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A Day in the Life of a Philanthropy Officer at UNICEF USA
A Philanthropy Officer's day at UNICEF USA involves strategically prioritizing communication with 150 donors in their portfolio, "moving different gift conversations forward" through thoughtful outreach rather than mass emails. This work blends virtual communication with in-person meetings, event participation, and internal collaboration, creating a dynamic mix of "a day at the computer" and "a day out on the road."
Communication, Fundraising, Donor Relations, Prioritization, Relationship Management
Advizer Information
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Bridget Maxim
Philanthropy Officer
UNICEF USA
University of Southern California, 2013
University of Missouri St. Louis (Secondary Education); University of Southern California (MBA)
Environmental & Related Sciences
Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Sales and Client Management
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Prioritizing communication with donors: A Philanthropy Officer carefully plans daily outreach to a large donor portfolio, focusing on meaningful conversations rather than mass emails, to maximize impact and cultivate relationships.
2. Balancing in-person and virtual engagement: The role involves a mix of direct interaction with donors (meetings, events) and desk work (email correspondence, internal communication). This highlights the multifaceted nature of the job.
3. Collaboration and teamwork: The officer emphasizes collaboration with internal teams and global colleagues to share ideas, align on strategies, and advance UNICEF's mission. This underscores the collaborative aspect of the work environment.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of your role look like?
Great question. As a fundraiser, every day can look slightly different, but it always centers around prioritizing who you need to be speaking with. With 150 donors in your portfolio, you can't reach them all every single day.
You want to make sure you're reaching people for a good reason, as no one likes spam. So, it's about being thoughtful and mapping out who you'll contact and why. This could involve moving gift conversations forward, rather than just sending mass informational emails.
Some days it's about deciding which of the 150 donors are most important to reach now. Prioritizing who you need to be in touch with is a significant part of the day.
It also involves figuring out who you need to meet with face-to-face. For example, if someone donated around this time last year, you'd reach out to discuss what difference they might want to make this year. It’s about mapping out and timing when different things need to happen.
Then there are internal conversations, meeting with teams across the organization and globe about our work and mission, and sharing ideas. There can also be large events, like a fundraising dinner.
So, it ranges. Some days are spent at the computer, while others are spent meeting people in person. Sometimes there's a big event, but it's a good mix of in-person interactions and working behind the screen.