide essential support to the Director of Planned Giving, assisting with donor outreach, managing daily operations, identifying new donor prospects, and handling inquiries. The ideal candidate will have strong interpersonal skills, a proactive approach to relationship management, and experience in nonprofit fundraising. Additionally, this role will collaborate closely with the Marketing and Communications (MarCom) and our events team to develop impactful planned giving materials and Legacy events for long-time donors.
This role is ideal for someone with a passion for nonprofit work, strong organizational skills, and a desire to make a meaningful impact on the Jewish community through legacy giving. The Planned Giving Officer will also enjoy the opportunity to build and nurture relationships through travel, engaging directly with donors and regional fundraisers to grow the organization’s impact across multiple regions.
Key Responsibilities:
Donor Outreach and Relationship Building:
- Assist the Director of Planned Giving in executing outreach strategies to engage potential and existing donors.
- Develop and maintain relationships with donors, managing communications and follow-ups as needed.
- Respond to donor inquiries with professionalism and a deep understanding of OU’s mission and planned giving opportunities.
- Travel quarterly to meet with donors and collaborate with fundraisers to strengthen relationships, explore giving opportunities, and ensure a personalized donor experience.
Fundraiser and Regional Support:
- Partner with fundraisers and regional offices on donor outreach initiatives, supporting them in identifying long-time donors and generating planned giving leads.
- Provide guidance and resources to fundraisers, helping them secure gift intentions and endowments.
- Work closely with the events team to organize regional meetings for fundraisers and coordinate legacy events that engage long-time donors, creating impactful experiences that reinforce commitment to the OU.
Prospect Identification and Research:
- Identify and research prospective donors, leveraging internal and external resources to build a pipeline of potential legacy gift supporters.
- Monitor donor engagement and interests to recommend potential prospects for outreach and cultivation.
Operations Management:
- Support day-to-day operations of the planned giving department, ensuring all tasks are organized, prioritized, and completed on schedule.
- Input donor records and track outreach efforts.
- Collaborate with administrative staff to support efficient workflow and seamless coordination within the department.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum of five years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or nonprofit management, with a focus on donor cultivation and stewardship preferred.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a strong customer service mindset.
- Highly organized, with the ability to handle multiple projects and priorities.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
- Experience with CRM systems is highly desirable.
- Familiarity with Jewish values and the Orthodox community is a plus.
Salary and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $90,000-$110,000, commensurate with experience.
We offer employee-sponsored healthcare, dental and vision plans.
Other benefits include:
- Paid sick days
- Paid vacation days
- Paid Jewish and most Federal holidays
- Short Fridays to accommodate for Sabbath
- Free life and disability insurance
- 403(b) retirement plan which the OU will contribute 5% of your wage towards retirement savings after you contribute at least 2% (only eligible after 3 years of continuous service)