Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC) is the nation’s largest trails organization—with a grassroots community of more than 1 million strong—dedicated to building a nation connected by trails, reimagining public spaces to create safe ways for everyone to walk, bike and be active outdoors. Founded in 1986, Rails to Trails Conservancy's national office is located in Washington, D.C., with regional offices in California, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Baltimore, and Milwaukee. For more information, visit www.railstotrails.org. Connect with RTC @railstotrails on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter).

Job Summary

The Trailblazer Society Manager is responsible for growing Rails to Trails Conservancy’s unrestricted revenue through engagement, stewardship, and appeals of mid-level donors. This role manages a $1 million+ portfolio of Trailblazer Society (TBS) donors and prospects giving between $1,000 and $10,000 annually, using a primarily one-to-many engagement strategy.

Working closely with the Director of Strategic Giving, Major Gift Officers, Development Operations, and consultants, the Trailblazer Society Manager executes a comprehensive mid-level donor program that deepens donor engagement at scale, strengthens the major gifts pipeline, and enhances the overall donor experience for Trailblazer Society members.

Job Location

This position is located in our Washington, D.C. National Headquarters. This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule in accordance with RTC’s policies.

Job Duties

Revenue Generation & Portfolio Management

• Manage and actively cultivate a portfolio of 300+ Trailblazer Society donors, with a focus on retention, and pipeline development.
• Conduct proactive, personalized outreach, including thank-you calls, stewardship touchpoints, and relationship-building check-ins.
• Identify donors with major and planned giving potential and collaborate closely with Major Gift Officers to support pipeline development and coordinated donor strategies.

Donor Engagement & Stewardship

• Design and execute Trailblazer Society–exclusive engagement opportunities, including:
• Quarterly webinars (topic development, guest speakers, promotion, hosting)
• A thrice-annual TBS newsletter (content curation, editing, and distribution via print and email)
• Targeted direct mail appeals tailored specifically to mid-level donors
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of messaging and language that resonates with mid-level donors and apply those insights consistently across communications.
• Stay informed on donor engagement trends through professional networks, research, and fundraising best practices.

Events & Experiences

• Create, manage, and attend periodic (no more than six annually) in-person events (bike rides on trails, hosted happy hours, Celebrate Trails Day, trail openings, etc.) for TBS donors nationwide, including the annual Trailblazer Society Tour.
• Coordinate logistics with vendors, internal teams, and participants to ensure a high-quality donor experience.
• Partner with Major Gift Officers on event strategy that supports pipeline development and stewardship goals.

Research and Analysis

• Analyze, generate, and interpret TBS donor activity to guide TBS fundraising strategy. 
• Use and recommend tools to enrich data in CRM to support identification of donors with potential for increased giving or making a planned gift. (MarketSmart, Wealth identification tools, etc). 

Administration & Development Operations

• Monitor anticipated and received mid-level and major gifts, ensuring timely follow-up and acknowledgment.
• Open, sort, scan, and code donations of $500+ received by the Washington, D.C. office for data entry by Development Operations.
• Edit outgoing TBS-level acknowledgements for accuracy and personalization. 
• Serve as the primary liaison with RTC’s stockbroker for donor stock gifts.
• Conduct donor research and share insights weekly with Major Gift Officers.
• Accurately record all donor actions, interactions, and stewardship activities in the donor database.
• Fulfill Trailblazer Society donor benefit requests, including trail gear, TrailLink subscriptions, and other premiums, ensuring timely delivery.

Planned Giving Coordination

• Coordinate RTC’s Planned Giving program, including verification of planned gifts, coding for database entry, and liaison with estate administrators. 
• Serve as a knowledgeable resource for Trailblazer Society donors interested in legacy and planned giving opportunities.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have any supervisory responsibilities.

Basic Qualifications and Personal Attributes

• Bachelor’s or associate degree preferred; with a minimum of five years of experience in membership, mid-level, or donor relationship fundraising.
• Strong relationship-management and inter-personal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate RTC’s mission, programs, and why donor support matters.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Experience using donor databases (CRMs) and fundraising systems to support scalable fundraising programs and donor engagement. And knowledge of fundraising models (Annual Fund, Membership, Major Gifts, Events-based, etc.) highly recommended.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across teams and communicate with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong interest in and commitment to RTC’s mission, as well as biking and walking culture. 
• Proactive, solutions-oriented, and able to navigate donor inquiries and challenges with professionalism.
• Valid driver’s license required; ability to travel up to 10% of the time.

Work Environment

Normal office setting with low to moderate noise level.

Employer’s Right: RTC reserves the right to revise, change or reclassify this job description at any time in accordance with RTC’s business needs. This job description is not an implied contract.