Development Officer

Friends of the Children Austin • Austin, TX

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Development Officer is a key member of Friends of the Children Austin’s Development and Communications team, focused on securing substantial philanthropic support from individual and corporate donors. This outward-facing, results-oriented role involves donor identification, qualification, cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation, with a focus on managing a portfolio of donors giving approximately $5,000 to $24,999 annually and moving them toward major gifts of $25,000 and above. The Officer works closely with the Director of Development and Communications and Deputy Director of Development and Communications to develop, implement, and monitor strategies that grow contributed revenue and support the organization’s goal of serving 300 children by 2030. The role also works with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, committees, and other organizational leaders.

The Development Officer manages donor relationships and prospect pipelines, supports signature fundraising and cultivation events, stewards corporate sponsors, and contributes to a 2.5-year, $3 million campaign launching in Fall 2027. The position requires a self-starter with nonprofit fundraising experience and strong relationship-building, communication, planning, organization, and adaptability skills. A bachelor’s degree in a related field is preferred, though equivalent experience is accepted. The position is full-time and exempt, based in Austin, with local travel to donor and community meetings using a personal vehicle. The anticipated start date is January or February 2027.

Requirements

• At least five years of experience cultivating donor relationships and converting those relationships into philanthropic support, as stated in the job introduction.
• Experience in a nonprofit fundraising environment managing donor stewardship, cultivation, and solicitation of donations.
• Minimum of three years of event-planning experience, including serving as the primary lead for an event.
• Associate or bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent experience; the posting also describes a bachelor’s degree in a related field as preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication, listening, and comprehension skills.
• Ability to build trust and rapport with donors, prospects, volunteers, senior leaders, and other stakeholders, and to handle confidential donor information discreetly.
• Integrity, respect, dependability, professionalism, and ability to follow through on commitments.
• Planning, organizational, time-management, prioritization, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Ability to learn and apply new skills, use resources effectively, and work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to adapt to a fast-paced and evolving environment and organize a variety of tasks.
• Must have a vehicle, valid driver’s license, and automobile insurance.
• Ability to work in the Austin office.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Responsibilities

• Manage and cultivate a portfolio of current and prospective donors giving approximately $5,000 to $24,999 annually, moving them toward major gifts of $25,000 and above.
• Provide individualized quarterly engagement and personalized stewardship for priority donors.
• Secure and renew multi-year pledge commitments, including commitments extending through and beyond 2030.
• Coordinate with the Director of Development and Communications on transitions or shared management of donors ready for major-gift relationships.
• Track projected portfolio revenue, share updates and recommendations in recurring Major Gift meetings, maintain accurate CRM records, and report activity and revenue metrics.
• Use board members, the Executive Leadership Council, and community networks to identify and qualify individual and corporate donor prospects.
• Map relationships and connect with prospects at corporations relocating their headquarters to Austin.
• Move qualified prospects from identification through cultivation and develop touchpoint plans leading to gift solicitations.
• Equip board members and other organizational champions with tools and talking points for donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Partner with the Events Producer to cultivate and steward portfolio donors and prospects through signature fundraising events.
• Add first-time event donors giving $5,000 or more to the portfolio and provide personalized follow-up intended to secure a second gift.
• Steward corporate event sponsors, propose upgraded sponsorship tiers to sponsors with greater giving capacity, and develop ongoing annual partnerships.
• Encourage major donors who serve as event connectors to invite qualified prospects to signature events.
• Partner with the Director of Development and Communications and Events Producer to plan small cultivation events, including pledge gatherings and donor-hosted events, and shape guest lists, goals, and follow-up.
• Support execution of the 2.5-year, $3 million giving campaign launching at the 10th Birthday celebration in Fall 2027.
• Support the campaign kickoff and work with the Director of Development and Communications to manage and engage the Campaign Committee.
• Work with organizational leadership to advance priority donors to higher giving levels and increase philanthropic support.
• Partner with the Development and Communications Associate to prepare proposals, presentations, and personalized materials for campaign gift solicitations.
• Travel locally in a personal vehicle to donor visits and community meetings.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid premiums for dental, vision, and medical benefits.
• Disability and life insurance for all employees.
• Three weeks of paid vacation.
• Two weeks of paid sick leave.
• Additional paid time off during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Simple IRA with up to a 3% employer match.
• Eight weeks of paid parental leave for the primary caregiver and four weeks for the secondary caregiver.
• Tuition reimbursement plan.
• Competitive salary.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree