Fundraising Manager

Avnei Chein is nonprofit supporting youth and families in acute mental health crises. Our work is urgent, human, and impact-driven—and it requires timely, decisive fundraising to sustain and expand lifesaving services.

We are seeking a results-driven Fundraising Manager whose primary responsibility is to initiate donor contact, secure introductions, and confidently make direct funding asks. This is a hands-on, execution-focused role for someone who can step in quickly and begin generating fundraising momentum.

This is not a long-cycle cultivation, branding, or event-led fundraising position. The ideal candidate is comfortable moving efficiently from first contact to ask, is energized by closing gifts, and measures success by funds raised—not by activities planned.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and personally execute fundraising efforts, with a primary focus on individual and major donor asks
• Proactively identify, pursue, and engage prospective donors, with the explicit goal of securing meetings and making direct funding requests
• Confidently make first-time and follow-up donation asks, both in person and virtually
• Move efficiently from introduction to ask, without relying on extended pre-cultivation cycles
• Leverage warm introductions, existing networks, and leadership connections to accelerate donor engagement
• Collaborate with organizational leadership to ensure fundraising asks align with immediate programmatic and operational needs
• Represent Avnei Chein in donor meetings and targeted fundraising conversations (in person and online)
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records and communications in the CRM system

Scope clarification:

Branding initiatives, large-scale events, and long-term cultivation strategies are led by other members of the team. This role is not responsible for initiating, planning, or driving those efforts, but may be asked to provide input or support when such initiatives are already underway, as needed to support fundraising conversations.

What Success Looks Like in the First 90 Days

Within the first 90 days, the Fundraising Manager is expected to:

• Actively engage prospective and existing donors through direct outreach and warm introductions
• Secure and conduct donor meetings with a clear fundraising objective for each conversation
• Make direct funding asks, including first-time asks
• Close initial donations and/or establish clearly defined next-step commitments toward closing
• Build a working donor pipeline focused on near- and medium-term giving
• opportunities
• Demonstrate momentum by moving prospects from introduction to ask without prolonged pre-cultivation
• Maintain clear documentation of outreach, conversations, asks, and outcomes in the CRM

Success in this role is measured primarily by donor engagement that leads to asks and gifts, not by planning activity, event execution, or branding work.

Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of fundraising experience, with a proven track record of securing donations
• Demonstrated comfort and effectiveness in making direct asks across platforms and settings
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills in English (Hebrew an advantage)
• Self-starter who takes initiative, maintains momentum, and operates independently
• Ability to move prospects from initial contact to ask within short to medium timeframes
• Genuine passion for mental health and the mission of Avnei Chein
• Willingness to travel to the US and Canada a few times per year for donor meetings and fundraising

Additional Experience That Strengthens Candidacy

• Existing relationships within Jewish communities, particularly in North America
• Experience working with international donors or diaspora communities
• Familiarity with Monday.com or other donor/fundraising management systems