Director of Annual Giving & Donor Engagement

About the Position

Director of Annual Giving & Donor Engagement

Location: Durham, North Carolina (Hybrid)

Department: 3102 - Finance

Employment Type: Full Time

Salary: $95,000 - $115,000

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Responsibilities

Annual Giving Strategy

• Develop and implement DAN’s comprehensive annual giving strategy.
• Establish annual fundraising goals, timelines, and performance metrics.
• Develop an annual fundraising calendar coordinating appeals, stewardship, member communications, and cultivation activities.
• Evaluate fundraising performance and recommend continuous improvements.

Donor Communications

• Coordinate all annual fundraising appeals across print, email, and digital platforms.
• Work collaboratively with Marketing and Communications to ensure fundraising messaging consistently reflects DAN’s mission and charitable impact.
• Develop segmented communications for various constituent groups including:
  • Current donors
  • Lapsed donors
  • Enhanced Members
  • Long-term members
  • Planned giving prospects
  • Major donor prospects
• Ensure fundraising communications emphasize impact, storytelling, and donor engagement rather than simply solicitation.

Donor Stewardship

• Develop and manage DAN’s comprehensive donor stewardship program.
• Develop annual stewardship plans for leadership-level donors.
• Coordinate donor impact reporting and stewardship communications throughout the year.
• Maintain stewardship calendars and ensure follow-up activities are completed on schedule.

Development Operations

• Oversee day-to-day fundraising operations.
• Monitor fundraising performance and prepare reports for executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Create fundraising dashboards and performance metrics.
• Develop fundraising policies and procedures, as needed.
• Maintain development calendars and operational workflows.

Donor Research & Portfolio Management

• Support development of the CEO’s major donor portfolio.
• Coordinate donor research and prospect identification.
• Maintain moves management documentation.
• Assist with planned giving tracking.

Cultivation Events

• Coordinate mission-centered cultivation opportunities designed to strengthen donor relationships.
• Examples include:
  • Regional member gatherings.
  • Educational presentations.
  • Research briefings.
  • Hyperbaric medicine programs.
  • Leadership receptions.
  • Donor appreciation events.

Technology & Data

• Utilize Acumatica to support fundraising operations.
• Generate fundraising reports and dashboards.
• Assist in improving constituent data quality.
• Support donor segmentation initiatives.
• Document fundraising procedures and reporting standards.
• Participate in ongoing enhancement of fundraising functionality within Acumatica.

Staff Leadership

• Provide supervision and mentoring for development support staff.
• Responsibilities include:
  • Establish regular one-on-one meetings.
  • Coordinate weekly development team meetings.
  • Establish annual goals and professional development plans.
  • Cross-train staff on key fundraising processes.
  • Maintain written fundraising procedures.
  • Foster a collaborative, donor-centered culture.

Collaboration

• Serve as a collaborative partner with:
  • CEO
  • Finance
  • Information Technology
  • Marketing & Communications
  • Membership
  • Board of Directors
• Ensure philanthropy is integrated throughout the organization.

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Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• Five or more years of progressive fundraising experience with demonstrated success in annual giving, donor engagement, or development operations.
• Strong understanding of fundraising best practices, donor stewardship, and relationship management.
• Experience developing and implementing annual fundraising plans.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze fundraising performance and utilize data to improve results.
• Experience utilizing donor database systems and fundraising reporting tools.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to work effectively across departments.
• Commitment to confidentiality and ethical fundraising practices.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or CFRE designation preferred.

Preferred Additional Skills

• A passion for building meaningful donor relationships.
• Curiosity and a continuous improvement mindset.
• Strong analytical and organizational abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• A collaborative leadership approach.
• Comfort working in a growing fundraising environment.
• Appreciation for mission-driven organizations and a desire to help build a culture of philanthropy.
• Experience working with membership organizations, healthcare, education, scientific organizations, or other mission-driven nonprofits is desirable.

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Measures of Success

Success in this position will be measured by more than annual fundraising totals. Key indicators include:

• Growth in charitable participation among DAN members.
• Improved donor retention.
• Increased donor stewardship activities.
• Timely gift acknowledgements.
• Increased segmentation and personalization of donor communications.
• Effective support of the CEO’s major donor strategy.
• Accurate fundraising reporting and dashboard development.
• Improved constituent data quality.
• Strong collaboration across organizational departments.
• Continuous improvement in the donor experience.

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We Offer

• Competitive salary range of $95,000 - $115,000
• Opportunity to work in a hybrid environment
• Collaborative and mission-driven work culture
• Professional development opportunities

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About the Company

Divers Alert Network (DAN) is a leading organization dedicated to improving the safety and health of divers worldwide. We are committed to providing exceptional services and support to our members and the diving community. Join us in our mission to make diving safer and more enjoyable for everyone.