Donor Engagement Officer

About the role

Covenant House New Jersey seeks a relationship-driven, entrepreneurial fundraiser to expand its base of individual major donors. This frontline role focuses on identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding new individual major donors while managing a small portfolio of existing donors. The Donor Engagement Officer will leverage organizational assets—including current donors, referrals, events, volunteer and board networks, and direct outreach—to build a pipeline of new prospects, with a strategic emphasis on the Asbury Park program, Program Board, and Sleep Out for donor recruitment and visibility.

This position is weighted toward new donor acquisition and activation, with the expectation that some donors may transition to major givers over time to preserve space for continued prospecting.

Responsibilities

• New Donor Acquisition and Pipeline Development
  • Build and maintain a robust pipeline of new individual major donor prospects for Covenant House New Jersey.
  • Prospect strategically through direct outreach, networking, board and donor referrals, events, research, and relationship mapping.
  • Identify and pursue prospective donors with the capacity and inclination to make gifts of $5,000+.
  • Turn community presence, donor engagement, and volunteer leadership into a sustained source of new major donor relationships.
  • Represent CHNJ at cultivation opportunities, donor gatherings, Sleep Outs, other events, community meetings, and selected networking environments.
• Qualification, Cultivation, and Solicitation
  • Manage the full donor lifecycle for assigned prospects, from discovery and qualification through cultivation, solicitation, and early stewardship.
  • Qualify prospects based on research, including CHNJ information, Covenant House International wealth screening, and current donor feedback.
  • Conduct introductory meetings, donor visits, tours, event follow-up, and other substantive engagement to assess fit, deepen interest, and advance prospects toward giving.
  • Develop tailored cultivation strategies and solicitation plans that connect donor interests to CHNJ's mission, programs, and funding priorities.
  • Personally solicit and close major gifts from individual donors in the pipeline.
  • Maintain disciplined record-keeping in Salesforce.
• Portfolio Management
  • Manage a small portfolio of existing individual donors, using those relationships as a base for community visibility, introductions, and broader donor acquisition.
  • Build meaningful long-term relationships with selected donors while recognizing that some relationships may later transition to a major gift officer as they mature.
  • Steward donors thoughtfully and consistently, ensuring a strong donor experience and a clear pathway to deeper engagement.
• Collaboration and Internal Partnership
  • Work closely with the Development Leadership Team to align donor acquisition efforts with CHNJ's overall fundraising strategy.
  • Partner with program staff, particularly at the Asbury Park ROP program, to deepen understanding of CHNJ's work and translate program impact into compelling donor conversations.
  • Contribute to pipeline review, portfolio planning, and donor strategy conversations across the development team.

Qualifications

• Required Experience:
  • Demonstrated passion for the mission of Covenant House New Jersey and experience enrolling new donors and community leaders in a nonprofit organization's mission.
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
  • At least 5 years of fundraising, sales, business development, or related frontline relationship-building experience, with a strong preference for experience in major gifts or individual donor development.
  • Demonstrated success in prospecting, relationship-building, and closing revenue-generating opportunities, including ability to close gifts at the $5,000+ level.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and comfort engaging new people in person, by phone, and through written outreach.
  • High level of initiative, persistence, and accountability; ability to create momentum, not just manage assigned relationships.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present CHNJ's work persuasively to individual donors and prospects.
  • Experience using Salesforce or another CRM for moves management, donor tracking, and pipeline discipline.
  • Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
  • Valid driver's license and willingness to travel regularly within New Jersey.
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience in human services, youth, housing, education, or similarly mission-driven nonprofit work.
  • Familiarity with Monmouth County, Asbury Park, or donor and prospect communities in that region.
  • Experience using events, volunteer, or board relationships as part of a donor acquisition strategy.

What Success Looks Like

• Growth in the number and quality of new individual major donor prospects entering the pipeline.
• Increased number of discovery visits, cultivation meetings, and substantive donor moves completed.
• Growth in engagement of donors in CHNJ events and programs.
• Number of new individual donors secured at the $5,000+ level.
• Upgrade and retention of assigned donors.
• Disciplined use of Salesforce to track activity, next steps, and pipeline progress.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 403B Retirement Plan