Donor Engagement Manager

This position can be fully remote in the US, hybrid in Yarmouth, MA, Washington, DC or London, EnglandThe Donor Engagement Manager is responsible for communicating IFAW’s vision, strategy, and impact to inspire significant philanthropic commitments for IFAW's work from high-net-worth individuals and family foundations. By spearheading best-in-class donor communications, engagement, and stewardship, this role serves an essential function: developing and building IFAW’s reputation to position IFAW as a top charity worthy of significant donations. The Donor Engagement Manager plays a key role in improving the HNW donor journey and achieving our fundraising goals for enhanced programmatic impact globally in conservation, rescue, and policy.Role and ResponsibilitiesThe Donor Engagement Manager is an integral component of IFAW’s global Development team. Reporting to the Deputy Vice President, Development, the Donor Engagement Manager leads a robust donor communications, engagement, and stewardship program for high-net-worth (HNW) individuals, spearheading the development of strategy and plans, and supervising a team of contractors and freelancers for project implementation. The successful candidate will contribute to the attainment of ambitious growth goals (including current use, endowments, and significant gifts in will), by inspiring donors’ philanthropic support and leading the creation and implementation of a suite of donor communications and experiences.Create dynamic donor engagement planSpearhead donor engagement plans, including cultivation, stewardship experiences, and recognitionDrive a robust calendar of communications and activities to optimize donor engagement, mission impact, and a best-in class donor experience with IFAWAdvise and support frontline fundraisers with strategy and content for donor communications and proposals; collaborate with gift officers on HNW individual donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts, including development of custom proposals and cases for supportCollaborate with communications and program teams to create compelling donor impact reports, donor newsletters, webinars, bespoke proposals, and other tools that drive and support effective engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major- and principal-level gifts as well as larger legacy commitments; maintain curated library of assets for gift officers to use or customizeGather and share impact stories, data, and testimonials to demonstrate the value of donor contributionsPlan and oversee execution of exclusive engagement opportunities (in-person and virtual) for target audience, designed to highlight IFAW programmatic expertise and build stronger donor relationshipsDevelop and implement personalized stewardship plans for select principal and major donors, working closely with frontline fundraisers and relationship managersEnsure all donor touchpoints reflect the organization’s mission and values, and that donors feel valued and connectedManage projects and personnelLead, coach, and manage a team of freelancers responsible for communications, stewardship, and engagement activities; oversee contracts, monitor deliverables and expendituresMaintain strong relationships with program leaders across the global organization, keeping apprised of IFAW’s programmatic work to identify topics that will appeal to high-net-worth donors and prospectsAnalyze donor engagement metrics, track trends, and report on the effectiveness of engagement and stewardship strategies.Collaboration and fundamentalsEnsure routine fundraising communications and templates for major gifts are up-to-date, accurate, and on brand (e.g., fundraising appeals, donor education emails, gift acknowledgments, holiday cards, swag)Manage creation and updates of bespoke proposals so that they are timely and well-designedImprove integration of mail / email outreachCollaborate with communications and marketing teams to optimize use and creative repurposing of resources and collateral materialsEnhance web presence (philanthropy pages) to incorporate donor testimonials and demonstrate impact of philanthropic supportUpdate and improve naming opportunities for major and principal gifts, named and endowed funds, larger legacies and blended gifts from HNW individualsStrategic guidance and innovationCollaborate with DVP Development to recommend and implement effective points of contact with donors for the purposes of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of six-figure+ giftsIdentify opportunities to present our work more effectively and enhance the donor experienceLaunch or relaunch giving societies – e.g., cumulative lifetime giving, high-end annual giving, legacy society – with an emphasis on philanthropy and engagement rather than perks and benefitsAdvise on ways to streamline and improve donor communications and engagement, e.g., by leveraging technology, balancing push / pull outreach, adjusting the mix of print / digital and other mediaGuide the larger Development team in positioning our programs to inspire greater philanthropic supportQualifications and Education RequirementsMinimum 4-5 years of related experience in nonprofit stewardship, donor communications, fundraising, or related transferable experienceExperience leading a team in a development setting, including direct supervision of colleagues in donor engagement and stewardship; and/or management of a stable of contractors and freelancersDemonstrated ability to work well in a fast-paced, multifaceted environment and lead numerous functions and various projects simultaneouslyExceptional written communication, relationship-building, project management and collaboration skillsIntellectual curiosityMust be professional, highly organized, creative, efficient, and collaborative.Cultural competence: ability to work seamlessly with colleagues across four continents.Able to work successfully both individually and as part of a team.Must be flexible and willing to take on new responsibilities within a growing programAbility to travel regionally/internationally for trainings and team meetingsA degree from a four-year college or university preferredKnowledge of Microsoft products, including PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook required; familiarity with Adobe, Canva or other graphic design / visual communications programs a plusMust be fully fluent English speaking/writingAt IFAW, we aim to create and foster a workforce that reflects and contributes to the diverse, global community in which we work to improve the lives of both animals and people. We are dedicated to fostering justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion so we actively encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds.