Donor Relations Officer, Mid-Level Giving

KERA•Dallas, TX

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Donor Relations Officer (DRO) manages and grows a portfolio of mid-level donors, typically in the $1,000–$4,999 range, with a focus on deepening relationships, increasing giving, and qualifying donors for major gifts. This role serves as a critical bridge between membership and major gifts, applying a scaled relationship management approach to a large portfolio. DROs prioritize donors based on engagement and capacity, delivering personalized outreach where it matters most while maintaining broader programmatic communication across the portfolio. The DRO is responsible for advancing donors through the pipeline—either toward higher levels of giving and major gift qualification or back into programmatic streams when appropriate. This position is classified as FLSA exempt, is not eligible for overtime and reports to the VP, Philanthropic Giving.

Requirements

4–6+ years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or sales
Experience managing donor or client portfolios with a focus on relationship-building and revenue growth
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport
Ability to balance personalized engagement with scaled portfolio management
Data-informed and strategic in prioritizing time and outreach
Experience with CRM systems and moves management practices

Nice To Haves

Passion for public media

Responsibilities

Manage a large portfolio of mid-level donors and prioritize 150–200 active donors at any given time for deeper, personalized engagement
Develop and execute individualized engagement strategies for top-tier donors within the portfolio
Conduct discovery calls, meetings, and personalized outreach to understand donor interests, motivations, and capacity
Execute 12–24 annual touchpoints per active donor, with increasing personalization based on giving level
Build meaningful relationships that lead to increased giving and long-term engagement
Assess and track donor signals, including giving trends, responsiveness, and event participation
Qualify donors for movement into higher levels of engagement and giving, major gifts portfolios, or lower-touch, programmatic stewardship when appropriate
Drive increases in average gift size across the portfolio
Actively solicit gifts and upgrades, particularly toward the $2,500+ and $5,000+ levels
Partner with leadership and major gifts team on donors nearing qualification thresholds
Maintain clear and consistent documentation of donor interactions and next steps in the CRM
Develop monthly and quarterly plans for outreach, engagement, and solicitation
Ensure disciplined moves management practices across the portfolio
Partner with stewardship, membership, and major gifts teams to coordinate donor experiences
Participate in and support donor events as a tool for engagement and qualification
Collaborate with data and analytics staff to refine portfolio strategy
Work in a manner that is consistent with KERA’s mission, vision and values; and maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures
Participate in fundraising activities as needed and assigned
Perform additional duties as assigned

Benefits

Generous vacation (3 weeks)
Sick time (8 days)
Personal time (2 days)
Holidays (11)
Comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance
KERA-paid short and long-term disability, basic life insurance and AD&D insurance
Flexible scheduling
Hybrid work environment
401k plan with KERA-contribution after 6 months
Robust employee assistance program available to the employee and all members of their household
Strong company culture focused on connection, belonging and professional growth