Donor Relations Officer

ABOUT US

Founded in 1963 and recipient of the 1990 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Seattle Rep remains one of the country’s leading not-for-profit regional theaters. Bold stories, brilliant artists, and passionate audiences come together to shape each season at Seattle Rep, which includes everything from new play workshops to world premieres, celebrated classics, and recent Broadway hits. Over the decades, we’ve launched landmark productions, provided training opportunities to generations of youth and emerging theater practitioners, and built programs that expand access to theater for audiences of all ages from across our diverse community.

We are powered by a year-round staff of professionals who are passionate about making theater that matters, and we believe that their best work happens when everyone feels seen and valued. This culture is fully reflected in our:

Mission

Seattle Rep collaborates with extraordinary artists to create productions and programs that reflect and elevate the diverse cultures, perspectives, and life experiences of our region.

Vision

Theater at the heart of public life

Values

Artistic Vitality, Sustainability, Generous and Inclusive Practices

About the Position

The Donor Relations Officer (DRO) manages and grows a portfolio of mid-level donors, typically in the $1,000–$4,999 range, with a focus on deepening relationships, increasing giving, and qualifying donors for major gifts.

This role serves as a critical bridge between membership, annual fund, and major gifts, applying a scaled relationship management approach to a large portfolio. DROs prioritize donors based on engagement and capacity, delivering personalized outreach where it matters most while maintaining broader programmatic communication across the portfolio.

The DRO is responsible for advancing donors through the pipeline—either toward higher levels of giving and major gift qualification or back into programmatic streams when appropriate.

WHAT YOU'LL DO
Portfolio Management & Donor Strategy

• Manage a large portfolio of mid-level donors and prioritize 150–200 active donors at any given time for deeper, personalized engagement
• Develop and execute individualized engagement strategies for top-tier donors within the portfolio

Donor Engagement & Relationship Building

• Conduct discovery calls, meetings, and personalized outreach to understand donor interests, motivations, and capacity
• Execute 12–24 annual touchpoints per active donor, with increasing personalization based on giving level
• Build meaningful relationships that lead to increased giving and long-term engagement

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead, coach, and manage Annual Fund Manager with a vision to grow and expand the reach and success of the annual fund program.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and donor-centered practice.

Qualification & Pipeline Movement

• Assess and track donor signals, including giving trends, responsiveness, and event participation
• Qualify donors for movement into:
• Higher levels of engagement and giving to major gifts portfolios
• Lower-touch, programmatic stewardship when appropriate

Revenue Growth & Upgrades

• Drive increases in average gift size across the portfolio
• Actively solicit gifts and upgrades, particularly toward the $2,500+ and $5,000+ levels
• Partner with leadership and major gifts team on donors nearing qualification thresholds

Moves Management & Planning

• Maintain clear and consistent documentation of donor interactions and next steps in the CRM (Tessitura)
• Develop monthly and quarterly plans for outreach, engagement, and solicitation
• Ensure disciplined moves management practices across the portfolio

Collaboration & Events

• Partner with stewardship, membership, and major gifts teams to coordinate donor experiences
• Participate in and support donor events as a tool for engagement and qualification
• Collaborate with data and analytics staff to refine portfolio strategy

What Success Looks Like in This Role:

• Growth in average gift size across the portfolio
• Increased number of donors reaching $2,500+ and $5,000+ giving levels
• Strong pipeline of qualified donors moving into major gifts
• Effective portfolio management, with clear prioritization and movement of donors

Minimum Qualifications

• 3+ years of development/membership experience in a not-for-profit institution
• Comfortable with frequently making outbound phone calls to connect with annual donor-base
• Strong strategic and critical thinking skills with the ability to conceptualize, initiate, and implement new projects and solutions
• Ability to organize work, set appropriate priorities while working on multiple projects, and meet deadlines
• Strong attention to detail
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and diplomacy skills, and ability to interact with stakeholders in a manner that strengthens their affinity for Seattle Rep
• Ability to manage confidential information with discretion
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with a team in a fast-paced yet collegial environment
• An ability to work some flexible hours as necessary (typically for donor events, and with advance notice)
• Commitment to or knowledge of racial equity and social justice

Desired Qualifications

• 5+ year of development and/or communications experience in a not-for-profit institution
• An appreciation for professional live theater
• Knowledgeable about community-centric fundraising practices and principles

Seattle Rep is excited about and actively working towards becoming a more diverse, anti-racist organization. We are interested in attracting, developing, and advancing the most talented individuals regardless of their race, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender, disability status or any other dimension of diversity. We strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQIA+, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and others from marginalized or underrepresented groups to apply.

Every candidate brings something special to the table. If your experience and skills don't perfectly align with the job qualifications but you are excited about the role, feel your values align well with the Rep, and are willing to strive for excellence in your work, please apply. We will train the right candidate.

To Be Considered

1. Submit a resume detailing related experience and education
2. Submit a cover letter that outlines how your related experience and education qualifies you for the position and illustrates why you want to work at Seattle Rep.

Applications will be reviewed once the position has closed.

At Seattle Rep, we are committed to finding the right fit for our team through a personalized, human-centered review process. Members of this position’s application/resume review team will carefully evaluate your materials.

Workplace accessibility and accommodations can be discussed with HR once an offer of employment has been extended.