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Leadership Giving Officer

The Arts Council of Princeton, Princeton, NJ, United States


Position Summary The Arts Council of Princeton’s Leadership Giving Officer is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to grow philanthropic support from individual donors, corporations, and foundations, with a particular emphasis on leadership-level giving. This role manages a portfolio of donors and prospects and works to cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts that advance the organization’s fundraising goals.

Reporting to the Director of Development and Community Engagement, the Leadership Giving Officer plays a critical role in nurturing and expanding the organization’s base of leadership donors and building a pipeline of future major gifts. The position works closely with leadership, board members and the Donor Relations Manager to deepen relationships with donors and increase philanthropic engagement.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) is a non-profit community art organization that fulfills its mission by presenting a wide range of inclusive and accessible arts and arts education programs. Offerings include classes, camps, and workshops in visual, performing, and media arts as well as exhibitions, public art projects, performances, and free community cultural events.

Key Responsibilities Leadership Giving Strategy

Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to grow leadership-level individual giving ($1,000–$10,000+).

Manage and expand leadership donor societies and recognition programs.

Identify opportunities to upgrade annual donors to higher levels of giving.

Major Donor Cultivation and Solicitation

Establish and manage a portfolio of leadership and major gift prospects and donors.

Conduct regular cultivation meetings and engagement opportunities with donors and prospects.

Partner with the Executive Director, Director of Development and Community Engagement, and board members on major gift solicitations.

Donor Stewardship (Strategy)

Develop and oversee stewardship strategies to ensure meaningful recognition and engagement for leadership donors.

Partner with the Donor Relations Manager to implement donor communications, impact reporting, and personalized engagement initiatives.

Collaborate on exclusive events, programs, and experiences for leadership-level supporters.

Prospect Identification and Pipeline Development

Identify and qualify new prospects capable of leadership or major gifts.

Conduct donor research and analysis to inform fundraising strategies.

Maintain accurate donor records and track engagement activities within the organization’s ELEO system.

Collaboration and Leadership

Work closely with the development team to integrate leadership giving strategies with annual fund, major gifts, and planned giving initiatives.

Support the Executive Director and board in their fundraising activities.

Collaborate with marketing, communications, program staff, and the Donor Relations Manager to highlight donor impact and organizational priorities.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in fundraising, nonprofit management, or related field.

5-7 years of experience in development or individual giving, with demonstrated success cultivating and securing significant philanthropic gifts.

Strong relationship‑building and interpersonal skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.

Experience managing donor databases and prospect tracking systems.

Ability to manage multiple priorities and work collaboratively across departments.

Preferred Experience

Experience working in arts, cultural, or nonprofit organizations.

Familiarity with leadership giving programs and donor societies.

Experience working with boards and volunteer fundraising committees.

Typical Performance Metrics

Growth in leadership-level donors and revenue.

Number of donor meetings and cultivation activities.

Donor retention and upgrade rates.

Expansion of major gift prospects within the donor pipeline.

Reports to

Director of Development and Community Engagement

Collaborates with

Donor Relations Manager

Communications and Marketing Team

Executive Director

Deliverables

Maintains a portfolio of roughly 75–150 active donors, with consistent evaluation and refinement.

Completes 150–250 meaningful contacts annually, including 80–120 personal visits.

Achieves an additional $200k–$500k+ in annual revenue, with steady growth in average gift size year after year.

Sustains 70–85% donor retention while upgrading 10–25% of donors year over year.

Documents all activity and strategy in CRM (ELEO) systems, ensuring clear next steps for nearly every donor.

Pay and Benefits

Exempt Employee

40‑hours per week (days and hours vary)

Mandatory In‑person Position

Paid time off – Including Holiday, Vacation, Sick and Personal Time

Medical & Dental – Employee coverage available

Equal Opportunity Employer The ACP is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and complying with all applicable anti‑discrimination and anti‑harassment laws, rules, orders, and regulations.

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