Donor Experience Officer – Fund Management

Summary:

The Donor Experience Officer serves as fund steward for the Foundation, overseeing relationships and fund management across Greater Hartford Gives fund types. The Officer ensures every fund operates according to its purpose, the fundholder's charitable intent, legal and regulatory requirements, and Foundation policy.

Reporting to the Director of Donor Experience, the Officer provides proactive stewardship and strategy for a portfolio of principal prospects and donors, helping fund advisors make informed and impactful grants to deepen engagement, grow funds, and advance legacy giving. The Officer helps to lead fund operations, including the Annual Fund Review process, and works closely with Finance, Grants Administration, Community Impact, and Development colleagues to keep cross-departmental fund operations running smoothly. The Officer also serves as a lead practitioner of Greater Hartford Gives Direct, the Foundation’s single point of contact for all fund donors and fund advisors.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Fund Management Across All- Fund Types

- Respond to fund holder and advisor needs across all fund types including requests, and inquiries; provide education and problem-solving support; and ensure each fund remains active and operates according to its purpose, the fundholder's charitable intent, legal and regulatory requirements, and Foundation policy.

- Manage new fund onboarding in partnership with various Foundation stakeholders, ensuring every new fundholder and advisor receives a welcoming, clear, and values-driven introduction to the Foundation and its fund options.

Principal Portfolio Management

- Serve as the lead fund manager for an assigned portfolio of principal prospects and donors across fund types, providing proactive stewardship support and assist in devising strategies for the Foundation's principal prospects and donors, in partnership with the Director of Donor Experience, the Vice President for Advancement, and the President & CEO.

- Prepare Annual Relationship Reviews, briefings, fund and giving histories, and engagement recommendations ahead of principal donor meetings and events.

- Develop and carry out bespoke, individualized engagement plans for principal donors that connect their philanthropy to Foundation priorities and community impact.

- Identify fundholders with capacity and interest for fund additions, new funds, legacy commitments, or support of the Foundation's strategic priorities, and share insights with Development.

Stewardship and Engagement

- Provide proactive, personalized stewardship that honors donor intent and deepens each fundholder's understanding of their fund's purpose and impact.

- Lead regular fundholder and advisor outreach, check-ins, and giving and grantmaking analysis to strengthen long-term relationships and support fundholder satisfaction, retention, and growth.

- Support conversations with fundholders about charitable giving options, including gifts of complex assets, estate and legacy planning, and long-term philanthropic strategy, in collaboration with Development and Advancement leadership.

- Support engagement events, fundholder gatherings, and site visits that connect donors to the impact of their giving in Greater Hartford.

Grant Processing and Portfolio Operations

- Review and process grant recommendations; confirm grantee eligibility and ensure timely processing and distribution.

- Manage the full range of grant processing for assigned portfolios, including multi-year and recurring grants, support timely payment releases and associated processes.

- Research and complete grantee information and support Grants Administration in the creation of new grantee profiles.

Fund Administration and Annual Fund Reviews

- Manage the Annual Fund Review process for all fund types, in collaboration with the Director of Donor Experience and Donor Experience Officer.

- Maintain expert knowledge of fund histories, grant patterns, advisor goals, and fund characteristics, as well as fund agreements, administrative rules, and legal parameters.

- Monitor and report on inactive funds in line with Foundation policy, and coordinate outreach and next steps.

- Support fund changes, successor advisor transitions, and fund terminations, ensuring documentation is complete and accurate.

Greater Hartford Gives Direct

- Serve as a lead practitioner of Greater Hartford Gives Direct, the Foundation's single point of contact for donors and fund advisors across all fund types.

- Respond to and resolve Direct inquiries on grant recommendations, fund balances, receipts, Fund Portal support, gifts, fund changes, community priorities, and events, escalating to the right colleague when needed.

- Lead Direct’s operational backbone, including workflows, response templates, inquiry tracking in CSuite, and service-standards reporting; uphold standards for responsiveness, accuracy, and warmth.

- Use trends from Direct inquiries to identify stewardship opportunities, process improvements, and fundholders ready for deeper engagement.

Technology, Policy, and Cross-Departmental Collaboration

- Maintain expert knowledge of fund agreements, administrative rules, and legal parameters for all fund types. Maintain working knowledge of Foundation investment options, policies, key initiatives, and strategic priorities.

- Collaborate with Finance and Grants Administration for grant processing workflows and CSuite processes.

- Participate in both the Advancement department and Foundation-wide meetings, events, and projects, including some evenings; and external events.

- Support activity related to the Fund Portal to ensure best in class experience for donors, fund advisors, and internal stakeholders.

- Partner on CSuite fund records, configuration, and reporting for the Donor Experience team; uphold data integrity across fund records, advisor contacts, and grant histories.

- Identify system and process improvements that reduce manual work and strengthen the fundholder experience and contribute to donor technology evaluations as needed.

- Perform other related duties as assigned.

Education & Experience:

A degree requirement may be substituted with equivalent practical experience.

- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

- 5+ years of related experience in donor stewardship, fund administration, fundraising, or community foundation work.

Preferred:

- Experience managing complex donor or client relationships, including high-capacity donors.

- Experience administering multiple fund types (donor-advised, agency, designated, field of interest, or scholarship) strongly preferred.