Individual Giving Officer

SC AQUARIUM•Charleston, SC

About The Position

The Individual Giving Officer executes strategies to grow and strengthen the South Carolina Aquarium’s annual giving societies and programs under the strategic direction of the Senior Giving Programs Officer. The position manages donor engagement within Conservation Stewards and Watershed Society, representing annual giving in the $500 to $9,999 range, and identifies opportunities to deepen donor relationships and move annual donors toward major giving of $10,000 and above. The officer independently manages a defined portfolio of donors and prospects and implements annual appeals, stewardship, recognition, and engagement initiatives to increase donor acquisition, retention, upgrades, and philanthropic support. The role works closely with the Senior Giving Programs Officer and colleagues across Advancement and Strategic Communications to turn fundraising strategy into effective donor communications, experiences, and giving opportunities. The position also leads the execution and production of the Annual Report, manages the onsite Make Your Mark recognition program, and supports donor engagement and stewardship initiatives across the Aquarium. It maintains accurate donor and prospect records in Altru, collaborates across Aquarium divisions and with other Advancement gift officers, and supports cultivation and stewardship events. No supervision of others is required. The role regularly attends evening events and occasional weekend events.

Requirements

Demonstrated knowledge of fundraising, annual giving, donor engagement, stewardship, and relationship management.
Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to thoughtfully cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors.
Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and deadlines simultaneously.
Ability to exercise independent judgment while executing within established strategies, goals, and priorities.
Ability to analyze fundraising results and donor information and communicate observations and opportunities to Advancement leadership.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate donor records.
Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and maintain a high level of donor service.

Nice To Haves

Experience with annual giving, donor relations, stewardship, direct response fundraising, or individual giving.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of annual giving donors and prospects, developing and carrying out individualized cultivation, solicitation, renewal, upgrade, and stewardship activities.
Engage new and existing donors within Watershed Society and Conservation Stewards, building relationships and encouraging increased giving and deeper engagement.
Identify donors with interest, capacity, and engagement who may be ready to move toward major giving, and coordinate appropriate next steps with the Senior Giving Programs Officer and other gift officers.
Execute the annual giving appeal strategy under the Senior Giving Programs Officer’s direction, coordinating direct-mail and digital appeals with Strategic Communications, including content development, audience segmentation, production, scheduling, and performance tracking.
Implement donor segmentation strategies for appeals and annual giving initiatives, and share results and donor insights to inform future strategy.
Track and evaluate response, revenue, participation, and other measures for annual giving initiatives, and report results to the Senior Giving Programs Officer.
Lead the execution and production of the Annual Report, coordinating content, donor recognition, financial reporting, review, and production across divisions.
Manage the onsite Make Your Mark recognition program, including donor communication, content coordination, recognition fulfillment, and implementation.
Execute stewardship and recognition initiatives for annual giving donors and giving society members in alignment with the broader donor stewardship strategy.
Create and coordinate donor engagement opportunities and experiences for Conservation Stewards, Watershed Society members, and other annual giving donors.
Manage, steward, and cultivate community and organization donors and their benefits.
Collaborate across Aquarium divisions to identify stories, programs, priorities, and giving opportunities for donor communications and solicitations.
Maintain accurate donor and prospect information in Altru in coordination with the Advancement Systems Manager, including contact reports, notes, acknowledgments, follow-ups, and moves.
Coordinate cultivation and stewardship with other Advancement gift officers to support a consistent approach across the Aquarium’s donor community.
Develop a fluent understanding of Aquarium programs and priorities to communicate the mission and philanthropic needs to donors.
Participate in Aquarium-sponsored programs and events and represent the organization at appropriate public functions.
Follow the Aquarium’s Gift Acceptance Guidelines, policies, and procedures, and stay informed about relevant fundraising and charitable giving trends.
Provide donor-centered service, responding professionally, attentively, and with appropriate urgency.
Support the Advancement team in carrying out onsite and regional cultivation and stewardship events.
Coordinate volunteer support as needed for donor engagement projects and initiatives.
Adhere to South Carolina Aquarium policies and procedures, and perform other duties as requested by Advancement leadership.