Director of Community Philanthropy

Hillel at UCLA’s Philanthropy Team seeks to harness the talents and inherent passion of an accomplished advancement professional who will plot the strategy for building Hillel’s brand and implement best practices in donor cultivation and stewardship leading to new levels of grassroots annual campaign participation and a more robust major gifts pipeline.

Well Positioned for Exponential Growth

In light of the current campus climate, giving has skyrocketed, creating a scenario ripe for securing a next generation of annual supporters who, because they feel the impact of their charitable investment, make more frequent and larger contributions to enable Hillel’s mission fulfillment. In doing so, they will contribute to an organization that is dedicated to influencing the Jewish journey of 2,000 Bruins and which serves as a critical partner to the University in restoring civility and safety on campus, making UCLA, once again, a place where Jewish students can celebrate and explore their full identity without fear of exclusion or retribution.

The Grassroots Annual Campaign

Hillel at UCLA’s total annual $2.1mil fundraising revenue is generated from institutional funding sources, private foundations, individual major donors, partner organizations and grassroots supporters (defined as giving <$1,000). On average, the grassroots annual campaign includes 1,500 donors who cumulatively give ~$300,000. Traditionally we run three grassroots fundraising campaigns per year (High Holy Days, end of calendar year, and one spring-time peer:peer campaign).

There is tremendous opportunity for growth. Reporting directly to the Chief Development Officer, the Director of Community Philanthropy’s work is a blend of project and relationship/interpersonal management, and can be performed partially remotely. The Director will assess and capitalize on opportunities to create a sense of philanthropic loyalty among stakeholders using strategies that include (but are not limited to) moves management, affinity groups, segmented communication, fundraising events (large and small), and lay leadership deployment. Under the Director's leadership, Hillel will raise the grassroots threshold to $2,500 and increase grassroots-level revenue by 50% in the first two years with the goal of doubling in four years.

About the Philanthropy Team

The team is composed of two full-time fundraisers and a part-time donor services associate. We engage the services of a graphic designer and other experts as needed. We are a team of philanthropy activators who believe that making the world a better place requires partnership. The integrity of the Philanthropy Team’s work is anchored in prioritizing relational stakeholder engagement and values alignment. We are honored to stand alongside philanthropists as they shepherd their resources to inspire the change they hope to manifest in their lifetime and beyond, all the while doing so in the context of Jewish values and practices. 

With sincere and authentic stakeholder relationships at the core, Interpersonal Duties of this position include:

• Nurturing primary connections to grassroots-level Hillel donor benefactors and prospects.
• Collaborating with Hillel colleagues at every level of the local organization and within the cohort of development professionals in the International movement.
• Managing key vendor relationships on behalf of the Philanthropy team.
• Catalyzing board ambassadorship and other support for Board of Directors lay leaders.
• Engagement and oversight of student partners.

Values-aligned fundraising is heavily informed and influenced by the powerful articulation of the impact of Hillel on our beneficiaries. Events and communications assets managed in this role support the overarching success of all Hillel ambassadors and fundraisers (professional and lay). Roles in the realm of Project Management include:

• Strategic communication planning and implementation.
• Event management (small and large scale).
• Administration of Board governance/meetings.
• Oversight of community-wide digital and print communication/solicitations and donor cultivation/stewardship collateral/branded assets.
• Written reporting to funders (institutional and individual).

If you possess the following characteristics and interests, this role may be a great fit:

• genuinely invested in Hillel’s mission and purpose which centers Jewish pluralism, identity and leadership development, learning and individual well-being
• committed to the prosperity of Jewish peoplehood and the Jewish people’s right to safety and self determination in their indigenous homeland, Israel. 
• driven by a growth mindset
• adaptive and creative orientation, values vulnerability, and bravely experiments with new concepts
• anticipatory of needs, proactive
• intrinsic pride in one’s work, pursuant of positive impact/outcomes
• independent, intrinsically motivated, anticipatory and proactive in managing timelines, budgets, tracking impact and other tasks associated with professional responsibilities
• thrives in collaborative workplaces, enjoys team-based projects
• introspective and draws upon previous experience in service of Hillel’s Mission

REQUIRED

• 8 or more years of experience
• highly organized and detail-oriented
• demonstrated success in individual solicitation and Moves Management and well-honed intuition and sophistication in building/maintaining interpersonal relationships
• strong writing communication skills both in short and long-form (i.e. for social media, for mail appeals and for grant reporting)
• solid knowledge of the Los Angeles Jewish Jewish philanthropic landscape
• basic fluency using supportive technologies (i.e. Google for Nonprofits, Microsoft Office, digital mass-communication platforms, donor database)
• ability and willingness to work occasionally on evenings and on some Jewish holidays, including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

PREFERRED

• personal connection to the Hillel movement
• refined sense of visual aesthetic and capable of guiding visual design projects
• confidence and experience in event production/management
• familiarity with NationBuilder and Wufoo

Salary range: $132,000 - $152,000, commensurate with experience

Benefits: Health insurance, dental, life insurance, Long Term Disability, and Flexible Spending Plan. Generous vacation, sick time, and Jewish holidays. Opportunities to attend global conferences for personal and professional development.

About Hillel at UCLA

Hillel at UCLA is a truly great place to work. We encourage creativity, value personal authenticity, provide opportunities for professional development and believe in a healthy work-life blend. We are guided by Jewish values and, as a staff, we strive to model for our students and community an enduring commitment to well rounded Jewish living. The office is centrally located on the east side of UCLA and houses a vibrant energy reflective of the diversity of our students and community members. Hillel offers highly competitive compensation and ample, affordable health benefits.