Job Title: Philanthropy (Development) Director
Reports to: Executive Director (ED)
Hours: Full-Time
Our organization
Congregation Rodeph Shalom (RS) is a vibrant Reform community in center city Philadelphia. It has grown to become the largest Jewish congregation in the region. It is a fast-paced, mission driven workplace, and welcomes employees who strive for excellence.
Our vision: immersed in Jewish time, guided by enduring values, compelled to moral action; we create profound connections. Through this lens, the Philanthropy Director will ensure that all philanthropic efforts are in alignment, thus helping RS to realize its full potential as a sacred community.
Position Summary
This position reports to the Executive Director and is full time. Preference will be given to candidates with extensive and demonstrated experience raising significant funds for a relatively small, but sophisticated nonprofit. Individuals applying must have a deep understanding of how to organize a successful fundraising operation, support various campaigns, and plan and execute dynamic fundraising events.
We are searching for a Philanthropy (Development) Director whose primary responsibilities will be to organize, execute and maximize the success of our ongoing philanthropic efforts. Significant components of the development programs include, but are not limited to annual membership and other ongoing fundraising, endowment giving, tributes and memorial giving--and the follow-up systems which assure prompt and meaningful recognition and acknowledgements to donors and families. The successful hire will have expertise at creating and executing meaningful gratitude programs and events.
This individual will build upon a successful history of establishing and nurturing relationships and will engage in the relational model of synagogue life embraced by RS. The individual will cultivate relationships and engage in a heartfelt way with existing and potential benefactors and, over time, solicit, close and steward major and planned gifts.
This individual must be an experienced fundraising professional who is detail- oriented, extremely organized, a team player, and possess a high level of energy. The candidate will understand the value and benefit of deepening relationships, and be able to attend weekend and evening gatherings and events. It is essential this individual have experience and competence with fundraising/donor database and CRM software such as Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, etc. The successful candidate will have budget and mathematical proficiency, be able to plan and execute fundraising strategies both short and long-term, conduct regular and ongoing fundraising analyses, ensure gifts are timely and accurately recorded in our system along with regular donor interaction and informational notes, and assure that open balances are collected promptly.
We require proven ability to initiate ideas, follow through on tasks, be an excellent communicator, and possess the interpersonal skills to work well with engaged congregational leaders and staff. A candidate with prior development experience in the Jewish community, particularly in this geographic area is preferred, along with familiarity with a vibrant temple calendar of activities, life-cycle events and holiday observances.
Specific Responsibilities
- Set annual philanthropic goals, in collaboration with the Executive Director.
- Plan and execute all fundraising programs. This includes annual philanthropy-related events, volunteer cultivation and gratitude events–in coordination with recruited and active congregant volunteers.
- In partnership with the ED, plan and execute successful special campaigns such as endowment, capital, milestone temple anniversaries, etc.
- Maximize donations in the form of permanent endowment funds, including lifetime gifts as well as bequests in wills and other planned giving vehicles.
- Prospect research/identification: conduct meetings to gather additional information about a prospect and consolidate with information already available.
- Generate reports and statements, conduct regular and ongoing analysis, merge-mailings and overall data manipulation which assists in setting goals and priorities.
- Inspire a staff culture of entering notes into our data system containing donor and family information, meeting notes, topics discussed, giving potential, employment, etc.
- Create impactful philanthropy materials increasing awareness and engagement in and around philanthropy.
- Working with the ED and the Communications Manager, develop meaningful ways to motivate, acknowledge and thank donors.
- Create and adhere to fundraising budget with input from the ED and leadership.
- Cultivate personal relationships with existing and potential benefactors developing a portfolio and pipeline of donors using a Moves Management-type system.
- Attend community events, lunch dates, appointments outside of RS, and other social opportunities to meet with donors in order to develop relationships.
- Develop and implement a systematic approach to fundraising that capitalizes on the existing relationships among clergy, lay leadership, senior staff and the donor base.
- Motivate and collaborate with key volunteer and staff leadership on fundraising efforts and coordinate necessary training.
- Solicit and close major and planned gifts.
- Lead and manage the annual High Holy Day appeal.
- Maintain a donor database including appropriate data and reports to support fundraising efforts.
- Demonstrate a “can do” approach and embrace a wide scope of responsibilities including goal-setting and accountability.
- In coordination with the ED, develop metrics to measure performance of this position and the overall development program.
- Attend and participate, as assigned, in gatherings, engagement opportunities, Shabbat services, etc. which intersect with fundraising and relationship-building.
In addition to the skills listed above, the following qualifications are expected:
- Bachelor’s degree
- At least five years prior fundraising experience
- Knowledge of the local Jewish community
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office products (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel)
- Salesforce familiarity strongly desirable
- Excellent communication skills, including writing and speaking
- Ability to work cooperatively and independently
- Ability to address sensitive donor issues with empathy and compassion
- Strong organizational skills
- Professional, yet warm and friendly
- Enthusiastic attitude for positive interactions with staff, the congregation, and the community
Salary is commensurate with relevant work experience and in the $70K - $85K range. This is an “at-will” position, reporting to and being guided by the Executive Director and clergy.
If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your resume and cover letter via email to Jeff Katz, Executive Director at j[email protected]. Congregation Rodeph Shalom is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not take into consideration the race, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, (or any other protected class) of any applicant for this position. For more information, visit our website at www.rodephshalom.org.