Individual Engagement Manager/Major Gifts

About United Way of East Central Iowa

United Way of East Central Iowa (UWECI) is dedicated to advancing the mission and impact across East Central Iowa. We work to create lasting change by mobilizing the community to support vital programs and initiatives. Our work relies heavily on the generosity of individual donors, corporate partners, and volunteers who believe in our vision of a stronger, more equitable region.

About the Role

The Individual Engagement Manager/Major Gifts serves as the primary relationship manager for a personal portfolio of major gift prospects and donors. This role is designed to deepen relationships with individual supporters and drive sustainable philanthropic investment in the community. You will play a lead role in stewardship, moves management, and soliciting annual investments, guiding donors toward leadership, planned, and endowment giving.

In this capacity, you will collaborate closely with UWECI leadership, volunteers, and internal teams to implement donor engagement strategies. The position involves analyzing donor trends, supporting giving societies and affinity groups, and ensuring that donor dollars are effectively articulated as supporting UWECI's community work. This is a full-time, exempt, on-site role based in Cedar Rapids, offering a unique opportunity to shape the future of philanthropy in our region.

The Day-to-Day

Your work will span relationship cultivation, strategic planning, and community engagement. You will identify prospective major gift donors within and outside of corporate workplace giving, specifically targeting those retiring from annual campaigns. A significant portion of your time will be dedicated to promoting leadership giving and advancing donors to higher giving society levels, including leading the Sinclair and Quarton Giving Societies and assisting with the Tocqueville Giving Society.

You will also serve as a key liaison for the Emerging Leaders United affinity group, leading steering committee meetings, planning events, and recruiting new members. By utilizing CRM software to maintain database integrity and collaborating with the Community Impact staff, you will ensure that every interaction reinforces the impact of donor contributions. Additionally, you will work interdepartmentally to project manage the grant writing process and assist in all fundraising programs as needed.

Our Culture and Commitment

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the community we serve. United Way of East Central Iowa values the unique perspectives and experiences of all individuals and fosters an environment where everyone can thrive. We believe that our strength lies in our collective ability to unite people and resources to solve complex social challenges.

Application Process

To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience in major gifts and donor engagement. We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible. Selected candidates will be contacted for an initial interview to discuss their background and vision for the role.