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Philanthropy Engagement Officer (PEO)

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POSITION: Philanthropy Engagement Officer (PEO)
DEPARTMENT: Development
REPORTS TO: Senior Director of Development
LOCATION: Maine-based hybrid position, with regular presence at and travel among Dempsey Center locations (Lewiston, Westbrook, and Portland, ME)
SCHEDULE AND HOURS: 40 hours per week, some evenings and weekends, occassional travel required
SALARY RANGE: $75,000 – $85,000

Dempsey Center Mission + Values 

At the Dempsey Center, our mission is to make life better for people impacted by cancer. Our core focus is meeting our clients where they are and offering evidence-based supportive cancer care and community that supports them in every part of their journey.

We are seeking candidates who are passionate about our mission, eager to support our clients, and who live and model our core values of compassion, teamwork, humility, resilience, respect, and commitment.

Position Summary 

The Philanthropy Engagement Officer (PEO) is a key member of the Dempsey Center’s Development Team and advances the Dempsey Center’s mission by building relationships and sustaining philanthropic support from annual, leadership, recurring, and legacy donors.  This position cultivates, solicits, and stewards annual and leadership-level gifts, ranging from entry-level annual support through five-figure contributions.

The PEO manages a portfolio of individual donors and prospects while leading the development and execution of strategies that strengthen annual giving, recurring giving, and legacy giving programs. The PEO creates donor-centered communication and stewardship plans designed to deepen engagement, increase retention, and grow philanthropic investment in the Dempsey Center’s mission.

Working closely with the Senior Director of Development, and in collaboration with other Development team members, and Dempsey Center staff, the PEO serves as a frontline fundraiser and strategic partner, establishing and building meaningful relationships. A successful PEO translates engagement into increased giving, helping to sustain long-term philanthropic support for the Dempsey Center.

The PEO connects donors and prospective donors to the Dempsey Center’s individual and community impacts, can articulate the importance and value of supporting individuals and families impacted by cancer, represents the organization with warmth and professionalism, and uses data and relationship insights to guide practical fundraising strategies and outcomes.

The successful PEO, within their first year, will:

  • Embrace and foster a robust culture of philanthropy.
  • Successfully manage and grow a portfolio of annual and leadership-level donors.
  • Increase donor retention and donor engagement within assigned portfolios.
  • Grow recurring giving participation and revenue.
  • Expand the pipeline of legacy giving prospects.
  • Execute a comprehensive annual communications and stewardship plan.
  • Contribute meaningfully to the Dempsey Center’s annual fundraising goals and long-term philanthropic growth.

 

Key Responsibilities

Annual and Leadership Giving (Approx. 50%)

  • Manages a portfolio of donors and prospects capable of making gifts from annual fund levels through five-figure commitments.
  • Develops and executes individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
  • Conducts a minimum of 8+ donor visits, calls, and virtual meetings per month to build meaningful relationships and secure philanthropic support.
  • Prepares proposals, solicitation materials, gift agreements, and stewardship reports.
  • Identifies opportunities to upgrade annual donors into leadership giving levels and major gift pipelines.
  • Collaborates with leadership, peer development and program staff, and volunteers to strengthen donor engagement.

Annual Giving Strategy (Approx. 20%)

  • Leads the planning and execution of annual giving initiatives designed to acquire, retain, and upgrade donors.
  • Develops annual communication calendars and donor engagement plans.
  • Analyzes giving trends and donor behavior to inform fundraising strategies.
  • Partners with the Director, Marketing and Communications to create compelling donor-centered messaging and appeals.
  • Regularly monitors and reports on annual fund performance metrics.

Recurring Giving (Approx. 15%)

  • Develops and implements strategies to grow monthly and recurring giving participation.
  • Creates targeted acquisition, retention, and upgrade campaigns.
  • Develops stewardship and recognition plans for recurring donors.
  • Tracks program performance and recommend improvements based on data and donor feedback.

Legacy Giving (Approx. 10%)

  • Develops and coordinates the Dempsey Center’s planned and legacy giving efforts.
  • Collaborates on educational and marketing materials that encourage estate and beneficiary-based giving.
  • Stewards existing legacy giving donors and cultivates and solicits future planned giving donors.
  • Works with donors and their advisors, as appropriate, to facilitate legacy giving commitments.

Team and Organizational Leadership (Approx. 5%)

  • Serves as an active member of the Development Team, contributing to department planning and fundraising strategy.
  • Fosters a robust culture of philanthropy.
  • Maintains accurate donor records, contact reports, and pipeline management via a donor database.
  • Participates in organizational events and donor engagement activities.
  • Supports a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

Required Qualifications and Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Five years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
  • Demonstrated success soliciting and closing individual gifts.
  • Strong relationship building and donor stewardship skills.
  • Highly effective communication skills (speaking, reading, writing, active listening, presentation, etc.) with both individuals and groups.
  • Experience and willingness to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
  • Proficiency in database management (ideally Bloomerang, DonorSearch, and instrumentl), Microsoft Office Suite, and other computer skills, as required.
  • Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with individuals at all levels of the organization.
  • Sound judgment, integrity, discretion, attention to detail, and commitment to confidentiality and the highest ethical standards in nonprofit fundraising.
  • Commitment to the Dempsey Center’s mission, values, and impact.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

  • Experience with annual giving, leadership giving, or major gifts fundraising.
  • Knowledge of recurring giving and planned giving strategies.
  • Experience in healthcare, human services, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations.
  • Familiarity with donor analytics and fundraising performance metrics.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Dempsey Center

The Dempsey Center promotes a culture of inclusion and seeks talented staff from diverse backgrounds. The Dempsey Center encourages applications from qualified candidates of every age, race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, and veteran status.