Annual Giving and Engagement Director

Application Instructions: To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and three (3) references in one PDF addressed to careers@lowcountrylandtrust.org by July 1, 2026.

position SUMMARY

The Annual Giving and Engagement Director is an experienced, relationship-driven fundraising professional. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Director leads the organization’s annual giving and donor engagement strategy, with a particular focus on strengthening annual giving, growing corporate partnerships, and deepening community engagement through signature events and stewardship experiences.

This role is central to building and sustaining a strong culture of philanthropy that advances the mission of conservation across the Lowcountry. The Director oversees a comprehensive engagement strategy designed to attract, retain, steward, and elevate donors and community partners while expanding awareness of the Land Trust’s work throughout the region.

The Director manages and grows the organization’s corporate sponsorship and Business Leadership Council programs; oversees donor cultivation and fundraising events; and partners closely with advancement colleagues to strengthen the donor pipeline from annual support to major and planned giving.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Annual Giving and Donor Engagement

• Lead strategy for annual giving and donor engagement programs, with emphasis on donor acquisition, retention, stewardship, and advancement into deeper levels of philanthropic engagement
• Partner with the advancement team to identify, cultivate, and steward donors through meaningful engagement opportunities
• Partner with the Philanthropy Director to coordinate stewardship and engagement strategies for leadership, annual giving donors, and Longleaf Society members
• Develop stewardship experiences and donor engagement plans that strengthen donor loyalty and increase annual support
• Collaborate with advancement leadership on annual fundraising goals, donor segmentation, and engagement priorities

Corporate Partnerships and Community Engagement

• Grow and manage the organization’s corporate partnership and sponsorship program through prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
• Build relationships with local businesses and community leaders to advance conservation awareness and philanthropic investment
• Oversee and grow the Business Leadership Council, including meeting planning, member engagement, sponsor cultivation, and strategic programming
• Identify opportunities to expand community engagement and philanthropic visibility throughout the broader Lowcountry region

Events and Philanthropic Experiences

• Provide strategic leadership for signature fundraising and donor engagement events, including the Sporting Clays Shoot, Spring Gathering, Oyster Roast, Longleaf Society jobshiringnearme.org Celebration, and additional cultivation events throughout the year
• Ensure events support organizational fundraising, donor stewardship, and community engagement goals
• Partner with advancement operations staff, volunteers, board members, sponsors, vendors, and community organizations to support successful event planning and execution
• Oversee sponsorship strategy, donor hosting, volunteer engagement, and constituent experience related to events

Advancement Leadership and Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with the advancement team on donor stewardship, reporting, and donor communications
• Participate in Advancement Committee meetings and support board engagement activities as appropriate
• Contribute to the continued development of advancement systems, processes, and organizational best practices
• Support a collaborative, mission-centered advancement culture across the organization

Other Duties as Required:

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work an employee assigned to this position will perform. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required. All staff members may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time. The organization holds events that might occur on weekends or after hours. Staff are expected to assist with those events.

Onboarding is in person, and employees meet in person once per month for a staff meeting and occasionally throughout the year for group events.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree or comparable professional experience
• Minimum 6–8 years of experience in fundraising, donor engagement, sponsorship development, or advancement
• Demonstrated success managing donor and/or sponsor relationships and achieving fundraising goals
• Experience planning and overseeing donor-facing events and engagement experiences
• Excellent relationship-building, communication, and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of professionalism and attention to detail
• Experience working collaboratively with volunteers, boards, and community stakeholders
• Passion for conservation and the mission of Lowcountry Land Trust
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends for events and donor engagement activities

Preferred:

• Experience managing leadership, annual giving, or donor membership programs
• Experience growing corporate sponsorship or business engagement programs
• Familiarity with donor databases and fundraising CRM systems, including Virtuous or similar platforms
• Knowledge of Charleston and Lowcountry philanthropic and business communities
• Background in conservation, land trust, or environmental nonprofit work

Benefits Summary

Insurance

• Health Insurance
• CoPay Plan with FSA (Flexible Spending Account) option
• Employee premium covered 90% by employer (ER)
• HDHP (High Deductible) Plans with HSA (Health Savings Account) option
• All medical costs are paid out of pocket until the deductible is met
• Employee premium covered 100% by ER
• Includes Employer HSA contribution
• Dental Insurance – Employee premium covered 100% by ER
• Group Life Insurance w/ AD&D ($25,000) – Employee premium covered 100% by ER
• Disability – Employee premium covered 100% by ER
• Optional benefits available – Paid by Employee:
• Health FSA & Dependent Care FSA
• HSA
• Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Coverage
• Hospital Indemnity
• Legal Assistance
• Pet Wellness
• Vision Care
• Voluntary Life Insurance

Financial & Retirement

• 403(b)
• Immediate Eligibility: Age 21 and works at least 83 1/3 hours per month
• Up to 6% match after 6 months of employment

Family & Parenting

• Family & Medical Leave
• Hybrid Work Environment (in-office/from home)
• Flexible Hours

Paid Time Off

• Self-managed PTO
• 11 Paid Holidays

Perks 

Partial Mobile Phone Reimbursement

Lowcountry Land Trust is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and to comply with all federal, state, and local laws that apply to equal employment. It is our policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals, as well as administer any and all personnel actions, without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, civil union status, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation or identity, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, marital status, status as a disabled or Vietnam era veteran, service in the federal or state military, union affiliation, pregnancy or breastfeeding, medical or genetic information, atypical hereditary cellular blood trait, refusal to submit to a genetic test or make test results available to the Company, or status as a qualified individual with a disability, in accordance with applicable laws. The Land Trust also complies with the South Carolina Pregnancy Accommodation Act.