Donor Engagement Specialist

Summary

The Donor Engagement Specialist is a proactive, donor-facing fundraising professional who builds and manages relationships to increase engagement, retention, and giving. Serving as a key ambassador, this role prioritizes direct donor interaction through meetings, outreach, and personalized stewardship, while ensuring timely and meaningful acknowledgment and maintaining accurate donor information to support engagement efforts.

This position leads engagement for annual and mid-level donors (generally under $1,000), actively moving donors through the pipeline to strengthen relationships, increase giving, and deliver consistent, high-quality donor experiences. This is a full time, exempt position.

Essential Functions

Donor Relationship Management

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 100-125 entry- and mid-level donors through regular outreach, meetings, and personalized engagement strategies.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for the organization with donors, volunteers, and the broader community.
• Lead and execute tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to strengthen relationships and increase giving overtime.
• Initiate and conduct meaningful donor touchpoints, including in-person and virtual meetings, calls, and personalized follow-up.
• Assist in moving donors through the donor pipeline toward deeper involvement and increased giving.
• Support development and growth of mid-level and recurring giving programs.

Engagement, Events and Growth Strategy

• Lead and support donor-facing events and stewardship experiences that create meaningful, high-quality engagement opportunities.
• Coordinate and support volunteer engagement efforts, including recruitment, communication, and on-site experience, while identifying opportunities to convert volunteers into donors.
• Support donor acquisition efforts, with a focus on converting event participants and engaged community members into donors.
• Execute annual fund strategies for gifts under $1,000, including digital campaigns, direct mail, and giving day initiatives.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to ensure donor-centered messaging and storytelling.
• Actively participate as a member of the Development Team, leverage engagement of members of the Board's Development Committee to advance efforts; attend meetings, training, and support additional initiatives as assigned.

Data Management & Gift Processing

• Process and record donor gifts accurately and in a timely manner, ensuring data integrity and supporting a positive donor experience.
• Maintain accurate donor records and support reporting and segmentation for fundraising efforts.
• Use CRM data to track engagement, inform outreach, and support decision-making.
• Partner with Finance to ensure accurate reconciliation and reporting of donations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of 2+ years in fundraising, customer success or client-facing roles.
• Proficiency in workplace digital platforms, including donor management data systems (Salesforce preferred).
• Follows AFP's Code of Ethics and the Donor Bill of Rights.

Skills and Competencies

• Ability to cultivate and work toward a shared organizational vision.
• Strong interpersonal skills, and proven ability to build positive relationships with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders of diverse backgrounds,
  • Demonstrated alignment to Literacy Pittsburgh's core values*
• Track record of utilizing effective processes to produce high quality and timely work products.
• Demonstrated problem solving skills , and flexibility to adapt to changing needs.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

• Act 33/34 clearances

Work Environment

• Full-time, some evening work required.
• This position requires the use of personal vehicle for local travel.

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Requires the ability to lift, pull and push up to 40 pounds.

*Literacy Pittsburgh's Core Values

• We believe that all people deserve the opportunity to gain experience in a place where their strengths are celebrated.
• We respect all people and their ability to shape their own lives.
• We have a duty to earn the trust of everyone we work with
• Our collective well-being depends on welcoming diverse cultures and perspectives.
• As a leader, we embrace the responsibility to innovate, model best practices and grow.