Description

Job Title: Development Officer – Tri-State Area

Location: New York/New Jersey

 About Us: 

 Founded in 1982, ELEM/Youth in Distress in Israel is the country’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to treating and transforming the lives of troubled and at-risk youth.

 The 15,000 young people we serve annually face-to-face and online deal with tremendous challenges, such as domestic violence, substance abuse, neglect, bullying, homelessness and prostitution.

 ELEM works with secular and religious Jews; Christian and Muslim Arabs, including Bedouins; immigrants, including those from the Former Soviet Union and Ethiopia; and the LGBT community, most of whom live on the streets and will not seek help from traditional social service groups. ELEM’s hundreds of professionals and thousands of volunteers don’t wait for referrals to treat these youth but seek them out on their turf — on the streets, in schools, on the Internet and at bars and nightclubs. 

Job Description: 

American Friends of ELEM is seeking a passionate and dynamic Development Officer to join our team.

We are looking for a relationship-driven, people-oriented professional to help grow ELEM’s presence and impact across the Tri-State area. This is an externally facing role that requires proactive outreach, meeting donors, and building connections from the ground up.

This individual will play a pivotal role in advancing our mission by expanding our donor base, cultivating relationships, and securing funds to support our critical programs in Israel. The ideal candidate will be deeply invested in the organization’s growth and eager to be part of a team that values innovation and impact.

Responsibilities: 

 Development:

• Identify, cultivate, and steward relationships with new and existing individual, corporate, and foundation donors.
• Actively conduct outreach through calls, emails, and meetings to engage new donors and prospects.
• Develop and implement creative fundraising strategies to achieve annual revenue goals.
• Organize and participate in events, meetings, and donor visits to build awareness and engagement.
• Engage prospective donors through face-to-face and virtual meetings, events, and personalized outreach to foster meaningful relationships.
• Identify and nurture prospective and current donors as potential board members, committee members, and chapter members.
• Maintain consistent cadence of donor meetings and relationship-building activities.

Strategic Planning and Execution:

• In partnership with the CEO, support and execute creative fundraising campaigns.
• Collaborate with the CEO to develop comprehensive strategies for donor development and high-level engagement.
• Partner with board members and volunteers to leverage their networks to expand our donor base.

Collaboration and Leadership:

• Work closely with our communications, Grants, and Operations team to create customized proposals and assist with impactful donor materials.
• Represent American Friends of ELEM at events and donor gatherings, effectively conveying the organization’s goals and impact.

Donor Stewardship and Reporting: 

• Ensure timely and accurate documentation of donor interactions and related data through our Donor Perfect software.
• Become proficient with Donor Perfect to provide best practices related to pulling fundraising reports, projections, and updates on progress toward goals.
• Steward long-term donor relationships to enhance engagement and sustain support.
• Maintain accurate donor records and ensure timely acknowledgments.

Prospect Development and Cultivation 

•  Actively seek opportunities to identify and qualify new donors for inclusion in ELEM’s major and planned giving pipelines.
• Collaborate with the CEO and board to engage alumni, volunteers, and philanthropic leaders in fundraising activities. 

Requirements

•  2-4 years of experience in fundraising, development, or related fields, with a successful track record of meeting or exceeding goals.
• Exceptional ability to build relationships with diverse audiences, including individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Strategic thinker with demonstrated success in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Familiarity with donor database management and proficiency in maintaining detailed records and reports.
• Strong communication and presentation skills to effectively convey ELEM’s mission and impact.
• Residency in New York or New Jersey with the ability to travel as required.
• A passion for Israel and a commitment to advancing ELEM’s mission.
• Excitement to play a pivotal role in transforming lives through impactful philanthropic efforts!
• We are open to candidates with transferable experience in sales, partnerships, community engagement, or relationship-building who are eager to grow in fundraising.
• Comfortable with outreach and building relationships from the ground up.
• Must live in New York or New Jersey