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Donor Relations Officer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Director of Donor Relations

Deerfield, MA · On-site

$37.50 - $50.48/hr

Partner with Leadership Gift Officers and Deerfield Fund team members on donor relations and stewardship strategy for donors at all levels. * Assist Leadership Gift Officers and the Deerfield Fund ...

Donor Relations Manager

San Marcos, CA · On-site

$80K - $121K/yr

Yo ur Role & Impact The Donor Relations Manager (DRM) works under the direction of the Public Information and Philanthropy Officer and is responsible for supporting fundraising efforts and fostering ...

Donor Relations Manager

San Marcos, CA · On-site

$80K - $121K/yr

Yo ur Role & Impact The Donor Relations Manager (DRM) works under the direction of the Public Information and Philanthropy Officer and is responsible for supporting fundraising efforts and fostering ...

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Donor Relations Officer information

See salary details

$19K

$70.7K

$112K

How much do donor relations officer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for donor relations officer in the United States is $70,688.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $60,000.00 and $80,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Donor Relations Officer vs Fundraising Coordinator?

AspectDonor Relations OfficerFundraising Coordinator
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree, experience in donor engagementBachelor's degree, experience in event planning or fundraising
Work EnvironmentNonprofit organizations, charitiesNonprofits, educational institutions, community groups
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in nonprofit sector for donor engagement rolesUsed across nonprofit and fundraising events
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding donor engagement rolesExploring fundraising roles and responsibilities

The Donor Relations Officer primarily focuses on maintaining relationships with donors, ensuring ongoing support and engagement. The Fundraising Coordinator, on the other hand, manages fundraising campaigns and events to generate donations. While both roles support nonprofit goals, the Donor Relations Officer emphasizes relationship management, whereas the Fundraising Coordinator concentrates on campaign execution.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a donor relations officer?

To thrive as a Donor Relations Officer, you need strong relationship-building, fundraising, and communication skills, often supported by a degree in communications, nonprofit management, or a related field. Familiarity with donor management software such as Raiser’s Edge or Salesforce, as well as experience with CRM systems and data analysis, is typically required. Outstanding interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and the ability to craft compelling messages make candidates stand out. These skills are crucial to cultivating donor loyalty, maximizing fundraising outcomes, and ensuring the long-term success of nonprofit organizations.

What are some common challenges a donor relations officer faces when managing donor communications?

A Donor Relations Officer often navigates the challenge of maintaining personalized, meaningful communication with a diverse portfolio of donors. Balancing timely acknowledgments, impact reporting, and tailored outreach can be demanding, especially during peak campaign periods or when juggling multiple projects. Additionally, ensuring data accuracy and confidentiality while using donor management systems is essential. Collaboration with fundraising teams, program staff, and leadership is key to creating cohesive and effective donor engagement strategies.

What does a donor relations officer do?

A Donor Relations Officer is responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with donors to ensure ongoing support for an organization. Their duties typically include acknowledging gifts, providing updates on the impact of donations, organizing recognition events, and developing strategies to engage and retain donors. By fostering positive interactions, they help increase donor loyalty and encourage future contributions, which are vital for the success of nonprofit organizations.
More about Donor Relations Officer jobs
What cities are hiring for Donor Relations Officer jobs? Cities with the most Donor Relations Officer job openings:
Who are the top companies hiring for Donor Relations Officer jobs? The top employers for Donor Relations Officer jobs are:
What states have the most Donor Relations Officer jobs? States with the most job openings for Donor Relations Officer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Donor Relations Officer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, and 6% Part Time. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $70,688 per year, or $34 per hour.

Director of Donor Relations

Deerfield Academy

Deerfield, MA • On-site

$37.50 - $50.48/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 9 days ago


Job description

**SIGN-ON BONUS**
The successful candidate will receive a $1,000 sign-on bonus ($500 paid at time of hire and $500 paid at the end of 90 days of employment.
Reporting to the Director of Advancement, the Director of Donor Relations provides the vision and strategic direction for the planning, implementation and management of a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship program that complements and supports the mission of the Office of Advancement.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
  • Oversee the Donor Relations & Stewardship Program
  • Design, implement and coordinate a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship program to acknowledge, recognize, engage and inspire donors to continue to support the Academy.
  • Partner with Leadership Gift Officers and Deerfield Fund team members on donor relations and stewardship strategy for donors at all levels.
  • Assist Leadership Gift Officers and the Deerfield Fund team to identify giving opportunities, prepare gift proposals, and develop individual stewardship plans for top donors and prospects.

