Annual Giving Manager

Job Summary:
The Annual Giving Manager is a strategic leadership position responsible for overseeing Erlanger Foundation's annual giving, mid-level donor engagement, and institutional giving efforts (including foundation and grant-based support). Reporting to the Development Director, this role integrates data-driven strategy, compelling donor communications, and grant development to build a sustainable giving pipeline from entry-level donors through to major and legacy gift readiness. The Annual Giving manager develops and executes a comprehensive program of appeals, stewardship, donor segmentation, and institutional funder engagement that aligns with organizational priorities and fuels growth. The ideal candidate combines analytical insight with storytelling and is passionate about cultivating meaningful philanthropic relationships across a wide donor spectrum.

Campaign Management & Gift Acknowledgment

• Manage end-to-end gift processing workflows, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with fundraising regulations and internal policies.
• Coordinate gift acknowledgments, receipts, and tax documentation in collaboration with Foundation staff and leadership.
• Support segmentation, personalization, and delivery of stewardship communications across donor tiers.

Donor Segmentation & Data Driven Strategy
Develop and manage segmentation strategies that support donor retention, acquisition, and upgrade goals.
Use the Foundation's CRM to create dynamic audience lists, track donor behavior, and inform campaign targeting.
Collaborate with data and operations teams to ensure clean records and robust donor profiles for effective outreach.

Reporting & Tracking Analytics
Monitor and report on key performance indicators for annual giving campaigns, including response rates, average gift, and donor retention.
Provide campaign dashboards, donor trend analyses, and strategic recommendations to inform growth and innovation.
Contribute insights to annual development planning, fundraising forecasts, and board reporting as needed.

Pipeline Development: Major Gifts & Giving Societies
Identify and qualify prospective major gift donors through analysis of annual giving trends, lifetime value, and engagement history.
Manage and grow giving society membership, ensuring a seamless donor experience from acquisition to renewal, including benefits, recognition, and engagement opportunities.
Partner closely with the Major Gifts and Donor Relations teams to transition qualified donors into deeper philanthropic relationships and customized cultivation plans.
Use annual giving as a strategic pipeline tool to surface leadership donors, planned giving prospects, and legacy society members.

Donor Stewardship & Engagement
Design and implement scalable stewardship programs for annual donors, including thank-you series, impact reports, and recognition touchpoints.
Support donor journeys that encourage sustained giving, upgrades to monthly or major giving, and deeper mission alignment.
Coordinate with Communications and Creative teams to deliver branded, emotionally resonant materials that reinforce donor impact.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & System Improvement
Serve as a key liaison between Annual Giving and Development Operations, ensuring campaign timelines, processes, and donor experience standards are met.
Identify opportunities to streamline campaign execution, test new channels or tactics, and enhance donor communications.
Provide coaching and guidance to colleagues involved in annual giving activities, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous learning.

Education:
Required:

Bachelor's degree in marketing, Communications, Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, or a related field.

Preferred:

Master's degree in public administration, Integrated Marketing, Philanthropy, or related discipline.

Experience:
Required:

Minimum of 3-5 years of progressive experience in annual giving, direct response fundraising, or donor engagement.
Proven success managing multi-channel fundraising campaigns and annual donor programs at scale.
Demonstrated experience using CRM platforms (e.g., Raisers Edge, Salesforce) for segmentation, reporting, and campaign execution.
Strong project management skills, with keen attention to detail, deadlines, and donor experience.
Excellent analytical, writing, and cross-functional communication skills.
Familiarity with healthcare, academic medicine, or higher education fundraising environments.
Proficiency in donor journey design, lifecycle marketing, and mid-level donor pipeline development.
Experience with marketing automation tools, analytics dashboards, and donor segmentation models.
CFRE certification or completion of professional training in fundraising, annual giving strategy, or nonprofit marketing.

Position Requirement(s): License/Certification/Registration
Required:
N/A

Preferred:
N/A

Department Position Summary:

The Erlanger Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Erlanger Health System, responsible for engaging donors, building partnerships, and advancing institutional priorities through strategic fundraising. As the Foundation evolves into a high-performing, data-informed, donor-centered organization, the Annual Giving Manager plays a pivotal role in driving annual philanthropic support and fostering long-term donor engagement.

Reporting to the Development Director, the Annual Giving Manager is responsible for the strategy, execution, and growth of the Foundation's annual giving program. This includes direct response campaigns, employee giving, monthly donor programs, grateful patient outreach, and digital fundraising efforts. This position serves as a key connector between donors and mission leveraging data, storytelling, and segmentation to inspire sustained giving and build a strong base of support for Erlanger's most pressing needs.

The ideal candidate brings creativity, discipline, and a deep commitment to donor experience. They will partner closely with colleagues in development operations, major gifts, community relations, communication and marketing to deliver compelling appeals, personalized engagement, and measurable results.