Full-time, W2 | Reports to: President | Works closely with: CEO | Location: Dallas, Houston, Austin, Birmingham, or Atlanta preferred
THE ROLE
The Network raises $2.5-3.0 million annually from a base of roughly 100 individual donors. Our CEO will continue to personally manage relationships with the organization's 20-25 largest donors. The Advancement Officer will own relationship management, cultivation, and solicitation for the remainder of the portfolio which consists of approximately 75-80 donors and prospects, spanning established $10,000+ major donors and earlier-stage donors being built toward major-gift capacity.
This is a relationship-first role: success is measured by whether donors feel known, are followed up with promptly, and are asked at the right moment, not by activity logged in a spreadsheet. The ideal candidate treats a warm lead (a name from a donor-hosted event, an introduction, a chance conversation) as something to cultivate immediately, without being told to.
The Advancement Officer reports to the President and works in close, near-daily coordination with the CEO, who remains the organization's principal fundraiser and lead solicitor for its top donors.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Portfolio & Relationship Management
• Own a portfolio of approximately 75-80 donors and prospects (the individual donor base outside the CEO's top 20-25), including current $10,000+ major donors and sub-$10,000 donors with growth potential.
• Build genuine, long-term relationships with donors by understanding what motivates their giving and sustaining regular, personal communication tailored to their interests.
• Proactively follow up on new relationships surfaced through donor-hosted events, introductions, and networking (for example, following up individually with attendees of a donor-hosted cultivation event), then converting warm leads into cultivated relationships without needing to be prompted.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date records of every donor interaction, proposal, and gift in the CRM.
Cultivation, Stewardship & Solicitation
• Design and execute personalized stewardship plans so donors see and feel the tangible impact of their giving.
• Meet weekly with the President and CEO to review portfolio activity and jointly determine which donors are ready for an ask and who should make it.
• Personally lead the solicitation and ask for the majority of gifts in the portfolio; partner with the CEO on asks that call for his involvement.
• Draft compelling, donor-specific proposals and presentation materials that make a persuasive case for support.
Pipeline & Prospect Development
• Continuously identify, research, and qualify new individual donor prospects to grow the base beyond the current ~100 donors.
• Build and deepen The Network's philanthropic network in the Southern U.S., where a majority of current major donors are based, while traveling to other markets (e.g., Los Angeles, Seattle, DC) as needed to support the CEO's and organization's broader donor relationships.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Character
• Strong alignment with The Network's core values (Courage, Excellence, Diversity, and Humility) and operating principles (It's not about us; Partnership is scale; Fortune favors the bold).
• Unquestionable integrity, with the discretion to handle sensitive donor and organizational information.
Personality - High-Initiative, Not High-Maintenance
• A true self-starter who identifies the next right action and takes it - the kind of person a manager has to occasionally rein in, not repeatedly activate. This role is not a fit for someone who thrives on clearly assigned tasks and check-ins; it's built for someone who creates their own task list and follow-up cadence.
• Optimistic, energetic, and personally motivated by the mission, confident making an ask and resilient enough to keep going after a "no."
• Personable and candid with donors and colleagues; collaborative and service-oriented within a small, fast-moving team.
Experience - Required
• 3-5 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, sales, or a comparable relationship-driven, quota-carrying field, plus a bachelor's degree.
• A demonstrated track record of independently building a donor or client base and closing on asks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to learn and adopt new tools (CRM, Claude/ChatGPT) quickly and use them consistently to track relationships and commitments.
Experience - Preferred
• Existing familiarity with the philanthropic community in Dallas, Houston, Austin, or Atlanta.
• Experience with CRM software and disciplined data hygiene (capturing, sorting, and reporting on donor activity).
• Knowledge of moves-management and gift-agreement fundamentals.
OTHER DETAILS
• Location: Dallas, Houston, Austin, Birmingham, or Atlanta strongly preferred, reflecting where a majority of The Network's largest donors are based. Remote candidates elsewhere in the South will be considered.
• Travel: The position may require up to 25% travel, focused on the Southern donor network, with additional travel to other markets (e.g., Los Angeles, Seattle, DC) as needed.
• Compensation: Approximately $90,000, commensurate with experience.
Benefits
• 3 weeks vacation
• 1 week sick leave
• 11 paid holidays
• 12 "mental health/down days"
• SIMPLE IRA
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
All candidates must pass The Network's standard professional background check.
How to Apply
Please include both a cover letter and resume.
