Manager of Donor Relations at Discovery Cube in Santa Ana, CA

Position:

Discovery Cube Orange County is seeking a dynamic and highly organized Manager of Donor Relations to support our mission of engaging and inspiring children in STEM education. This role is ideal for a strategic thinker and self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment, excels at managing donor relationships, and can effectively utilize data-driven strategies to enhance fundraising efforts.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising:

• Collaborate with the Development & Community Engagement team to drive fundraising initiatives and enhance donor engagement.
• Support major gift fundraising efforts by assisting in the management of donor portfolios and developing targeted cultivation strategies.
• Assist in donor stewardship efforts, including personalized communications, acknowledgments, and event coordination.
• Process donations daily, and prepare acknowledgment and stewardship letters, and other correspondence for donations and gifts.
• Send and maintain pledge records for Annual Fund and Capital Campaign donors.
• Assist VP with drafting and preparing correspondence and grant and gift proposals.
• Lead membership/renewal management, Cube Ambassadors and Multipliers, as well as collateral and direct mail support.
• Handle all administrative details associated with the Annual Fund and the Capital Campaign meetings and events.

Database Management:

• Maintain and optimize donor records using Microsoft CRM, Dynamics 365, ensuring accuracy and data integrity.
• Leverage CRM-generated reports to track fundraising progress and strategically inform donor engagement strategies.
• Maintain gift database by continually inputting and updating database records and create fundraising reports and other database reports as needed.
• Utilize Microsoft Dynamics 360 CRM for contact reports, gift transmittals, pulling reports and lists for events or other important information.
• Prepare annual tax receipts for individuals and coordinate mailing of receipts.

Administrative:

• Provide administrative and database support to the entire Development team, ensuring the smooth execution of fundraising activities.
• In partnership with the VP, manage department’s metrics and fundraising plans on target.
• Complete and manage VP’s expense reports and budget.
• Handle all administrative details associated with the Annual Fund and the Capital Campaign meetings and events (i.e., schedule meetings, prepare and distribute notices, secure locations; prepare meeting materials, type up meeting minutes).
• Coordinate production of appeal letters, holiday cards, and other department mailings.
• Development website maintenance.
• Coordinate production of appeal letters, holiday cards, and other department mailings.
• Plan and arrange business meetings for the Development team (as needed) with senior management, staff, Board members, major donors, and prospects.

Events:

• Assist with special events, including Multiplier events, our annual gala and two golf events.
• Work cross-functionally with other departments to support donor engagement events and initiatives.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Nonprofit Management, Communications, Business, or related discipline) preferred.
• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in donor relations, fundraising, or nonprofit development.
• Proficiency in Microsoft CRM, Dynamics 365, or other donor database management systems.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to generate insights from data reports.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while also thriving in a collaborative team environment.
• A passion for STEM education and a strong curiosity for engaging students in science-related activities.
• Highly adaptable, reliable, and positive team player with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to handle sensitive donor information with the highest level of confidentiality.
• Adapt to shifting priorities, demonstrating strong multi-tasking and organizational skills.

What’s In It For You: 

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Optional supplemental insurance coverage
• 401K with up to 4% match after one year for full-time employees
• 14 Free general admission tickets per year
• Free tickets to festivals plus admission
• On-site dining and shopping discount
• Employee discounts through ADP and FunEx
• Accrued paid time off for full-time employees
• 10 paid company holidays