POSITION TITLE: Director of Outreach and Major Gifts, Eastern U.S.
LOCATION: Eastern US; hybrid if in New York/New Jersey, remote if elsewhere
START DATE: Immediate (Sept 2024)
STATUS: Full-time, exempt

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND
The New Israel Fund (NIF) protects and advances equality and liberal democracy in Israel. Long credited with seed-funding and founding progressive civil society in Israel, NIF now leads the fight for democratic institutions and a socially just society that is truly shared by every Israeli. Read more about NIF here.

PURPOSE
NIF seeks a talented, entrepreneurial, and creative fundraising professional to lead the effort to grow and reinforce NIF’s presence in select areas of the Eastern United States, particularly Pennsylvania, Florida, and Georgia. The Director of Outreach & Major Gifts is responsible for working with NIF’s existing donors in the region, reaching out to potential new sources of funding, and positioning the organization as the home for those seeking to advance democracy and equality in Israel.

Qualified candidates will have extensive experience in fundraising, including individual and major gift experience, and will have outstanding skills in communication and developing relationships relevant to the responsibilities of the position.

NATURE AND SCOPE OF WORK
The Director of Outreach & Major Gifts will craft and drive forward a strategy for growing the overall campaign and strengthening NIF’s presence in communities throughout the Eastern U.S. Stewarding the existing donor file and identifying and cultivating new major donor prospects is a primary focus. They will manage and develop local volunteers and will personally represent NIF in public settings, raising the organization’s profile and serving as a compelling point of personal contact for supporters, prospects, and organizational partners. The Director of Outreach & Major Gifts is also responsible for spearheading efforts in the region to advance the Legacy Campaign, which encourages donors to include NIF in their estate plans.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop a comprehensive cultivation and fundraising plan for the non-staffed Eastern U.S. region, with measurable goals for total revenue and number of donors
• Devise and carry out individualized engagement and fundraising plan for each donor giving $2,500 or more and select donors giving $1,000 or more.
• Meet benchmarks for number of meetings (phone calls/zoom)
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit new major donor prospects of $25,000+
• Develop NIF’s presence and handle organizational relationships in key communities
• Execute an NIF event strategy in collaboration with NIF’s Public Engagement team and local volunteers, focusing especially on the annual Tzedek Award fundraiser in Atlanta, and representing NIF in public for events generally when appropriate
• Manage and strengthen volunteer regional councils in Philadelphia and Atlanta
• Prepare written materials, reports, and proposals for funding consideration
• Identify, cultivate, and help solicit prospects for endowment and legacy giving
• Handle donor servicing requests for information, background, and connecting to Israel’s social change community
• Contribute to development team efforts to build knowledge, strategize collectively, and seek and provide support and advice

REQUIREMENTS
The position requires a person with an outstanding understanding of contemporary Israel; a strategic thinker who sees the potential for NIF’s continued growth, who has an ability to communicate NIF’s mission in public fora, and who has experience working with and mobilizing volunteer leadership. The ideal candidate will be highly self-motivated, have strong written communication skills, have knowledge of and experience with progressive Jewish communities in the Eastern U.S., and will have a minimum of 5 years relevant experience.

This position requires regular travel to cities around the Eastern U.S. and this person must be based in the geographical region that this position serves.

REPORTING & SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIPS

This position reports to the VP of Principal and Major Gifts, and works closely with NIF’s Public Engagement, Communications, and Fundraising staff, and the NIF Executive Team.

The Director of Outreach & Major Gifts, Eastern US will supervise a Development Associate, whose role is to support the fundraising efforts of both National Outreach East and National Outreach West; and a Development & Program Officer, whose primary focus is on fundraising in Florida.

SALARY AND COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $115,000 – $130,000 USD annually. NIF offers a generous benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance; short-term and long-term disability; dependent coverage; flex spending; retirement match; vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays (Jewish and secular).

TO APPLY

Email cover letter and resume as PDFs to jobs@nif.org. In the subject line, include the position title and your name. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and job will remain posted until filled. No phone calls, please. Qualified candidates will be contacted via email.

The New Israel Fund encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We also encourage applications from people of diverse religious, spiritual, and cultural backgrounds. The New Israel Fund is an equal opportunity employer.