Major Gifts Officer

About Room to Grow

At Room to Grow, we believe that strong starts in childhood lead to strong outcomes in life—and that parents and caregivers are best equipped to nurture their children’s growth and development when they have the support they need to thrive. We partner with families during the critical early years (ages 0-3) through our unique, strengths-based program, working alongside parents to offer:

• One-on-one personalized guidance to develop effective parenting strategies
• High-quality baby and toddler essentials through our thoughtfully designed Baby Boutique
• Connections to local resources and a supportive community

Room to Grow is a non-profit organization operating in New York and Boston with a team of 50+ passionate and dedicated team members. Check out our website to learn more about us!

Position Summary

Room to Grow is looking for a dedicated and results-driven Major Gifts Officer to join our National External Engagement team. Reporting to the Interim Senior Managing Director, External Engagement this position will play a key role within the External Engagement department, focusing on building relationships and driving support in the New York and Boston regions, with future expansion into Chicago.

This role will concentrate on building and nurturing relationships with individual donors and key supporters. The Major Gifts Officer will execute individual giving strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward these relationships, ultimately driving increased financial support for our initiatives. One key area of responsibility will be supporting Room to Grow’s Ambassador Program, which includes a group of celebrities, influencers, and notable supporters. This program is a crucial component of Room to Grow’s national expansion strategy and will play a vital role in increasing individual contributions, broadening our donor base, and enhancing our national visibility.

The successful candidate will be an experienced fundraising professional with a proven ability to cultivate relationships with individual donors and secure mid-level and major gifts, in addition to having previous experience with managing high-touch affinity groups and/or affiliate groups with major supporters. Beyond fundraising and relationship-building expertise, we are seeking a collaborative and agile colleague, adept at forging relationships across departments and rallying stakeholders around shared goals and objectives.

This is a full-time, hybrid position that offers a dynamic mix of in-office and offsite work. You’ll spend two days a week at our family center in the South Bronx, with occasional in-person donor visits and engagement events throughout the New York areas as needed, while having the flexibility to work from home on other days.

Position Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Individual Giving:

• Under the strategic guidance of the Interim Senior Managing Director, External Engagement, assist in the development, implementation, and execution of the annual Individual Giving strategy.
• Work with the Interim Senior Managing Director, External Engagement to grow the individual giving portfolio and effectively steward donors throughout the year.
• Support the identification, cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation of individual donors for Room to Grow with a focus on assisting in efforts to retain current donors, attract new prospects, and upgrade current donors’ level of support.
• Support the implementation of individual giving strategies to increase donor engagement and financial support.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors, prospects, and annual fund supporters through personalized communication and targeted outreach.
• Working closely with Regional Directors and under the leadership of the Interim Senior Managing Director, External Engagement, help develop and manage a portfolio of individual donors across all regions, including supporting the creation and execution of personalized stewardship and solicitation plans.

Ambassador Program Management:

• In collaboration with the Interim Senior Managing Director, External Engagement, develop, track, and implement a comprehensive strategy for the Ambassador Program
• Support the management of the Ambassador Program with day-to-day communications, monthly meeting preparation, orientation, material and engagement preparation.
• Support the recruitment and engagement of Ambassadors, ensuring they have the resources and motivation needed to be effective advocates for Room to Grow.
• Work closely with the Interim Senior Managing Director, External Engagement to assist in developing a pipeline of prospects for the Ambassador Program.
• Serve as a relationship manager support for the Ambassador Program.
• Organize and oversee Ambassador events, activities, and campaigns to maximize their impact and foster a strong sense of community.
• Track and report on Ambassador Program performance, including metrics related to engagement, fundraising, and outreach.

Donor Communications and Engagement:

• Create compelling content for donor (and ambassador) communications, including newsletters, appeal letters, and impact reports, to keep donors informed and engaged.
• Plan and execute donor appreciation events and other engagement activities to recognize and strengthen relationships with current and prospective donors.

Collaboration and Reporting:

• Work closely with the Interim Senior Managing Director, External Engagement to align individual giving strategies with overall fundraising goals.
• Collaborate with other departments, such as Marketing and Programs, to ensure a cohesive approach to donor engagement and outreach.
• Analyze giving trends and donor data to assess the effectiveness of strategies and make recommendations for improvements.
• Utilize donor database (Salesforce) to track funder interactions, manage relationships, and analyze fundraising performance metrics to inform decision-making.
• Represent the organization at events, meetings, and other networking opportunities to promote fundraising opportunities and build awareness of the organization's mission and impact.

Qualifications and Experience

• A passion for the mission, vision, and core values of Room to Grow
• Demonstrated success in nonprofit fundraising
• Experience in fundraising, donor relations, and/or celebrity/affinity group management, with a strong track record in procuring individual giving and donor engagement
• Demonstrated track record of independently managing a portfolio of external relationships and building meaningful partnerships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage and grow a donor program, with strong experience in developing and executing fundraising strategies.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to persuasively articulate the organization's
• mission and impact to a variety of audiences through written materials, presentations, and interpersonal interactions.
• Experience with donor management software (Salesforce preferred), database systems, and other fundraising tools to track donor interactions, manage relationships, and generate reports effectively.
• Ability to travel within the US between New York, Boston, and Chicago 1-3 times per year.

Reasonable Accommodations

We are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. We encourage you to share any required accommodations with Elise Spector, who will treat your requests as confidentially as possible.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We view differences between individuals (e.g., race, gender, age, cultural heritage, physical ability, education, beliefs, and lifestyle) as an asset. We celebrate what makes us unique and strive to create an inclusive environment for all. We are focused on fostering a culture of empowerment in an effort to better understand and serve the multifaceted cultures and identities of all of those within the Room to Grow community. At Room to Grow, our DEI efforts focus on uplifting the experiences and perspectives of underrepresented groups and doing the work that draws out the best in all of us.