Manager of Contributing Members and Major Gifts

Denver Botanic Gardens•Denver, CO

About The Position

Denver Botanic Gardens is hiring a full-time Manager of Contributing Members and Major Gifts in its Development Department. The position supports fundraising through the development and execution of major and planned giving programs, contributing memberships, donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. It manages donor CRM systems and works collaboratively with Development, IT, and Membership to maximize database capabilities and maintain effective customer-facing applications. The role also provides departmental leadership at the request of the Director of Development. The manager shares responsibility for fundraising for the Master Development Plan for Chatfield Farms, cultivates and solicits major-gift prospects, and oversees campaign prospect management and communications. The position develops contributing-member relationships and coordinates membership benefits, solicits and documents planned gifts, and manages Perennial Friends Society engagement. It also oversees gift acknowledgements, donor recognition, database administration, prospect research, and exploration of technologies that support fundraising and donor relations. The role requires regular attendance at the worksite, with remote work subject to management discretion and the employee being in good performance standing. The position requires a flexible schedule that may include evenings, weekends, and holidays, overtime as necessary, and up to 30% travel. The employee must be committed to the Gardens’ mission of connecting people with plants and must represent the Gardens positively and work safely and respectfully.

Requirements

Proven excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills when dealing with the public.
Experience identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors and prospects.
Ability to maintain donor confidentiality and ensure accurate donor records, gift documentation, and reporting.
Ability to remain stable under pressure and handle stressful situations well.
Flexibility and willingness to modify plans as needed throughout the day.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.
Knowledge of CRM platforms and the GoFundMePro online giving platform.
Ability to work overtime as necessary.
Positive representation of the Gardens internally and externally, and respectful cooperation with coworkers and the public.
Commitment to working safely.
Bachelor’s degree and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 6 years of experience in fundraising and donor management.
Experience working in and managing a CRM platform.
Valid driver’s license.
Ability to travel to remote or other Garden locations where the environment may vary.
Ability to frequently position, transport, and/or move up to 10 pounds.
Ability to walk across large areas, including uneven terrain; remain stationary for extended periods; move about an office; perform repetitive motion; communicate verbally and in writing; handle objects; reach above the head and to ground level; push and pull materials and equipment; and operate a motorized vehicle, including a golf cart.
Vision abilities including close, distance, and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

Salesforce proficiency.
A recognized industry certification such as CFRE.

Responsibilities

Share responsibility with the Director of Development for fundraising for the Master Development Plan for Chatfield Farms.
Cultivate, solicit, and steward selected prospects for major gifts to programs and activities across the Gardens’ operational sites.
Personally solicit selected prospects, independently or with volunteers or staff.
Manage the capital campaign prospect list and its assignment to the CEO, Director of Development, Major Gifts Manager, and volunteers across identification, education, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Communicate regularly with campaign staff and volunteers about prospect management, moves, successes, and next steps.
Cultivate, solicit, and steward assigned individual contributing members.
Coordinate with Development staff, Membership, and the capital campaign for contributing members at the $2,500-and-above level.
Coordinate fulfillment of contributing-member benefits, including concert benefits, ticketed events, the Plant Sale Preview Party, and garden consultations.
Collaborate with the Annual Giving Manager and Membership colleagues to identify upgrade prospects and develop strategies to increase membership levels.
Solicit and document planned gifts, including bequest intentions, and encourage membership in Perennial Friends.
Manage Perennial Friends Society communications, stewardship, and engagement.
Train appropriate staff on batching gifts and approve all gift batches.
Manage timely acknowledgement of gifts, including personal contacts and written acknowledgements, and coordinate individual recognition and benefits when appropriate.
Coordinate with IT and database users on migration to cloud-based platforms or new database iterations.
Maximize database use for communications and establish and analyze metrics.
Conduct prospect research, identification, and recording; use database analysis tools and research techniques to identify prospective donors.
Explore technologies and products that can expand fundraising and stewardship opportunities and improve donor engagement.
Coordinate database updates, conversions, projects, and product upgrades with IT and database users.
Maintain a positive, helpful, and solution-oriented manner when serving donors, members, and visitors.
Attend the worksite regularly as required and work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
Travel up to 30% of the time, including to remote locations or other Garden locations.
Represent the Gardens positively, cooperate respectfully with employees and the public, and work safely.