Director of Individual & Annual Giving

Title: Director of Individual & Annual Giving

Reports to: Chief Revenue Officer

About the Organization

Over the years, Upwardly Global has supported thousands of foreign-born skilled job seekers in transitioning from poverty or exclusion to quality, thriving‑wage careers through its customized program and holistic approach to integrating skilled immigrants into the US job market. Upwardly Global is a data‑driven, innovative organization with a bold vision and a fearless spirit operating out of four major US markets and providing remote services to several parts of the country. It is unwavering in its commitment to a diverse and inclusive culture where every voice matters.

Position Overview

Are you ready to play a pivotal role in a dynamic and fast‑paced environment? The Director of Individual Giving will be a key member of our development team, responsible for identifying, cultivating, and soliciting individual donors annually to secure contributions at the $1,000‑$50,000 level, supporting Upwardly Global’s mission. This is a new position for Upwardly Global, reflective of the continued growth and development of its individual giving program.

The Director of Individual Giving builds and scales a robust individual giving program, including annual giving, mid‑level giving, donor acquisition, and retention. Direct mail & digital fundraising will be done in partnership with the Communications team. The goal is to maximize revenue, deepen donor engagement, and create a sustainable base of individual supporters feeding into major gifts and legacy pipelines.

We seek an extraordinary individual who is not just highly professional, organized, and resourceful, but also self‑motivated and eager to make a significant impact. If you thrive in an environment where your skills and initiative are valued and want to be part of a team that is dedicated to making a difference, this role is perfect for you!

Key Responsibilities

Guided by strategic direction from the Chief Revenue Officer, the Director will:

• Co‑create & implement an updated and innovative individual gift program for Upwardly Global, informed by Upwardly Global’s prospect research and current prospect lists.
• Co‑create & implement an updated donor solicitation strategy for individual giving prospects.
• Work with the National Leadership Council to provide guidance on their giving and increase their corporate giving. In this position, the Director/Sr Director will work closely with the Upwardly Global staff member currently managing this group.
• Collaborate with the Director of Stewardship to implement and operate a donor stewardship program for individual donors.
• Maintain accurate donor profiles on Salesforce.

Donor Qualification and Research (20%)

• Research and qualify potential annual and mid‑level donors through qualitative and quantitative data.

Donor Cultivation, Solicitation, and Stewardship (60%)

Overview

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with individual donors, inclusive of National Leadership Council members, and secondary connections of current and past Board members.
• Partner with the Communications Team to create personalized communication plans, including regular updates, impact reports, and invitations to events, to keep donors informed and engaged.
• Collaborate with the Development Associate to collate and interpret quantitative data to inform strategies.
• Support with developing meeting agendas, fundraising proposals, and pitch decks.

Core Functions

Campaign Execution

• Oversee the design, launch, and management of direct mail appeals, email campaigns, digital/social giving campaigns, crowdfunding, and recurring giving programs.
• Manage segmented donor communications, A/B testing, optimization, segmentation, and welcomes/thank‑you journey.
• Oversee annual giving calendar, including appeals at key times (end‑of‑year, giving days, events).
• Lead and mentor a team of individual giving professionals (mid‑level officers, communications/digital specialists).
• Partner with communications/marketing, data/analytics, CRM, and donor services to coordinate strategies, messaging, segmentation, and reporting.
• Develop cross‑functional initiatives to integrate individual giving with major gifts and stewardship programs.

Donor Engagement & Retention

• Ensure timely and meaningful acknowledgment, recognition, and upgrade opportunities for individual donors.
• Develop strategies for donor loyalty, engagement, surveys, segmentation, and lifetime value.
• Monitor metrics such as donor retention rates, average gift size, upgrade/downgrade rates, donor lifetime value, and conversion from small to mid‑level to major.

Data, Analytics & Tools

• Work closely with data/analytics to segment, score, and prioritize individual donors for acquisition, upgrade, and reactivation.
• Use CRM (Salesforce) to manage pipeline, segmentation, and performance dashboards.
• Oversee testing, analytics, attribution models, A/B experiments, and continuous optimization.

Budget & Metrics Accountability

• Own revenue and budget targets for individual giving segments (e.g., $X million of the total).
• Monitor channel‑level performance (digital, mail, peer‑to‑peer, monthly giving), forecast, and adjust tactics as needed.
• Report regularly to leadership and the board on program performance, insights, and opportunities.
• Partner with CRO to define individual & annual gift goals, campaign priorities, and multi‑year plans.
• Develop and refine investment strategies for donors at the individual/annual gift level ($1K+, $10K+, $25K+).
• Oversee segmentation, portfolio assignment, capacity modeling, and goal‑setting methodologies for individual donors.
• Assist in planning and executing donor engagement opportunities to strengthen donor relationships.
• Partner with the CRO to develop a multi‑tiered individual giving strategy (monthly donors, sustaining donors, mid‑level donors, digital supporters) aligned with overall fundraising goals
• Set acquisition, retention, uplift, reactivation, and upgrade targets, model ROI across channels.
• Innovate segmented appeals, peer‑to‑peer, digital campaigns, donor challenges, matching gifts, and donor journey mapping.
• Represent the organization at community events, meetings, and networking opportunities to enhance donor engagement.

Knowledge and Skills Required (Qualifications)

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field preferred
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a strong focus on donor prospecting, gift solicitation, and donor relationship management.
• At least 7 years of frontline fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting, and securing four & five‑figure gifts.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to articulate the organization’s mission and impact effectively and build relationships with stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Proficient in donor database systems and fundraising software (e.g., Salesforce).
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects simultaneously with limited supervision.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required; SharePoint preferred.
• Passion for Upwardly Global’s mission is essential.

Work Environment / Physical Requirements

• Requires the ability to travel locally and regionally.
• Must be available to occasionally work at evening events and weekend sessions (when/if needed).
• Must have reliable transportation, depending on the region.

Salary Range Disclaimer

The base salary range represents the low and high ends of the Indeed salary range for this position. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to location, experience, and performance. The listed range is just one component of Upwardly Global's comprehensive total compensation package for employees. Benefits include a paid time‑off policy, a hybrid or remote work schedule, medical/dental/vision insurance, short‑term disability insurance, life insurance, and a retirement plan with employer match.

Salary Range Transparency: $125,000‑$150,000

Upwardly Global is deeply committed to building a workplace where inclusion is not only valued but prioritized. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment.

Location

Oakland, CA