Director of Philanthropy

CommonSpirit Health • Austin, TX

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

Austin Pets Alive! is in search of a dynamic, data-driven professional to serve as the Director of Philanthropy. Reporting to the Senior Director of Advancement, this role is essential in achieving and exceeding the organization's fundraising goals through effective team leadership, sophisticated data utilization, and hands-on major gift portfolio management. The Director of Philanthropy will partner daily with the Director of Marketing Communications, also reporting to the Sr. Director of Advancement, who manages all mass-channel fundraising campaigns.

The ideal candidate is an outstanding manager who excels at making data-informed decisions, is comfortable with tracking revenues, values clear and kind communication, champions collaboration and innovation, and can pivot quickly in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment. The Director of Philanthropy is highly organized and will put to use exceptional relationship-building and communications skills toward creating a better world for animals and the people who love them. The areas of expertise under this role’s purview include: Mid and Major Individual Giving; Corporate Giving; Grants; Data Entry; Onsite Giving; Recurring Giving; and In-Kind Giving.

The professional entering this role will have the advantage of working with a talented team that exceeded ambitious 2025 fundraising goals, is on-track to meet Q1, 2026 fundraising goals and is set up for success to meet the annual fundraising goal for 2026.

Requirements

• A love of animals and a passion for the no-kill mission
• At least seven years’ experience in philanthropy, with at least two years’ experience leading fundraising teams including a minimum of two full-time direct reports
• Experience working in nonprofits with a > $10M operating budget
• Experience and proven success in cultivating, soliciting and stewarding high-level gifts from individuals, corporations and grantors
• Exceptional managerial and communication skills
• Experienced in tracking revenue numbers; comfortable with spreadsheets and driving success in reaching revenue goals
• Intellectual agility; the ability to analyze, think critically, and solve problems creatively  
• A “doer” with a high degree of initiative and energy; productive and results-oriented
• Confidence, creativity and maturity to establish credibility with and influence donors at all levels
• Excellent organizational skills with a proven ability to prioritize work, manage time and multiple priorities, and meet deadlines with attention to detail and accuracy
• Deeply relational; a good listener who is inquisitive, reflective, and interested in developing meaningful professional relationships with colleagues, donors, and other stakeholders 
• Commitment to open communication, teamwork and collaboration, accountability and professionalism
• Ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines while maintaining a positive and professional attitude
• Ability to anticipate problems and use judgment appropriately to plan solutions and manage obstacles as they arise
• Proven experience in motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing the performance of a team
• Basic understanding of nonprofit financial reports and budgeting
• Committed to keeping up to date with new trends and best practices in philanthropy
• The highest levels of personal and professional integrity and confidentiality; a commitment to the privacy of donors
• Must embody APA!'s core values of innovation, respect, drive, resourcefulness, and inclusion
• Commitment to APA!'s customer experience expectations
• Willing and committed to working well with volunteers and staff in all roles
• Must be able to work around animals (including diseased, injured, and/or potentially aggressive animals), loud noises, chlorine or other chemicals, and inclement weather
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• If reasonable accommodations are requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job absent undue hardship to the organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead the daily initiatives of a small group of full-time donor-relationship professionals to consistently meet or exceed quarterly fundraising goals.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture focused on strategic execution and professional growth.
• Create and manage KPIs while ensuring staff who report to you are meeting monthly activity and financial goals.
• Manage up to the Sr. Director of Advancement, maintaining close contact and ensuring they  receive regular reports on progress.
• Help monitor the effectiveness of all donor funding activities and adherence to the fundraising plan’s implementation.
• Champion APA!’s commitment to growing the team through volunteers by assisting with hiring, training and cultivating volunteers to perform essential duties involving stewardship, solicitation, data entry, event planning and more.
• Leverage the organization's donor CRM, Virtuous, to run bi-weekly revenue reports and serve as the organization's expert in utilizing donor data to maximize revenue results and return on investment (ROI).
• Conduct deep-dive analytics, including descriptive (e.g., retention rates), diagnostic (e.g., understanding campaign wins and losses), predictive (e.g., identifying future major donors or attrition risks), and prescriptive analysis (e.g., determining optimal ask amounts).
• Develop and implement sophisticated donor segmentation strategies, combining basic demographic data (e.g., geographic location) with insights into donor behavior and preferences to tailor communication channels and messaging.
• Oversee prospect research, social network mapping, and the integration of qualitative donor stories to create targeted engagement plans and accurately assess donor lifetime value, drawing from CRMs, website statistics, and external wealth trackers.
• Oversee planning of major donor engagement gatherings and APA! experiences and attend these events as needed
• Actively manage a portfolio of VIP donors and prospective donors 
• Meet existing expectations for major, mid, corporate and foundation gifts in the annual revenue budget
• Develop and implement robust strategies for retaining and upgrading existing donors, as well as prospecting for new potential major donors
• Build meaningful one-on-one relationships with APA!’s high-level supporters, focusing on creating engagement and a deep sense of community around our mission
• Create funding proposals and other written and visual collateral necessary for the stewardship and cultivation of major gifts
• Work independently, often with little direction, to ensure fundraising goals are met every month
• Take ownership of own professional development, quickly getting up to speed on all relevant philanthropy and animal welfare topics needed to excel in this role
• Maintain open, consistent, and supportive communication with all Philanthropy and MarCom Team members
• Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings
• Partner with Volunteer Managers to learn about the volunteer programs and manage volunteers interested in your department on an ongoing basis
• Able to react to change productively and perform other related duties as assigned
• Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
• Able to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment
• Work onsite at one APA! location a minimum of three ½ days per week

Benefits

• Austin Pets Alive! is proud to offer a competitive benefits package for full-time employees, including subsidized employer-sponsored medical coverage, subsidized and voluntary life insurance, voluntary dental, vision and short-term disability options, all effective the first day of employment.
• We also offer voluntary wellness and emergency sick plans, up to 2% match on 401(K) retirement plan, supplemental benefits, flexible spending accounts and additional life coverage.
• Full-time employees receive 10 paid holidays and accrue 10 days paid time off during the first year of employment, with an additional 5 days of PTO accrual upon completion of 12 months of employment.
• Employees will also receive professional development opportunities through APA!’s ongoing mission to advance our animal welfare professionals in our life saving work.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed