The primary goal of fundraisers is to collect funds for use in an organization or cause. Fundraisers may work in more specialized areas, such as only working one-on-one with large donors or only working in planning and coordinating events meant to raise money.
Because of the people-focused aspect of a fundraiser’s job, they need to be fantastic communicators and have the ability to grasp what’s important to potential donors so the fundraiser can successfully communicate to them the benefit of donating. Because of this, majors in journalism, communications and related areas may be helpful, though they don’t necessarily have to be listed as required in a fundraiser job description.
Some personality traits that are beneficial for fundraisers include leadership skills and organizational abilities. The example given here is a good place to start when building out your fundraiser job description
Fundraiser Job Summary
What if you could go to your place of employment every day with a renewed sense of purpose and direction, confident in the knowledge that the work you do contributes to the greater good? When you work with us as a fundraiser, this could be your life. Grow to understand our potential donor pool and hold a vital role in planning events and coordinating other activities to encourage donations and help us move toward our goal of helping improve the people’s lives. Work on a close-knit, enthusiastic team under the direction of a visionary fundraising director to meet and exceed fundraising goals. Stretch and improve your communication and leadership skills and organizational capabilities in this pivotal role.
Job Responsibilities
- Raise funds for our cause and regularly meet or surpass fundraising targets
- Research potential donors to gain insight into needs, beliefs and donation habits to understand how to position our organization to them
- Assist in brainstorming and creating new methods to raise funds for our organization
- Leverage technology and social media where possible to improve fundraising activities
- Assist in planning and coordinating events meant to raise funds and coordinate activities of volunteers and interns related to event planning and execution
- Create marketing materials, like flyers and brochures, to be used for the promotion of events and other fundraising pushes
- Analyze the performance of events and other fundraising activities for effectiveness and to identify areas where money can be saved
- Maintain complete and orderly records of donors and manage regular donor communications
- Build upon existing donor relationships and form new donor relationships on a regular basis
- Collaborate with other organizations and groups within the community to build partnerships and enhance fundraising activities
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Exemplary communication abilities and outgoing, yet poised personality
- Strong leadership skills
- Excellent organizational abilities and attention to detail
- At least one year of fundraising experience
- Quick thinker and ability to make decisions under pressure
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree in communication, public relations, journalism or related/applicable area
- Minimum two years of fundraising experience, in addition to managerial experience
Fundraiser Job Responsibilities
You must write compelling, descriptive text in your job posting to attract qualified candidates to your company. You need to communicate its everyday responsibilities, as well as how your new hire will help your organization succeed. To do that effectively, you should follow some vital best practices when composing copy for this portion of your fundraiser job description.
Achieving readability is your first goal. You can accomplish this first by formatting this substantial section into a list of between six and eight bullet points. Moreover, you should craft your statements using dynamic, strong action verbs. Using both these tips will call attention and emphasis to your text, avoid bogging your fundraiser job description with excessive details and paint a clear picture of the type of work your ideal applicant will do. Use strong action verbs in your description to help jobseekers compare their own skills and experience with your job posting and assess whether they might be a good fit.
As you write, you might want to refer to these examples of fundraiser job responsibilities
- Research and develop fundraising opportunities, including single events and detailed campaigns
- Contact and build relationships with prospective donors
- Set financial targets for fundraising activities, and create strategies for reaching them
- Collaborate with senior leadership and prioritize departmental activities to meet organizational goals
Fundraiser Job Specifications
Just like the responsibilities section of your fundraiser job description explains the duties your chosen candidate performs in that position, the job skills and qualifications portion demonstrates what abilities, education and work experience are necessary to carry out those responsibilities successfully. Providing this information in an explicit, unambiguous manner will cut back on the number of responses from unqualified applicants.
Before you compose any information for this segment of your posting, you should meet with the hiring manager or senior leadership to whom your new hire will report. That’s because you’ll need their feedback concerning the necessary abilities, schooling and career experience for this position. As you collaborate with them, be sure to clarify which qualifications are “required” and which are “preferred” for an ideal candidate. Collect these into two separate lists, and remember to label each one in the final version of your fundraiser job description.
If you need help drafting your lists, here are some great examples of fundraiser job specifications:
Previous experience in a fundraising or outside sales role Associate’s degree in business, public administration, public policy or related field Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including public speaking and delivering presentations Strong organization and time-management abilities