Director, Alumni Philanthropy

Title: Director, Alumni Philanthropy

Department: IT

Salary Range: $95,000-$120,000

Location: New York, NY (Hybrid; 4 days/week in-office)

FLSA: Exempt

OVERVIEW:

Birthright Israel began with a bold idea in 1999 – to offer young Jewish adults a life-changing trip to Israel to build their Jewish identity and, by doing so, transform the Jewish future. In turn, The Birthright Israel Foundation ("BRIF") was founded to raise the necessary funds in the United States to support this critical mission and to ensure that all young Jews have an opportunity to visit their ancestral homeland and forge a connection to their heritage that can last a lifetime. Since our founding, over 900,000 Jewish young adults from over 70 countries have participated in one of our transformational experiences in Israel. Our work has become even more important in a post-October 7th world.

At BRIF, we are dedicated to raising the funds necessary to ensure that every eligible young Jewish adult has the opportunity to experience the transformative power of a trip to Israel. Through these life-changing journeys, we strengthen Jewish identity, build community, and foster a lifelong connection to Israel and the Jewish people.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Birthright Israel Foundation seeks a Director, Alumni Philanthropy to drive mass alumni engagement and donor conversion. The primary goal of this role is to cultivate 50,000 alumni donors over the next five years, while identifying high-potential alumni for enhanced cultivation by our development team. This position will report to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and work collaboratively with our Development, Marketing, and other teams.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Mass Alumni Donor Engagement

• Design and execute scalable strategies to engage and convert alumni into donors at all giving levels.
• Develop multi-channel campaigns (email, social media, digital platforms, events) that drive donor acquisition and retention.
• Create donor journeys that move alumni from first engagement to first gift and beyond.
• Leverage emerging technologies and platforms (Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, etc.) to meet alumni where they are.
• Track conversion metrics and optimize strategies to achieve the 50,000 donor goal.
• Build and manage vibrant online communities that foster connection and engagement across the alumni base.

High-Potential Alumni Identification

• Systematically identify alumni with capacity and propensity for major gift support.
• Research and qualify prospects demonstrating leadership potential, giving capacity, or strong brand alignment.
• Identify compelling alumni storytellers for speaking and brand ambassador opportunities.
• Maintain regular communication with development team to ensure smooth handoffs and continued stewardship.

Strategy & Collaboration

• Partner with marketing, communications, and development teams to align engagement strategies with organizational goals.
• Monitor and report on key metrics: donor acquisition, retention rates, conversion rates, and pipeline development.
• Stay current on best practices in digital engagement and mass donor cultivation.
• Continuously test and refine engagement approaches based on data and alumni feedback.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

• 5-8 years of experience in alumni relations, fundraising, digital engagement, or community building.
• Demonstrated success building and scaling programs that achieve ambitious quantitative goals.
• Experience with digital or direct response fundraising campaigns.
• Strong understanding of donor cultivation and conversion strategies at scale.
• Experience managing online communities and emerging digital platforms.
• Experience with CRM/database systems and data analysis.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to connect authentically with diverse audiences.
• Self-directed with strong project management abilities.
• A deep commitment to Birthright Israel’s mission and the future of Jewish life.

Why Join BRIF?

At BRIF, you’ll be part of a team that is shaping the future of the Jewish people. Your work will help ensure that donors feel connected, valued, and inspired to make Birthright Israel possible for generations to come.

We offer generous benefits, including comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance. Employees have access to set aside funds for retirement through our 403(b) plan, which includes a 5% salary match that vests over the first 5 years of employment. Additional perks include remote work opportunities outside of the 4 days/week in-office, generous sick time, annual personal days, as well as a work calendar offering time off for Jewish and secular holidays.