Head of Philanthropy - Remote

Annual Giving Manager
Denver Botanic Gardens is currently seeking a Full Time Annual Giving Manager in our Development Department! Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2026 or until a candidate is found
This position manages the fundraising efforts of the Development Department at the Denver Botanic Gardens through the development and execution of a comprehensive annual giving program. Responsibilities include donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship across key annual giving initiatives, including Gardens Fund appeals (direct mail, electronic communications, SMS, social media, and face-to-face fundraising), the Tributes and Memorials Program (Celebration Gardens, Benches, and Trees), and other annual giving initiatives.
This is a dynamic position that interacts with both internal and external stakeholders on a daily basis and plays a vital role in advancing the Gardens' fundraising goals.
The position requires a high level of proficiency in utilizing social media and other digital technologies to support fundraising and donor engagement efforts. As a leadership role within the Development team, this position is expected to serve as a role model by demonstrating professionalism, collaboration, accountability, and a strong commitment to donor stewardship and organizational excellence.
Expands and manages the annual giving program to raise general operating dollars for the Gardens. Includes all available media and face-to-face donor meetings.
Represents Denver Botanic Gardens in the community to promote our mission and identify additional giving opportunities.
Maintains portfolios of individual prospects for annual fund, while growing the pipeline for these donors into all aspects of fund raising for Denver Botanic Gardens.
Manages the Tributes, Memorials program with oversight to assistant manager for tribute pavers.
Summer Appeal (July or August)
Leads and oversees the work of direct mail, phone and co-op agencies.
Develops and executes annual fundraising strategies for direct response campaigns.
Establishes and manages campaign production schedules to ensure timely execution.
Prepares, monitors, and manages campaign budgets and revenue projections.
Analyzes campaign performance and prepares reports on results, recommending strategies to improve donor acquisition, retention, and return on investment. (Maintains donation pages for all online giving as needed.
Collaborates with the webmaster and social media manager to optimize online presence for donations.
Visitors often request to meet with development staff in real-time when they are visiting the Gardens. In these cases, it is important that the Annual Giving Manager is on-site and available to meet with donors.
As with all positions at Denver Botanic Gardens, the incumbent must be in good performance standing to be eligible for occasional remote work. Remote work is at the discretion of management at all times.
Maintains a positive, helpful and solution-oriented demeanor when responding to or serving donors, members and visitors.
Manages the process for timely acknowledgement of Annual Fund Gifts, including personal contacts and written acknowledgement as an alternate when needed.
Assists with donor stewardship event logistics including but not limited to
Concert VIP attendees
Donor cultivation events
Holiday Luncheon
Database Management and Prospect Research

Uses database analysis tools and prospect research techniques to identify prospective new donors.
Maintains accurate donor and prospect information in database of record.
Consistently tracks donor activity in database including thank you calls, donor inquiries, and follow up.
Coordinates with membership and IT on updates, conversions and projects.
Maintains knowledge of current giving trends and fundraising best practices.
Researches and identifies additional tools that may be useful for prospecting and fundraising.
Must have meticulous attention to detail with a knack for delivering high-quality, error-free work.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, donors, customers, and the public.
Must have strong editing and proofreading abilities.
Must have proven excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills in dealing with the public.
Ability to be flexible and willing to modify plans, when necessary, throughout the day.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends and/or holidays for donor events.
Knowledge of donor database / CRM systems required. Salesforce proficiency preferred.
Knowledge of Microsoft Suite products, specifically Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
Ability to work overtime as necessary.
Bachelor's Degree from a four-year college or university.
Minimum 5 years in a nonprofit setting working in donor relations, or in a business setting with customer service experience and/or combination of education and equivalent experience is required.
Experience in creating successful direct marketing campaigns including strategy, copy, audience segmentation, and strong ability to analyze results.
Our major benefits include a choice of Medical Plans, a Dental and Vision Plan and Life Insurance Plan. We have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA).
The Gardens offers a generous Retirement Savings Plan with Company contribution of 6% after one year of service for eligible participants.
The Gardens also offers paid holidays, vacation, sick time, and access to personal lines of insurance. Additional benefits include short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and an RTD ECO pass.
For eligible employees, The Gardens employment also includes a complimentary Denver Botanic Gardens Membership, access to Gardens education classes and summer concert tickets.