Fundraising Officer

Annual Fundraising Officer, Eastern Congo Initiative

April 2023 — Full time | Remote Role | Reports to Development Director | Average salary 73K to 76K

Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) is recruiting an Annual Fundraising Officer to assist and support the Development Department with fundraising strategy and implementation, social media, and email campaigns.

WHO WE ARE

ECI was founded ten years ago to advocate for the boundless potential of the Congolese people, strengthen markets for Congolese goods, and invest directly in the community-based organizations that are rebuilding Congolese society from the ground up.

Starting in 2019, ECI became part of Alight, a team with deep experience in co-designing solutions that create new value around the world.

Supported by Alight, ECI is making international development funds go farther than ever before — and fundamentally changing how the world thinks of humanitarian aid. ECI does advocacy and grantmaking to help build a thriving civil society in ways markets can’t, and we’re building a sustainable local marketplace to strengthen local economies in ways philanthropy can’t.

Here are three core beliefs that guide our work:

● We know we need to always be better, and we believe in the power and abundance of everyday people, everywhere, to change the world with us.

● We have a culture of radical accountability to our customers –as we help build a meaningful life for and with the people of eastern Congo, we ask them what they want and then deliver on it.

● We refuse to settle for anything less than delivering human-worthy services.

ABOUT THE ROLE

You are an experienced fundraising officer with excellent leadership skills and networking abilities. You will be responsible for building good relationships with prospective donors and clients across multiple sectors, communicating appeals with the broader public and internal teams, supporting domestic and international event production and drawing up plans to ensure annual targets are met. You should be well organized, proactive, self-starting and have the ability to inspire those around you.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Director of Development, the Fundraising Officer is responsible for planning and implementing strategies for identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual donors to support the mission of the Eastern Congo Initiative. This position will guide the direct mail and digital solicitation strategy and manage annual giving to the organization. The role will focus on strategically expanding the organization’s annual giving program with a goal of significantly increasing the base of annual gifts through frontline prospect and donor management and will work closely with leadership giving groups. The Fundraising Officer is a key member of the development team.

To be successful in this position, you will stay informed on marketing strategies, and be comfortable doing research on different sectors. You should have sharp public speaking skills and be able to deliver presentations to a range of audiences.

If you like the following, this role is for you:

PRIMARY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising and stewardship support

● Conduct research on individual fundraising opportunities.

● Write, submit, and upload fundraising appeals as required.

● Write funding proposals and submit these to potential donors.

● Develop in tandem with the Communications Department lead, ingenious ways to raise awareness through social media campaigns and engagement.

● Manage a matrix of solicitation and communication strategies all focused at shaping a sustainable tradition of annual support.

● Implement a variety of marketing strategies and promotional campaigns.

● Provide support to the Development Director when organizing fundraising events and networking with relevant stakeholders.

● Use a variety of strategies such as cultivation events, personal solicitations, special projects, telemarketing, email, mail, and social media programs to secure Annual Fund support.

● Establish good relationships with staff, donors, members of the public, and the media.

Other duties as assigned

EDUCATION, TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

● Bachelor’s degree in PR, Fundraising, or any related field (preferably a master’s degree).

● 3-5 years of fundraising experience and proven track record for securing gifts

● Ability to collect, organize and analyze data related to donor giving

● Considerable knowledge of fundraising techniques and sources of funding

● Ability to handle multiple projects, set priorities, and meet deadlines

● Well versed in direct mail and digital solicitation best practices and implementation

● Previous experience in sales or marketing is a plus.

● Sound knowledge of the charity sector

● Excellent written, verbal, and telephonic communication skills.

● 1-2 years experience in online communications, preferably related to campaigns

● Knowledge or familiarity with Congolese culture, history, and government

● Excellent organizational skills; ability to prioritize multiple tasks, work under pressure and meet deadlines.

● Proficiency in English, French preferred

KEY BEHAVIORS & ABILITIES

● Curiosity about global development subjects and an ability to learn about different cultures

● Must be strategic and forward thinking.

● The ability to be motivated and a self-starter

● The ability to take direction and multi-task.

● Positive attitude and passion for playing a role in fulfilling the organization’s mission

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

● Borderless Team worldwide that sees possibility, celebrates moments of abundance, shares new ideas, and strives to do a better thing every day

● Learning & Development – Access thousands of free online learning courses to take at your own pace and tailor to your professional goals.

● Retirement – We contribute 6% of your salary regardless of your contribution amount, after one year of service (and 1,000 hours)

● Generous Leave Time – Vacation days and holidays

Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) is an Equal Opportunity Employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status. ECI complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.