Major & Planned Giving Officer, Global Reproductive Rights

Friends of UNFPA, established in 1998 and headquartered in New York City, is the US non-profit that supports the work of UNFPA, the lead United Nations agency for reproductive health and rights for all.  

Our vision is a world where the reproductive health, dignity, and rights of women and girls around the world are honored and effectively met in part through the leadership and work of UNFPA.   

Through our leadership, engagement, fundraising and partnership with UNFPA, we are becoming a powerful voice and influencer for the cause of global reproductive health care and rights within the United States, and delivering growing resources to UNFPA for their critical work. 

With an unswerving focus on maximizing financial resources for UNFPA, we aim to reach out to and mobilize American individuals, corporates, foundations, media, influencers, and faith & community groups. 

We advocate passionately for the work of UNFPA within the USA and showcase UNFPA’s remarkable achievements. And we give voice to, celebrate, empower and respect the women, girls and communities that we work to support.  

Under new leadership, Friends of UNFPA has developed an ambitious new strategy; aimed at raising $100m for UNFPA’s vital work by 2030. Working in close partnership with UNFPA we have exciting plans to build ambitious development, marketing and development programs. As part of that effort we are seeking to grow our team. 

POSITION SUMMARY: Major & Planned Giving Officer 

As part of our ambitious growth plans we are driving radical growth in our donor recruitment and development plans, aiming to expand our major and legacy giving programs.   

We are seeking an experienced, creative, mission-driven, and energetic relationship builder to help grow the organization’s major and planned giving programs and take both to the next level. You will have the opportunity to be creative and bring new ideas to support the organization’s growth during a critical time for the world’s most vulnerable women and girls.   

Success in this position requires the ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major and legacy donors, as well as help identify, cultivate, and steward prospective major and legacy donors throughout the year. This includes creating portfolio and donor pipeline strategies and establishing/meeting measurable goals and objectives. The successful candidate loves building relationships and connecting donors to the impact of their gift in engaging and creative ways and is results driven, coachable, and consistent in their follow through on commitments.  

Reporting to the Director of Development, the Major & Planned Giving Officer works closely with the Chief Executive, the Development Team, Board Development & Communications Committee members, and UNFPA’s Strategic Partnership Branch, to help identify and develop new funding streams while leveraging the existing culture of cooperation and commitment to the mission of UNFPA.   

This position is full-time. The position is currently remote and home-based, as our offices in mid-town New York are closed due to the pandemic. Once the pandemic context has passed, we will be adopting a ‘hoteling’ office working culture – with staff expected to attend the NY office on agreed days each month for key meetings and team working. We expect the successful candidate to work both out of our NY offices and from home.   

We are registered as a New York employer, so salary will be paid under NY state taxation. Due to the expectation that the staff member will regularly attend the office, the successful candidate should be located within a reasonable commuting distance. 

This might be a job for you, if you:

-Are sophisticated and comfortable dealing with high-net worth individuals and philanthropists

-Have strong interpersonal communication skills and high EQ

-Have thorough and specific knowledge of effective major gifts fundraising strategies and tactics

-Enjoy the challenge of creating major donor stewardship and solicitation strategies

-Devise creative upgrade strategies for your donors

-Have experience with multi-year pledges and planned giving strategies

-Passionate about women’s global health and reproductive rights

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILTIES:  

-Work closely with the Director of Development, Chief Executive Officer, the Board’s Development & Communications Committee, and UNFPA’s Strategic Partnership Branch in implementing the organization’s growth fundraising strategy throughout the year with focus on major and planned giving.

-Actively manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects by proactively creating and implementing strategies for the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors with the capacity to make 5- and 6-figure annual gifts.

-Help launch and execute on new Decade of Action campaign, aiming to secure high value, multi-year commitments towards UNFPA’s ambitious transformational goals to end the unmet need for family planning, to end preventable maternal deaths, and to end violence and harmful practices against women and girls by 2030.

-Help identify methods to attract new major donors and increase giving from current portfolio of major donors to grow overall program

-Assist in the strategy and implementation of annual spring, fall and year-end campaigns, as well as humanitarian/emergency disaster relief campaigns.

-Work closely with the Director of Development to grow Friends of UNFPA’s Legacy Society and its planned giving program.

-Work closely with the Development Associate utilizing prospect research tools to identify, research and cultivate Major Donor prospects within the organization’s donor base who have the potential to increase their support.

-Work closely with the Development Associate to help provide additional guidance and support in growing the organization’s Mid-Level donor and Sustainers programs.

-Work closely with Board members to cultivate and solicit individual donors within their networks, and help follow through on potential leads and opportunities aligned with the organization’s growth strategy.

-Perform other Development-related duties and undertake projects as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

-Minimum of five years’ progressive major donor experience, ultimately cultivating and soliciting donors for 5- to 6-figure gifts;

-Experience in a planned giving fundraising role with demonstrated outcomes;

-Advanced planning and problem-solving skills; ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and to maintain a collegial attitude at all times;

-A high-degree of professionalism and responsibility with other staff members.

-Ability to work and collaborate as part of a small team;

-Very strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to present at public platforms;

-Experience planning and organizing fundraising and cultivation events for donors and prospects;

-Ability to set priorities, manage projects and meet deadlines; and demonstrate creative thinking, particularly as applied to fundraising opportunities.

-Experience and commitment to women’s rights, reproductive health and rights and/or international affairs a strong plus;

-Bachelor’s Degree; an advanced degree in a related field preferred;

-Excellent personal and written communication skills and an upbeat can-do attitude;

-Knowledge of all Microsoft Office programs and Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge or similar donor-management databases.

HOW TO APPLY: 

Eligible candidates should submit a cover letter and resume by March 26, 2021, to Jennifer Munz, Director of Development at jmunz@friendsofunfpa.org. Please reference “Major & Planning Giving Officer” in the subject header.