Donor Relations Manager

Thistle Farms•Nashville, TN

1d•$49,000 - $55,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Donor Relations Manager plays a pivotal role in supporting the fundraising efforts of Thistle Farms to further our mission. This position will have the opportunity to lead special projects to increase revenue, support leadership in their engagement with donors and prospects, and help shape the processes that strengthen our development efforts. This position manages the mid-level giving program of donors giving $1,000 - $4,999 and the Monthly Giving program, as well as the direct response program. The Donor Relations Manager plays a key role in maintaining the execution of key processes that direct the department’s fundraising, donor cultivation, and stewardship strategies. The role includes creating impactful donor communications, developing and promoting written and visual content, and creating motivating fundraising campaigns with the External Affairs Department.

Requirements

Strong commitment to the mission, vision and values of Thistle Farms and the ability to effectively articulate these to motivate and encourage donor support
Minimum of 3 years of nonprofit fundraising and donor relations, or related field
Strong knowledge of principles and best practices for fundraising operations to support cultivation and stewardship practices.
Strong leadership skills.
Demonstrated ability to motivate others and to be an effective team player.
Extremely detail-oriented and a proven project manager.
High level of diplomacy and confidentiality.
Ability to work some nights and weekends, as needed for events and deadlines.
Experience in a team-based, cross-functional work environment with effective and respectful communication as a top priority.
Excellent research, follow-through, analytical, problem-solving, and presentation skills.
Expert knowledge of Raisers’ Edge CRM Database preferred, including pulling data, developing reports, and conducting analysis.
Excellent written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills with the ability to articulate clear, persuasive, and concise thoughts.
High level of proficiency in Canva (or similar tools) and Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), and familiarity with Monday.com a plus.
Self-directed, performance-oriented individual who has demonstrated initiative and achievement of goals.
Proactive problem-solving, professional presence, and flexibility.
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in related field is preferred

Responsibilities

Design, implement, maintain and manage all planning, execution, and evaluation of a complex annual giving program, including setting goals, objectives, and timelines.
Research and implement best practices for donor acquisition, retention, upgrade, and stewardship.
Lead all special appeals & solicitations such as Giving Tuesday, Calendar Year-End, Fiscal Year End, and Graduation.
Create innovative concepts and messages that resonate with Thistle Farms’ diverse audience to help meet and exceed annual goals.
Manage monthly giving program, leading the overall strategy on stewardship, communications and growth for this group.
Collaborate with Donor Database Specialist to analyze data through various in-house software tools (Raiser's Edge/NXT) regarding annual donor giving and past giving trends to manage workflow and donor relationships.
Oversee donor stewardship efforts, including thank-you letters, donor recognition programs, and annual impact reports.
Ensure a high level of personal interaction with top donors.
Coordinate direct response appeals in partnership with the Senior Manager, Integrated Marketing to develop direct mail and email solicitations supporting annual campaigns.
Work with Donor Database Specialist to develop and segment donor lists for acquisition, renewal and win-back strategies.
Cultivate donor relationships through face-to-face meetings to deepen the relationship with Thistle Farms.
Provide portfolio support as needed to VP, External Affairs, CEO, and President & Founder and Director of Philanthropic Partnerships
Represent Thistle Farms in various external and public settings with the objective of mission awareness, networking, and donor prospecting
Manage and oversee interns and volunteers to support various development needs
Identify and steward community partnerships that can lead to donations, in-kind, or community support.
Attend events as a representative, on panel, or providing Thistle Farms overview.
Maintain donor portfolio by updating records in Raise’s Edge NXT with new information including call and meeting notes
Develop ethical storytelling narratives for donor communications
Assist in copyediting for grants and other donor communications
Provide support to fundraising initiatives such as events and offsite activations including third-party events
Support in-kind donation requests
Support planned giving requests