Fundraising managers oversee the activities an organization carries out to bring in more donations. This also entails working with the public relations department to raise awareness of a certain issue and ensuring the general public maintains a favorable image of the organization.
Since this is a managerial position, your fundraising manager job description needs to emphasize the need for leadership skills. Applicants should be comfortable with public speaking and designating roles for everyone on a team.
Exceptional organizational skills are required because these managers always need to be in charge of multiple efforts simultaneously. These managers also need to be comfortable solving problems whenever they arise. Express all this in your fundraising manager job description thoroughly so applicants know what you expect them to bring to the table.
Fundraising Manager Job Summary
Do you have years of experience coordinating fundraising efforts and a desire to make your community a little better? This organization is in need of a new fundraising manager who is not afraid to get his or her hands dirty and take risks. If hired, you will be leading a team of hard-working individuals who are all interested in seeing this non-profit succeed. You will always need to have on eye toward the future and determine which projects are worth continuing and which should be let go. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to make some tangible changes within the area.
Job Responsibilities
- Establish positive relationships with clients in every sector, including government representatives and members of the media
- Prepare press releases to submit to the local newspaper and ensure the release always goes up on the company website and social media accounts
- Assign duties to every member of the fundraising staff and periodically review those duties to make sure they are all progressing accordingly
- Pursue efforts to keep the non-profit’s public image positive, which can entail promoting events regularly
- Evaluate the effectiveness of specific events and advertising campaigns to determine which ones work well and which ones should be abandoned
- Attend special events put on by the non-profit, which can include parties or charity events, and speak with guests about the advantages of the organization
- Prepare budgets every quarter to determine what the fundraising department’s needs are going to be
- Formulate policies with the board of directors and sit in on meetings to help decide the overall direction of the non-profit
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Bachelor’s degree in journalism, public relations, fundraising or similar area
- At least five years of experience working in fundraising or public relations
- Experience leading a team to success
Preferred:
- Master’s degree in a related field
- Knowledge of relevant software
Fundraising Manager Job Responsibilities
Just as you wouldn’t hire employees without knowing what experience they bring to your company, quality jobseekers are less likely to apply to your company if you don’t make the job responsibilities clear. That’s why it’s so crucial to have a well-written job responsibilities section as part of your fundraising manager job description. Always make it evident to prospective employees what tasks they’ll be performing. Jobseekers can then use this information to gauge their own interest and ability to perform the job.
In the job responsibilities section of your fundraising manager job description, be as specific as you can without going into unnecessary minutiae. List only 6-8 key responsibilities so that jobseekers can quickly determine what the job requires. Candidates may lose interest if you use weak verbs, so start each bullet point with a strong action verb to grab attention and add specificity.
What follows are several fundraising manager job responsibilities that you may see on a job listing:
- Manage ongoing fundraising efforts among donors using company’s established relationships with media outlets, government agencies and private businesses
- Direct and implement new fundraising strategies based on digital market research and best practices
- Oversee creation of all campaign promotional materials to ensure adherence to company policy and mission
- Organize new public relations programs to bring awareness to campaign needs
- Manage fundraising budget
Fundraising Manager Job Specifications
The qualifications and skills list of your fundraising manager job description is one of the most critical sections, despite its short length and straightforward content. Providing jobseekers with clear education and training expectations, lists of necessary skills and any desired personal qualities is crucial to weeding out would-be applicants who aren’t a good fit for your company. On the other hand, this section should attract jobseekers who have just the right level of experience and skill to perform the job well.
To determine what qualifications and skills are the best fit for the job, check in with the hiring manager for the position. The department head or person who will directly supervise the new hire may also have valuable input. Being a fundraising manager requires a unique set of social and organizational skills. Collaborate with others to make sure to include each of these skills in your fundraising manager job description.
The following list offers a few sample fundraising manager job specifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in marketing, public relations or related field
- 5-10 years’ experience leading major fundraising campaigns
- Superior verbal and written communication skills
- Comfortable guiding company strategy in event planning, donor relations and financial operations
- Expert-level knowledge of fundraising best practices across multiple audiences