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Salary Range: $50,000 – $60,000 annually

Reports To: Director of Development

Supervises: 0

Requirements: City of Buffalo residency | Valid NYS Driver’s License

To apply:

• Email your resume to Maggie Doud: mdoud@bene-care.com -OR-
• Mail to 84 Parkside Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214

Position Summary:

The Stewardship Officer is responsible for the development and execution of a stewardship plan that will advance individual giving and philanthropy. In addition, this position will manage and coordinate all aspects of the commemorative giving program and take the initiative to grow the program.  This position will support the Director of Development in stewarding and cultivating current and prospective donors.

This is a full-time position, working 40 hours per week with non-exempt status according to the Fair Labor Standards Act and the NYS Department of Labor.  Overtime hours may be required at certain times, with supervisor approval. The workweek may include flexible schedules depending on the workload, with some weekend work necessary.

Benefits:

This position is Class 1 according to the Conservancy’s employee handbook and as such benefits include medical, dental and vision plans with an employer provided allocation toward monthly premiums. A 403(b)-retirement plan with employer match. Paid vacation, personal and sick time.  Employees receive up to 13 ½ paid holidays per year.

Additional benefits include: a golf season pass for employees, as well as ongoing in-house training on various topics, and a flexible schedule based on the needs of the Conservancy.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manages a portfolio of donors giving between $500 and $25,000; analyzes donor data to inform strategies for increasing individual contributions and recognizing first-time donors through personalized stewardship efforts;
• Manages, updates, and follows standard operating procedures (SOP) for the commemorative gift program(s) and tracking systems, all to ensure timely fulfillment, and acknowledgement with proper and effective donor communication, ensuring excellent and supportive customer experience;
• Takes initiative to grow the commemorative gift program through collaboration on the development of commemorative gift marketing and fulfillment plans, ensuring website and database accuracy and supporting organizational annual goals;
• Innovates new ways to recognize donors throughout the park system;
• Researches and assists with grant proposals to secure funding in partnership with the Director of Development;
• Manages and cultivates relationships with new and existing donors
• Serves as the main point of contact for the coordination of commemorative and stewardship events, which must ensure timely staff communication, SOP adherence, aligned volunteer planning, etc.;
• Partners with Volunteer Coordinator in support of commemorative giving volunteers;
• Develops and implements gift acknowledgement procedures that include thank you letters in partnership with the Database Coordinator;
• Coordinates with the Director of Development in developing and implementing a standard operating procedure for tracking interactions with donors and key stakeholders;
• Coordinates with team members on gift cultivation and donor retention through (but not limited to) direct mail and digital messaging, plus enhancing donor stewardship events with benefactor reports and long-term relationship building;
• Serve as the recording secretary for monthly Giving & Awareness committee meetings and completing assigned tasks
• Manages a high level of phone and email correspondence with donations, material orders, vendors, and detailed follow-through with consistent and sensitive communication;
• Assists with gift pledge reminders, files, maps, and other fulfillment specifications or organizational record keeping needs;
• Provides administrative support to the development team in various areas including, but not limited to: Young Professionals of Olmsted Parks Program and Giving and Awareness Committee; preparation of various reports as requested
• Updates Development team regularly on donor activity, and prospect opportunities.
• Attends Conservancy staff meetings, as required.

Additional Expectations

• Aligns with the Conservancy’s commitment to creating an inclusive, equitable, and accountable working environment for all staff, park system, and park users
• Perform other duties as assigned by management

Qualifications and Requirements, (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities):

• City of Buffalo residency within six-(6) months of hire date;
• A minimum of three-(3) year experience working in fundraising development, marketing, sales/customer service or a related field;
• A minimum of (1) year experience working in events management
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, etc.), and familiarity with donor database software is preferred;
• Professional in demeanor and demonstrated commitment to work with diverse constituents; understands and engages in a team environment with a positive attitude for creativity and problem solving;
• Experience with, and/or a desire to ‘own’ and manage, a tangible gift program, including researching best practices for improving growth performance and results;
• Empathetic, professional, and responsive communication skills are paramount to the success of this position and the Commemorative Gift program(s);
• Exceptional organizational abilities are needed with attention to detail and accuracy;
• Ability to multitask, prioritize and work under pressure to meet deadlines and follow protocols in a fast-paced environment, with constantly changing priorities and/or budget resources
• Ability to be resourceful and proactive in dealing with unforeseen issues which may arise, while being respectful of all Conservancy stakeholders and mindful of actions.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• Predominantly a desk performance position; with some field work with staff, donors or vendors out in the parks
• Job duties may require an employee to bend, reach, stoop, sit, stand and/or walk for extended periods of time as well as lift and/or move heavy objects at times up to 30 lbs.;
• These job duties may require an employee to drive distances between park features or locations;
• Must continuously foster a team approach to working in the park environment;
• Some evening or weekend work may be required.
• Must be able to adapt to ever-changing resources and limited budget.

This job description is intended to identify and list the responsibilities, duties and qualifications for the position. It cannot be considered all-inclusive, however, as changing organizational circumstances can result in changes to some of those responsibilities, duties and qualifications. Further, every task supporting the functioning of the position may not be listed or not listed in detail. This job description does not constitute a contract of employment.

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