Gifts Officer

Gifts Officer

The Gifts Officer is a key member of Dog Tag's Development team, responsible for managing and growing a portfolio of mid-sized corporate and individual donors giving between $1,000 and $25,000 annually. This role focuses on cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donorswhile also providing strategic support to Dog Tag's Community Engagement Advisory Committee, a volunteer leadership group that helps expand the organization's network, visibility, and fundraising reach.

Through creative storytelling, authentic relationship-building, and a collaborative approach, the Gifts Officer will cultivate meaningful connections with supporters—both individuals and companies—who believe in the power of empowering veterans, military spouses, and caregivers, in support of Dog Tag's growth and fundraising objectives.

Responsibilities & Duties

Mid-Level Donor Portfolio Management (Individuals & mid-sized Corporations)

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 100 mid-sized corporate and individual donors and prospects, developing and executing personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
• Conduct in-person, virtual, and phone-based donor visits to deepen engagement and identify giving capacity, interests, and alignment.
• Move donors through the giving pipeline, identifying candidates for upgrade to major gift status.

Corporate Giving & Partnerships

• Identify, cultivate, and solicit corporate partners for sponsorships, workplace giving, employee engagement opportunities, and cause-marketing initiatives.
• Develop tailored corporate proposals, sponsorship packages, and impact reports that align with partners' philanthropic and CSR priorities.
• Serve as a key point of contact for corporate donors, ensuring strong stewardship and renewal of multi-year commitments.

Advisory Committee - Community Engagement Support

• Assist in managing and staffing DTI's Community Engagement Advisory Committee (AC), including coordinating meetings, agendas, materials, and follow-up communications.
• Support AC members in leveraging their networks for fundraising, ambassadorship, and event participation.
• Partner with the Chief Development Officer to onboard new committee members, track engagement, and ensure each member has a meaningful and productive experience.
• Help design community engagement-driven cultivation events and peer-to-peer fundraising opportunities.

Fellowship Curriculum & Teaching

• Assist in teaching fellows through programmatic rotations, including delivering sessions such as "Introduction to Development & Types of Funders" and "Crafting a Compelling Pitch," as part of the Living Business School curriculum.
• Collaborate with program staff to integrate real-world fundraising and storytelling skills into the fellow experience, helping fellows build confidence in articulating their mission, vision, and ask.

Fundraising & Solicitation

• Meet annual revenue goals through direct solicitations, renewals, and upgrades within the mid-level individual and corporate giving programs.
• Draft customized proposals, gift acknowledgments, and donor communications.
• Collaborate with the Major Gifts and Annual Fund teams to ensure a seamless donor experience across giving levels.

Stewardship & Engagement

• Develop creative stewardship touch-points, including impact reports, program updates, and exclusive donor experiences such as bakery visits and fellow showcases.
• Plan and support cultivation events that connect donors and corporate partners to Dog Tag's mission, fellows, and alumni.

Data Management & Reporting

• Maintain accurate and timely records of donor interactions, moves management, and giving history in the CRM (e.g., Salesforce).
• Track portfolio performance, corporate pipeline activity, and AC engagement; report regularly on progress toward goals.

Collaboration & Strategy

• Partner with the Director of Communications team to align messaging, campaigns, and appeals.
• Contribute to the strategic growth of Dog Tag's mid-level and corporate giving programs and recommend enhancements to elevate the donor and partner experience.

Education and Experience

Required

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 3–5 years of progressive fundraising experience, preferably in individual giving, corporate partnerships, annual fund, or mid-level/major gifts.
• Demonstrated success in soliciting and closing gifts of $1,000+ from individuals and/or corporations.
• Experience supporting volunteer leadership groups, advisory boards, or committees.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling donor- and partner-facing materials.
• Proficiency with donor CRM systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

Preferred

• Familiarity with the veteran, military, or social enterprise communities.
• Experience working in a small-to-mid-sized nonprofit environment.
• Knowledge of moves management, corporate sponsorship strategy, and donor pipeline development best practices.

Personal Attributes

• Passion for Dog Tag's mission and the communities we serve.
• Relationship-driven, with a warm, authentic, and professional approach to donor and partner engagement.
• Self-starter who thrives in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.
• High emotional intelligence and cultural competency.
• Discretion in handling confidential donor and board-related information.

Work Hours, Compensation & Benefits

• This is a full-time, hybrid position based in Washington, DC, with approximately 2 in-person days per week and may require evenings and weekends.
• Starting salary: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 annually (based on experience).
• Paid leave, including vacation and sick leave and holidays.
• Paid end-of-year closing: in celebration of the incredible work done across all departments during the year, Dog Tag closes between Christmas and New Year.
• Medical (health, dental, and vision) insurance, life & accident insurance, and Employee Assistance Program.
• Voluntary benefits include flexible spending accounts (medical, dependent care, transportation), short-term and long-term disability insurance, and retirement plans.
• Free shift drinks and food discounts.
• Opportunities for training and career growth.