Our job is to create shared moments of joy, and manage every aspect of our organization with great care, in order to maximize the impact of our programs and our work. To do this, we strive to provide all employees with a positive work environment that supports their well\-being both at work and at home.
- #### Donor Relations Officer, Portland, OR
- Serve as a lead for donor experience and engagement at signature CCA events, including oversight of guest experience, auction strategy, and on\-site execution
- Partner with internal teams and external vendors to plan and execute high\-quality fundraising events that meet engagement and revenue goals
- Lead coordination and communication with event committees and third\-party partners, serving as a primary point of contact as appropriate
- Oversee event\-related systems and processes (e.g., registration, auction platforms, volunteer coordination), identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and enhance the attendee experience
- Support post\-event follow\-up, including donor stewardship, reporting, and engagement strategies to maximize long\-term impact
- Lead corporate volunteer opportunities and recruitment Donor Engagement \& Stewardship
- Manage and grow a portfolio of donors through proactive outreach, relationship\-building, and personalized engagement strategies
- Lead donor stewardship efforts, including acknowledgments, impact reporting, recognition, and ongoing communication to strengthen retention and deepen commitment
- Collaborate with Development and Communications teams to effectively convey donor impact and align messaging across channels
- Oversee matching gift processes and partnerships, ensuring timely and accurate submissions, acknowledgments, and follow\-up
- Cultivate and manage in\-kind donor relationships and regional third\-party fundraisers
- Support achievement of fundraising goals by identifying opportunities to increase donor engagement Development Operations \& Initiatives
- Lead planning and execution of key development initiatives and campaigns (e.g., annual appeals, raffles, targeted fundraising efforts)
- Oversee coordination and engagement for the JoyRx PNW Leadership Council, including meeting planning, communication, and relationship management
- Partner with Finance and Data teams to strengthen donor systems and processes, including reporting, acknowledgments, and process improvements within RE NXT
- Utilize data and reporting tools to track donor engagement, inform strategy, and support decision\-making
- Contribute to continuous improvement of development practices and support additional strategic projects as needed Qualifications and Skills:
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong, trust\-based relationships with donors, partners, and internal stakeholders
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling donor communications and impact messaging
- Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines in a fast\-paced environment
- Sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential donor information
- Strategic and solutions\-oriented thinker with the ability to identify opportunities to enhance donor engagement and stewardship
- Experience leveraging technology and data to manage donor relationships and inform decision\-making (experience with donor databases such as Raiser’s Edge NXT preferred)
- Collaborative team player with the ability to work cross\-functionally and contribute to shared fundraising goals
- Detail\-oriented with strong project management skills, particularly in support of events and donor initiatives Education \& Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
- 4\+ years of relevant experience in fundraising, donor relations, event management, or a related field
- Experience managing or supporting donor portfolios and cultivating relationships with individual and/or corporate donors
- Demonstrated experience supporting or leading fundraising events, including donor engagement and follow\-up
- Experience interacting with senior leaders, donors, and external partners
- Nonprofit experience preferred CCA’s Values. Alignment with our Core Values is essential to success in this role.
- Heavily subsidized medical, vision, dental, and alternative care benefits
- Generous PTO package, paid wellness days, and ten (plus two floating) paid holidays
- Voluntary short\- and long\-term disability
- Flexible spending plan
- 401(k) with 3\.5 percent CCA match
- Paid four\-week sabbatical to pursue creative talents after eight years of service
- Professional development annual benefit
- Subsidized on\-site parking or public transportation reimbursement.
Who We Are:
Children’s Cancer Association was founded in 1995 by the Ellis family after their five\-year\-old daughter, Alexandra, died of cancer. Their goal was to create something extraordinary: an organization with a new vision for what pediatric cancer support services look like. Today, the JoyRx Mentorship, Nature, and Music programs reach thousands of hospitalized children of all ages and diagnoses. Our programs reach children where they are — and make their tough days a little brighter.
Simply put — joy helps sick kids feel better.
Who You Are/Position Summary:
As the Donor Relations Officer, you are responsible for managing and strengthening relationships with CCA’s donor community to deepen engagement, increase retention, and support overall fundraising goals. This includes representing CCA across various types of donor relationships: annual fund supporters, corporate JoyMakers, in\-kind supporters, monthly donors, event attendees, and more. In all external relations, the Donor Relations Officer will follow best practices with donor stewardship, communications, and impact reporting.
In this role, you will manage a portfolio of donors, executing proactive outreach and cultivating long\-term relationships through personalized communication, impact reporting, and ongoing engagement. You will also play a key role in supporting and executing fundraising events, including donor engagement strategies, event coordination, event committee admin, event contractor support, and follow\-up stewardship to maximize impact and participation.
You will collaborate closely with the Development team to support campaigns and events, identify opportunities to grow donor commitment, and contribute to meeting or exceeding fundraising goals while helping elevate CCA’s overall donor experience.
The Donor Relations Officer reports to the Sr. Director of Development, PNW.
Essential Functions:
Development Events
These values guide everything we do—from how we care for families to how we shape and share our programs:
Compassion: We lead with heart, authenticity, and kindness.
Community: We know joy is a ripple effect. Collaboration and connection are at the core of everything we do.
Creativity: We believe in the importance of play, imagination, and the healing power of music. We make space for inspiration and creativity in our ways of working and engaging.
Care: We care for our mission, our resources, and each other with integrity and respect. We are stewards of the generosity and the trust that is placed in us.
Curiosity: Inspired by the wonders of childhood, we stay open to new ideas, fresh perspectives, and magical moments that spark joy in unexpected ways. We honor innovation as central to our legacy.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
CCA is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion and we believe that a diverse staff of highly skilled and creative individuals is necessary to achieve the vision and mission of the organization. We strive to create a work environment that reflects the communities we serve where everyone feels empowered to bring their whole, authentic selves to work, fully as they identify. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who can contribute to the diversity of our workforce across a range of dimensions
Work Environment:
At CCA we are committed to a work environment where each person feels a sense of belonging and they are recognized, appreciated, and valued. This position is based in Portland, Oregon. CCA offers a hybrid office environment, with both onsite (professional open office environment) days and the ability to work remotely up to two days/week (Mondays \& Fridays).
Physical Demands:
This position requires frequent operation of a computer and other office equipment, such as a calculator, copier, and printer. This position requires the ability to perform basic math and speak, hear, write, and read English and some occasional lifting is required (up to 20 lbs).
Travel:
This position may require occasional travel in the Portland Metro area; there may be limited travel to other key regions.
Compensation \& Benefits:
CCA is a growth organization that looks for team members to grow with it. CCA offers a generous total rewards package, a casual work environment, and an inclusive culture.
This position offers a competitive benefits package and a salary range starting at $60,000\. Final offer amounts and levels are determined by multiple factors, including your experience, and may vary from the amounts listed above.
Generous benefits include:
This is a full time (40 hours/week) exempt position. Some flexibility in hours is allowed; days and hours of work are generally Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm, and Friday 8:00 am – 12:00 pm, with the option to be remote Mondays and Fridays. This position may require occasional evening hours and weekend work.
General Information:
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required for the position. Job duties may change at any time, with or without notice.
Application Guidelines:
Complete the application through our application portal and answer the following two questions in your cover letter:
1\. Tell us how your previous work history has prepared you for this role.
2\. Tell us if the compensation and benefits information listed above meet your needs.
Watch Founder and Chief Joy Officer Regina Ellis’ TEDx Talk on the Joy Effect