Director, Philanthropic Engagement – Southeast and Texas

Position Summary

Jewish Funders Network seeks a dynamic, entrepreneurial relationship-builder to serve as the inaugural Director, Philanthropic Engagement – Southeast and Texas. Reporting to the Vice President, Philanthropic Engagement, this role is designed for a mid-career professional with demonstrated success in new member recruitment, network, community building, or business development within a relationship-driven field.

In addition to stewarding current members, the Director will lead JFN's growth strategy across an emerging and geographically expansive region, with primary responsibility for identifying, cultivating, and recruiting new members and building the local infrastructure, including relationships, gatherings, and communities that will sustain a thriving philanthropic network across the Southern US and Texas over time. This role is ideal for someone energized by market and relationship-building: someone who can open doors, establish credibility from the ground up, and weave a network among current and new members in the area.

Key Responsibilities

Member Recruitment & Community Building

Identify, prospect, and cultivate potential JFN members across the South and Texas building and managing a robust pipeline of qualified prospects.
Develop and execute a growth strategy for the Southeast and Texas regions, with initial market priorities shaped by the Director’s home base and JFN’s evolving footprint
Partner with JFN leadership and board members to open doors, build credibility, and drive prospect conversion.
Design and convene local gatherings (salons, parlor meetings, dinners, small-group convenings) that introduce prospective members to JFN and build a sense of community in markets where JFN currently has limited presence.
Serve as JFN's on-the-ground ambassador, building relationships with allied organizations, federations, and other philanthropic infrastructure across the region.
Represent JFN externally within the philanthropic and Jewish communal landscape of the Southeast and Texas

Member & Donor Engagement

Serve as relationship manager for JFN's current members in the region, delivering proactive, personalized stewardship.
Conduct regular in-person and virtual meetings to understand members' philanthropic priorities and strengthen retention.
Translate member insights into strategies that enhance overall network value and inform regional growth priorities.

Cross-Organizational Collaboration

Partner with the Program team on the planning and execution of convenings and meetings that touch the South and Texas
Work closely with colleagues across departments to ensure regional trends and prospect insights inform institutional strategy.
Maintain accurate and strategic use of CRM data to guide prospecting and engagement, track touchpoints, and support data-informed decision-making.
Contribute to organization-wide initiatives, convenings, and strategic growth efforts including the annual International JFN Conference.

Travel Expectations

Extensive travel across the Southeast and Texas with specific patterns shaped by regional priorities and the Director’s home base.
Occasional travel to New York to spend time at JFN’s headquarters.
Occasional travel for national and international gatherings and team convenings.

Qualifications

Several years of progressively responsible experience in donor relations, membership engagement, business development, or new-market/community building
Demonstrated success building relationships and a prospect pipeline from the ground up, ideally in a new or emerging market
Experience planning and hosting high-quality in-person engagement events
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build credibility across diverse stakeholders
Entrepreneurial mindset; self-directed and adaptable in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Strong organizational and project management skills; proficiency with CRM systems and digital collaboration tools
Experience in the Jewish communal or philanthropic sector is strongly preferred
Ability to work both independently and on a team
Willingness to travel extensively across a multi-state region