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Position Summary:

The Assistant Director of Philanthropy plays a critical role in advancing Joybound’s financial sustainability by supporting and strengthening the organization’s mid-level donor program. This position is responsible for managing a portfolio of donors while also contributing to the execution and continuous improvement of a structured donor journey that increases retention, upgrades, and long-term engagement. 

This role serves as a strategic bridge between direct marketing, leadership annual giving, and major gifts by helping donors progress along the giving continuum through intentional, donor-centered cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation strategies. Reporting to the Associate Director of Philanthropy, this position supports the performance, scalability, and effectiveness of Joybound’s mid-level giving system. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Culture

• Interact and communicate with colleagues, volunteers, and the public in a manner that advances a culture of positivity, professionalism, trust, transparency, empathy, and excellence at Joybound.

Donor Portfolio Management 

• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of individual donors and prospects with the capacity to give $1,000–$9,999 annually. 
• Develop and execute personalized, donor-centered cultivation and solicitation strategies for a portfolio of approximately 200 donors and prospects. 
• Maintain consistent, meaningful communication with donors to express gratitude, share impact, position gift solicitations, and strengthen long-term relationships. 
• Conduct donor meetings, tours, and engagement experiences that deepen connection to Joybound’s mission and programs. 

Mid-Level Program Operations & Growth 

• Collaborate with the Associate Director of Philanthropy to implement and refine Joybound’s mid-level donor journey, segmentation model, and engagement framework. 
• Contribute to the development of scalable systems, processes, and best practices that support donor movement, retention, and upgrade strategies across the mid-level program. 
• Support the integration of mid-level donors into leadership giving and major gift pathways by building donor readiness and identifying qualified prospects for deeper engagement. 
• Collaborate across development functions—including direct marketing, events, and legacy and major gifts—to ensure a coordinated and consistent donor experience. 
• Support the execution and stewardship strategy of Joybound’s Annual Giving Societies, including donor recognition, welcome and renewal touchpoints, and tier-based engagement aligned with donor commitment levels. 

Performance, Metrics & Systems 

• Achieve or exceed annual performance goals related to donor retention, tier movement, engagement activity, proposal outcomes, gift size, and total revenue. 
• Analyze donor data and fundraising metrics to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for continuous improvement within the mid-level program. 
• Ensure timely, accurate, and complete documentation of donor interactions, plans, and outcomes in Raiser’s Edge/NXT and related systems. 
• Utilize research and wealth screening tools such as iWave and other platforms to inform donor strategy and prospect development. 

Donor Communications & Culture 

• Ensure all donor-facing communications—including solicitations, acknowledgments, and stewardship materials—are donor-centered, mission-aligned, and consistent with Joybound’s values and voice. 
• Attend, support, and enhance donor experiences at Joybound events and engagement opportunities. 
• Practice and promote a positive, humane, and caring attitude toward people and animals, contributing to Joybound’s collaborative and mission-driven culture. 
• Maintain the highest level of confidentiality regarding donor, prospect, and internal organizational information.   

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Three or more years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a demonstrated record of success securing individual gifts of $5,000 or more. 
• Strong ability to build and advance relationships with a diverse community of donors, prospects, colleagues, volunteers, and community partners. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey impact and inspire donor engagement. 
• Demonstrated comfort working within data-driven fundraising systems and performance metrics. 
• Proficiency in Raiser’s Edge/NXT, iWave, Microsoft Office Suite, and related development technologies. 
• Enthusiasm for the human-animal bond, with comfort working in an environment that includes animals. 
• Affection for animals, concern for their welfare, and a willingness to accommodate animals in the workplace.
• Pre-employment background screening required.
• Must have a valid California Driver’s License and must not have more than two at-fault incidents in a three-year period and no major at-fault violations in the last ten years and must be insured.

Education and Experience:

• Four-year college degree or equivalent professional experience required. 
• CFRE or similar professional designation preferred. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Specific physical abilities required by this job include:

• Work environment includes constant exposure to animals and animal allergens. 
• Push/pull moderately heavy objects up to 25 pounds. Kneel, bend, stoop, squat, reach above and below shoulder level, grasp and turn objects, stand and/or walk frequently and repetitively throughout each shift. Flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist. Sit for long and short periods of time using a computer. 
• Drive an automobile. 

Hours:

Exempt:

Full-time, exempt position requiring a minimum of 40 hours per week, including occasional evening and/or weekend work. Hours and workdays may vary according to the needs of the department.

At Joybound, we value diversity and treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of or traits historically associated with race; color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law