Senior Donor Relations Officer

Pacific Legal Foundation

About The Position

The Senior Donor Relations Officer develops and manages a portfolio of high-capacity current and prospective major gift donors, leading the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of significant philanthropic relationships that support Pacific Legal Foundation’s mission and strategic priorities. The officer develops and executes sophisticated donor strategies, builds meaningful long-term relationships, and secures significant new, renewed, and increased philanthropic commitments, including six- and seven-figure gifts. The successful candidate is an accomplished frontline fundraiser with exceptional relationship-building and communication skills, strong fundraising judgment, and a demonstrated record of closing significant major gifts. The role calls for a highly organized, persistent, disciplined, and self-directed professional who can work independently while collaborating with PLF leadership, attorneys, trustees, and Development colleagues. The position involves travel of up to 50% throughout the United States, with a heavy focus on California. Candidates may work from a PLF office or remotely; strong preference will be given to California-based candidates. Pacific Legal Foundation is a national nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to vindicating individual liberty through strategic litigation, communications, and research. This is a full-time, permanent position.

Requirements

At least 8 years of professional fundraising experience, including substantial frontline major gift experience.
Demonstrated record of personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing significant major gifts.
Exceptional interpersonal, listening, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and communicate complex ideas clearly and compellingly.
Strong strategic judgment, initiative, organization, and personal accountability, with the ability to operate independently in a results-oriented environment.
Proficiency with fundraising CRM systems and disciplined portfolio and moves management practices.
Willingness to travel up to 50% throughout the United States, with a heavy focus throughout California, to meet with donors and prospects.
Sincere appreciation for PLF’s mission.

Nice To Haves

Experience personally closing six- and seven-figure commitments.
Previous experience with a pro-liberty organization, legal advocacy organization, public policy organization, or similar mission-driven institution.
Experience with Salesforce or a comparable fundraising CRM.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of approximately 100 high-capacity major gift donors and prospects and achieve established fundraising, engagement, and solicitation goals.
Develop and execute individualized strategies for donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Personally solicit and secure significant new, renewed, and increased gifts, including six- and seven-figure commitments.
Build trusted, long-term donor relationships by understanding donors’ interests, motivations, and philanthropic priorities and serving as their primary PLF relationship manager.
Create donor engagement and stewardship opportunities that demonstrate the impact of philanthropy and connect donors to PLF’s litigation, policy, and strategic priorities.
Strategically engage PLF executives, attorneys, trustees, and other organizational leaders in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Identify and advance new major gift prospects and recognize opportunities for multi-year, planned, blended, campaign, and other complex gifts in collaboration with Development colleagues.
Maintain disciplined portfolio and moves management, including donor strategies, next steps, solicitation plans, revenue projections, contact reports, and accurate CRM records.
Contribute to Development team strategy and serve as a resource to colleagues on complex donor relationships and major gift opportunities.