Annual Fund Manager

Position Summary

Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is hiring an Annual Funds Manager to join our Development Team. The Annual Fund Manager works with and reports to the Associate Director of Donor Relations. The Annual Fund Manager leads the development of a multi-channel, donor-centric annual fund program, which includes donor societies, sponsorships, and giving days, in collaboration with members of front-line fundraising and the Marketing and Communications department teams. This position requires high collaboration, project management, motivation, and skill in creating and executing compelling annual giving strategies and collaborating on content development for mail and email campaigns. The Annual Fund Manager will also support the donor relations team by contributing to prospecting and donor engagement events. The Annual Fund Manager will be involved in the growth and expansion of WRA’s donor base, generate leads for the major gifts team, achieve annual fund goals, and contribute to the overall success of the development team’s goals to fight climate change and its impacts in the interior West.

About Western Resource Advocates

WRA fights climate change and its impacts to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West. We respect the different needs of diverse people and partner with them to develop a shared vision for progress—one that advances communities while protecting biodiversity.

Our team of policy experts, scientists, economists, and attorneys has a 30-year history of working where decisions are made, sweating the details, creating evidence-based solutions, and holding decision makers accountable. This on the ground work with policymakers and other advocates advances clean energy, protects air, land, water, and wildlife—and sustains the lives and livelihoods of the West.

Location

This position has the option to work from WRA’s Boulder, Denver, Phoenix or Salt Lake City offices; remotely from anywhere within the Boulder, Denver, Salt Lake City, or Phoenix metro areas; or a hybrid of the two. This position will require occasional travel.

Responsibilities

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive giving program in partnership with the Annual Giving team (individuals in the $5–$499 giving range) that builds on a growing foundation of annual donors and activities.
• Plan, implement, and evaluate mid-level giving segment (individuals in the $500–$5,000 giving range), including establishing short-term and long-term strategies.
• Execute strategies and tactics that include developing a calendar of activities, collaborating on writing appeals, recommending segmentation of mailing lists, executing giving days, and planning donor and prospecting events.
• Work with Donor Relations Officer(s) and other development staff to integrate major gift donors as needed into annual and mid-level giving and stewardship opportunities.
• Stay abreast of industry standards and best practices to guide annual and mid-level giving.
• Assists with the planning and execution of new and existing stewardship and cultivation events for annual fund, mid-level, and major gift donors.
• Assists with the execution of appeals and donor cultivation materials, which includes collaborating on campaign themes, segmentation of lists, and coordinating print and digital engagement timelines.
• Create and work closely with the Annual Giving Team to automate programs for workplace giving, first-time donors, and recurring donors, incorporating appropriate stewardship and communication to influence moves management.

FUNDRAISING

• Cultivate, solicit, steward donors, and recommend qualified donors for move management.
• Maintain responsibility for annual and mid-level donor revenue goals, a total of approximately $170,000.
• Manage the sponsorship program, solicit renewals and new sponsorships solo and with other development or program staff, and track and manage benefits. Total revenue of approximately $100,000.
• Support the fundraising goals and mission of the organization.

REPORTING AND METRICS

• Analyze annual and mid-level giving programs and recommend strategies for acquiring, renewing, and upgrading donors.
• Set goals in collaboration with marketing and development staff and analyze metrics to increase the performance of direct mail, giving programs, including retention, increased giving, and acquisition of new donors.
• Track a budget for annual giving and midlevel giving programs in partnership with development operations.
• Input appropriate information in Raiser’s Edge donor database, update constituent records to maintain data health and actions, and extract data as needed.
• Work with development operations to maintain accurate records and reporting on ROI and budget.

QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of this position, will be considered.  For example, the requisite experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities would include:

• Three or more years of experience working with donors or external stakeholders and basic understanding of annual giving best practices
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate and connect with diverse audiences
• Ability to communicate technical content to non-technical audiences
• Project management skills with the ability to adapt quickly
• Coordination, collaboration, and creativity in daily work
• Writing and editing skills
• Interest in and growing knowledge of individual fundraising and donor relations
• Ability to collect and analyze data
• Preferred experience in donor database (not required)

Working Environment and Physical Requirements

• A typical office environment with minimal exposure to excessive noise or adverse environmental issues.
• Prolonged periods of time at a desk and working on a computer.
• Position requires some travel by automobile, airplane, etc.

Travel Requirements

Travel to meetings, conferences, donor events, and other work-related events is required within WRA’s region. This is in addition to travel required for retreats, and other internal organizational meetings. Typically, there is at least one all-staff retreat and one Development Team retreat in our region each year at which attendance is required. Access to a major airport is required. This is approximately 15% of the time depending on the location of work.

Salary And Benefits

The salary range for the Annual Funds Manager is $62,458-$73,480 annually; salary depends on relevant experience and new staff rarely start at the top of the range. WRA’s excellent benefits package includes a 401(k)-retirement plan with up to 5% matching and health, dental, vision, and life & disability insurance with 100% of premiums paid by WRA. Annually, staff receive seventeen days paid vacation leave to start, twelve paid sick days, one paid volunteer day, twelve paid holidays, and WRA is closed for Winter Break between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day for additional paid time off. Employees are eligible for up to twelve weeks of parental leave, and after five years, staff are eligible for up to twelve weeks of paid sabbatical leave. Position is full-time exempt.

Deadline To Apply: Open Until Filled with priority review beginning on Monday, February 10, 2025.

Diversity and inclusion are a critical component of our business strategy, mission and vision. We welcome candidates from an array of backgrounds and experiences to join our team. Western Resource Advocates is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, marital status, amnesty, or veteran status.

Apply To Be WRA’s Annual Fund Manager!

Thank you for your interest in the Annual Fund Manager position with Western Resource Advocates. You will need to upload the following in PDF format:

• Cover letter describing your relevant qualifications and the reason for your interest in WRA and this position. Addressed to: Kimberly Bell, Human Resources Manager
• Resume

Please direct any questions about this position or application process to hiring@westernresources.org.