Senior Manager of Donor and Member Relations

Aza•Phoenix, AZ

44d

About The Position

The Senior Manager of Donor & Member Relations is an experienced fundraising professional who builds and manages meaningful relationships with individuals and families who are members and donors. This position plays a key role in advancing the Zoo's philanthropic priorities by managing a dynamic portfolio of 125-150 households, guiding donors along the continuum from guest to member to major donor and legacy giving. Through personalized stewardship, asset-based giving education, and data-informed engagement. The Senior Manager of Donor & Member Relations strategizes member acquisitions, strengthens retention, encourages upgrades, and fosters deeper donor connection and investment in the Zoo. The role focuses on strategically leading the membership program to enhance and optimize the Zoo's membership revenue stream, including philanthropic memberships. The primary objective is to elevate the guest and member experience, thereby driving the acquisition of new membership households, fostering renewals, and encouraging upgrades. A key focus will be on developing innovative engagement strategies to deepen member involvement and support for the Zoo. This position focuses on setting and achieving ambitious goals for acquiring and retaining members, leveraging data-driven insights for tactical initiatives. Responsibilities include budgeting for membership revenue and expenses, ensuring efficient operations in a fast-paced environment with attention to detail. The ideal candidate should proactively identify and resolve issues to contribute to the membership program's success and sustainability.

Requirements

Minimum of 10 years of progressive fundraising experience and membership development or similar functions, with a proven record of securing individual gifts and managing donor/member portfolios.
Bachelor's degree in business, nonprofit management, communications, or a related field preferred.
Proven leadership with the ability to manage professional staff and work across teams in a collaborative manner.
Knowledge of Salesforce or similar fundraising CRM preferred.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with strong emotional intelligence and donor-centered relationship management.
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
Collaborative and initiative-taking, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a cross-functional team.
Availability for occasional/seasonal evenings and weekends for donor events and Zoo functions.
Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for off-site meetings and donor visits.
Ability to pass pre-employment background check and drug test.

Responsibilities

Provide exceptional guest service to internal and external stakeholders by maintaining a WILD (friendly, helpful, positive, and professional) working attitude and appearance.
Strategic implementation of initiatives to acquire new members, renew and upgrade current members, and recapture lapsed members to meet quantifiable goals.
Strategic analysis and oversight of creative direction of all member acquisition mailings, digital and marketing efforts, including development of collateral and list maintenance and rentals.
Strategic analysis of all membership and retention efforts leading to the implementation of new and/or improved retention initiatives to increase overall retention rates and grow total membership household numbers.
Responsible for overall direction and management of fiscal year budgets for the Membership department and performance of monthly analysis, as necessary.
Coordinate technical requirements and reporting integration with IT for Galaxy Gateway, Salesforce, and other relevant systems.
Provide strategic direction along with the Marketing Department for discounts and/or other promotions designed to increase daily or special event attendance, ensuring full integration and resource management to deliver necessary ticketing, member communications, and Contact Center involvement.
Manage a portfolio of approximately 125-150 households within the philanthropic member base, establish individualized engagement strategies based on giving history, interests, and capacity.
Build and strengthen relationships that lead to long-term philanthropic investment, focusing on upgrades.
Conduct proactive cultivation and solicitation of annual gifts of $1,500+ and facilitate next-step conversations for asset-based giving (DAF, IRA, or stock).
Maintain a portfolio cadence of 12-15 meaningful touchpoints per donor annually, ensuring timely follow-up, thoughtful stewardship, and clear progression in engagement after each interaction.
Collaborate across departments to foster a culture of philanthropy that enhances the guest-to-member-to-donor pipeline to support organization-wide fundraising goals.
Implement and track impact campaigns and engagement opportunities designed to educate, inspire, and encourage ongoing philanthropic support.
Track portfolio performance and donor movement through Salesforce, maintaining accurate records of solicitations, pledges, gifts, and communications.
Partner with the Marketing team to ensure cohesive messaging, timely renewals, and strong recapture rates for lapsed households.
Partner with the Guest Relations and Contact Center teams to ensure day-to-day member experience achieves expectations established within the Membership Program(s).
Partner with the Events team to execute professional and unique experiences for member and donor events.
Develop and refine donor-centric educational materials, proposals, and communications that promote asset-based giving and showcase donor impact.
Participate in donor events, tours, and small-group experiences that deepen donor relationships and encourage continued philanthropic support.
Contribute to the cultivation of a culture of philanthropy by supporting board engagement initiatives, including follow-up on introductions and qualified leads.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Coverage (Domestic Partnership Benefits Available)
Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, and Long Term Disability Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Voluntary Life Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Paid Sick Leave (PSL)
401(k) Plan with Match
Phoenix Zoo Membership
Employee WILD Rewards Program
Service Awards
Employee Cultural Exchange Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program (for qualified courses)
Outside Vendor Discounts