Events
  • Oversee all aspects of annual donor recognition events such as the 1797 Society Reception, 1902 Society Dinner, and President's Dinner and on-campus building dedications or other donor recognition events.
  • Identify and coordinate engagement opportunities such as on-campus tours and programs that help inform, educate, and connect donors and potential donors with the Academy.
  • Track and analyze participation and engagement metrics of donor events.

Stewardship Communications
  • Devise, coordinate, and execute effective and strategic ongoing communications with donors that illustrate the impact of philanthropic support, including quantitative and qualitative updates on endowed funds and programmatic reports on current and completed facility renovation/construction projects and significant current restricted gifts.
  • In coordination with other departments, compile, update, and distribute relevant Deerfield Academy information and statistics for the Advancement team, donors, and the wider community.
  • Write, send, and track special acknowledgments from the Head of School and for memorial gifts.
  • Coordinate and update student stewardship program in collaboration with the Admission Office.
  • In partnership with the Finance Office, collect information and engage budget holders in the stewardship process.

Donor Recognition
  • Oversee the data integrity of donor naming opportunities
  • Assist the Deerfield Fund team and the Advancement Services team to guide decisions regarding donor lists, milestones, and giving societies.
  • Coordinate annual updates of Endowment Fund listings on the website.

Staff Management
  • Supervise the work of the Assistant Director of Donor Relations to ensure continuing creativity and fresh thinking, awareness of campus culture and industry trends, and adherence to Advancement Office practices as well as institutional guidelines and standards.
  • Effectively manage overall work performance of Donor Relations team members, including review and development of individual job skills.
  • Work with Human Resources in the hiring process for new Donor Relations employees, according to the Academy's stated Best Practices in Hiring.
  • Oversee orientation and training of new Donor Relations staff.

Policies & Procedures
  • Collaborate with the Director of Advancement Services to oversee the formulation and execution of effective policies that govern gift acceptance, documentation, and recording.
  • Assist the Director of Advancement Services on the design and implementation of the comprehensive Advancement effort to ensure that the Academy's gift receipt/pledge confirmation and donor acknowledgment process meets IRS requirements and expresses gratitude in a timely, meaningful manner.
  • Work with donors, Advancement colleagues, and departments across campus to ensure that gifts advance institutional priorities and that donors' intentions are understood, documented, and honored.
  • Facilitate, document, and track the establishment of endowed funds and designated gifts, providing guidance and information regarding pledges, gifts, and designations.
  • Collaborate with Chief Advancement Officer regarding the implementation and revision of donor naming guidelines as developed by the Advancement Office in consultation with the Board of Trustees.

Perform other duties as assigned.
Job Specifications
  • Bachelor's degree required
  • 5-7 years of experience in advancement, donor relations or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
  • A proven track record as a successful manager of teams
  • Excellent verbal and written communication and organizational skills
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • An open and collaborative leadership style
  • Proficiency with MS Office Suite and fundraising CRMs (Raiser's Edge/Almabase/Blackbaud)
  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion and to serving the needs of a diverse community
  • Ability to manage, and sensitivity to, highly confidential information
  • Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends as required in support of Advancement
  • Ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects and manage competing priorities.
  • Strong interpersonal skills with ability to develop and maintain collegial relationships.

Physical Job Demands
  • Close visual acuity to analyze data and figures and to view a computer terminal
  • Ability to sustain substantial movements of the wrist, hands and/or fingers
  • Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects up to 10 lbs.
  • Ability to occasionally stoop, kneel or reach

Working Conditions
The worker is in an office environment, and while in the office is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions. While traveling, the worker is subject to outside environmental conditions.
Special Instructions for Applicants
Application materials must include:
  • A cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications
  • A complete resume or curriculum vitae

Compensation & Benefits
Deerfield Academy offers a competitive total compensation package, where base compensation or salary is just one component. Pay within the published range is determined by factors such as qualifications, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, allowing for growth and progression within the role.
We also offer a comprehensive suite of benefits to eligible employees, including:
  • Health & Financial: Medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 403(b)-retirement plan; and employer-paid life and disability plans.
  • Time Off: Generous paid time off and paid holidays.
  • Campus Perks: Tuition remission, fitness center access and complimentary dining hall meals

See benefit plan details here.
Disclaimer
The above job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. This job description is not intended to be construed as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. It is expected that job duties and responsibilities will develop over time commensurate with performance.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.