Development Officer

Position Status: Full-Time, Exempt, Permanent
Location: On-Site/Hybrid
Starting Hiring Salary: $ 72,000

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POSITION SUMMARY

The development officer advances the mission and growth of The Pittsburgh Foundation by building relationships with professional advisors to drive philanthropic engagement and new business development. In partnership with donor services officers, this role develops strategies that enhance the donor/fund holder experience, increase giving and align donor and advisor interests with community priorities. The development officer facilitates advisor outreach and programming, provides thoughtful guidance on charitable giving and collaborates across teams to support strategic communications and engagement efforts. This role requires strong relationship management skills, knowledge of charitable giving strategies and a commitment to community impact and continuous professional growth.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Cultivate donors by developing relationships with and stewarding professional advisors, including wealth advisors, estate attorneys and tax professionals. This will include travelling throughout the region to meet with advisors and clients at their offices, homes or other meeting spaces.
• Work with donor services officers to ensure a seamless experience for donors and advisors from onboarding to fund management.
• Assist Development staff to identify engagement opportunities to benefit and engage professional advisors, such as committees, educational programs, marketing materials and more.
• Educate professional advisor groups, including tax professionals, financial advisors, and estate attorneys, about the Foundation’s services, with the goal of engaging charitably minded clients.
• Collaborate with the Development staff to create strategies for new lines of business, including new engagement opportunities to grow the referral network through events like luncheons, happy hours or other gatherings to further network and educate advisor communities.
• Steward current fund holders as assigned. Maintain relationships and engage them in a variety of grantmaking activities as appropriate.
• Develop a working knowledge of the philanthropic offerings provided by The Pittsburgh Foundation, including the types of funds, investment options, fee structure, etc.
• Work collaboratively with planned giving prospects and Donor Services staff to engage deferred fund holders. Actively pursue new planned gifts by engaging estate and trust attorneys and firms through educational programming.
• Work closely with other departments, such as Finance and Investments, to strengthen engagement of professional advisors and prospective donors to cultivate participants in our Third-Party Investment Managers (TPIM) program.
• Identify professional development opportunities that align with individual goals related to your role. 
• Exemplify the core values of The Pittsburgh Foundation in all aspects of work: Trust, collaboration, racial justice, accountability and community.

KEY SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to develop, expand and maintain relationships with professional advisors.
• Drive to initiate and lead strategic business development outreach, collaborating with attorneys, wealth advisors and tax professionals to offer collaborative solutions. 
• Manage pipeline of prospective donors and steward advisor relationships to cultivate new funds. 
• Strong active listening skills and experience working with donors/clients in grief situations.
• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking.
• Strong knowledge of charitable giving strategies, including deferred giving vehicles and tax laws related to personal assets and estates.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented and goal-driven, with the ability to manage deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Exercises sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Self-starter who can work independently while also contributing as a collaborative team member.
• Responsive and service-oriented in working with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrates adaptability, initiative and an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Passion for philanthropy and community impact, with a strong commitment to the western Pennsylvania region and the Foundation’s mission.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development through certifications, training and active participation in Foundation-sponsored and external learning and networking opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree preferred. Equivalent professional experience will also be considered.
• Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) certification or familiarity with charitable giving strategies is a plus.
• Prior sales, major gift/planned giving fundraising, or similar relationship-focused role.
• Experience working with professional advisors and financially sophisticated/high-net-worth individuals.
• Proficiency with databases and productivity tools such as Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, Netsuite, Microsoft Office or similar donor/contributions platforms.

THE PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

Learn more about:

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