Philanthropy Officer in Phoenix, Arizona at St Vincent De Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) is seeking a committed and thoughtful fundraiser to serve as a Philanthropy Officer on its Philanthropy Team. Reporting to the Director of Philanthropy, the Philanthropy Officer will inspire community support for SVdP’s mission of serving individuals and families in the community who have nowhere else to turn for help.

About the Organization:

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in Paris, France, in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam. In 1845, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul crossed the ocean to St. Louis, Missouri, where it’s first American presence was formalized.

One hundred years later, a group of young Catholics in Phoenix, Arizona, formed the present-day Phoenix Diocesan Council for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, dedicated to feeding, clothing, housing, and healing individuals and families in the community who have nowhere else to go. SVdP provides meaningful opportunities for volunteers to serve their neighbors with love and compassion. Programs include services for the homeless, medical and dental care for the working poor, charity dining rooms that serve thousands daily, food boxes for hungry families, thrift stores throughout the region, transitional housing shelters, and general assistance. SVdP seeks to help people’s physical, mental, and spiritual needs.

Today, the Society’s Phoenix Council is the largest and most active in America, with more than 300 employees, 15,000 volunteers, and annual budget nearing $90 million. To learn more, visit SVdP’s website at www.stvincentdepaul.net.

About the Team:

Members of the Philanthropy Department rally around the goal to provide SVdP the resources it needs to feed, clothe, house, and heal our neighbors in need. This team of 22 leads the organization in fulfilling its $48M operating budget by inviting and engaging community generosity.

Regardless of role, all team members of the Philanthropy Department value:

• Mission. We believe that SVdP is Arizona’s common ground, bringing together those who need help and those who can offer help. In this way, SVdP is a place for everyone to experience the best versions of ourselves and others.
• Accompaniment. We walk alongside people who want to help others. We find the opportunities that inspire generosity and create feelings of joy, purpose, and belonging.
• Financial Sustainability. Caring for neighbors in need requires consistent financial resources to provide food, clothing, housing, and healthcare. Our critical role is to invite the community to support our neighbors.

In living out our jobs, each member of the Philanthropy department is:

• Humble. At the foundation of the Society and each of our jobs, we serve. No act of charity is foreign to the Society…or to members of our team.
• Grateful. We lead every interaction with gratitude. No one owes us anything—and we exist and can help others through the generosity and trust of the community.
• Scrappy. We find a way to get things done—and we find a way to get to positive outcomes for anyone we serve.

About the Role:

The Philanthropy Officer will be a key member of the St. Vincent de Paul development team. A successful philanthropy officer is interested in helping donors develop and achieve their philanthropic goals AND helping St. Vincent de Paul transform the lives of neighbors in need through our mission to feed, clothe, house, and heal.

The main expectation for this role is for the philanthropy officer to engage, inspire, invite, and thank donors who give $2,500+ annually. By creating a communication plan; developing personal relationships; and conducting in-person visits, the philanthropy officer will help these donors find deeper purpose, impact, and joy through their philanthropic engagement with SVdP.

At least half of the philanthropy officer’s time will be spent out of the office and traveling locally to meet with donors and prospects at various locations in the state. This philanthropy officer is interested in and comfortable with meeting new people and developing long-lasting relationships.

Success in this role will be measured by metrics such as activity/engagement with donors (1:1 meetings, invitations, stewardship engagements, and sharing important opportunities, such as fundraising campaigns), year-over-year donor retention, and positive contribution to team/culture.

Support will be offered through the Philanthropy Team’s three phase onboarding model, developed to provide organizational learning; job-skill training; positional comfort and confidence; and executive-level mentoring and partnership.

The philanthropy officer will be a member of a collaborative, creative, and hardworking team, and should be highly interested in contributing to a team that brings joy, enthusiasm, and care for others into their work. This full-time position is based out of Phoenix, AZ, and will report to the Director of Philanthropy. Salary is commensurate with experience. St. Vincent de Paul takes great pride in offering employees a strong benefits package, inclusive of healthcare, dental care, vision care, insurance, and a 401k employer match.

Primary Responsibilities:

The Philanthropy Officer’s primary responsibilities will include but not be limited to the following:

• Building stronger personal relationships between Servant Leaders Society donors and St. Vincent de Paul. These donors belong to the Faith Circle and give between $1,000 and $2,499 annually. This will be 50% of the work.
  • This “core” group of donors wants to be informed, inspired, and invited into deeper relationship with SVdP.
  • The Philanthropy Officer will prioritize in-person interaction, thoughtful storytelling, and demonstrating gratitude.
• Develop communication strategies that engage current and prospective Faith Circle donors. This will be 25% of the work.
  • Working in partnership with the Philanthropy and Marketing teams, the Philanthropy Officer will design and deliver communication and engagement pieces for stewardship, event invitation, and programmatic updates.
  • Engage program leaders and members of the senior leadership team to interact with donors and create more meaningful experiences with SVdP.
• Identify and engage prospective donors, who may want to learn about St. Vincent de Paul and be part of our work. This will be 15% of the work.
  • Through relationship building and referrals, the Philanthropy Officer will work toward inviting new donors into the Servant Leaders Society—and a new relationship with St. Vincent de Paul.
  • Working with the Stewardship Team, the Philanthropy Officer will invite existing donors to increase their annual giving and join the Servant Leaders Society.
• Collaborate as a member of a dynamic team and a larger SVdP community. This will be 10% of the work.
  • Engage in volunteer efforts alongside donors and other staff. This is critical to staying connected to our SVdP mission.
  • This may mean jumping in to support events, representing SVdP in the community, or strategic planning with program directors and other SVdP staff.

The successful candidate will:

• Demonstrate deep commitment to, and passion for, the organization’s faith-inspired mission of serving those in need.
• Possess curiosity, show a demonstrated interest in serving donors, and find energy from making a lot of connections with donors.
• Possess mature interpersonal skills needed to form strong, enduring relationships.
• Show a commitment to details—which ranges from elegant communication with donors and attention to recording progress and communications in Salesforce.
• Demonstrate diligence and follow through in working with donors.
• Be flexible, compassionate, understanding, and attentive with all members of the SVdP community.
• Be goal-oriented and highly organized.
• Demonstrate a positive, collaborative, joyful, and service-oriented personality.

Desired Skills/Abilities:

• Highly detailed and organized.
• A strong desire to engage with internal and external stakeholders. Ability to find ways to serve stakeholders and "get to yes."
• Proficient and/or able to learn database administration (Salesforce), MS Office tools, and standard office equipment (copiers, printers, etc.).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Adaptability and perseverance.
• Flexible schedule and ability to manage/organize events that may be at nights or on weekends (in uncommon instances).

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• In lieu of a bachelor’s degree, 4+ years of directly related experience in the field or function may be considered.
• Relevance matters: Experience must align with the knowledge, skills, and competencies typically gained through a degree.
• Progressive responsibility: Experience that shows increasing levels of responsibility and complexity is often favored.

Other Requirements:

• Ability work in an office setting (sitting and/or standing), reach, and lift up to 20 pounds are required for this position.
• Reliable transportation to fulfill local travel requirements.