Major Gifts Officer (Advancement)/Career Opportunity

$120,000 - $130,000/Yr

Chautauqua Institution - Chautauqua, NY

Full-time - Mid Level

Remote - Chautauqua, NY

Educational Services

About the position

The Major Gifts Officer is a front-line fundraising role at Chautauqua Institution, responsible for identifying, cultivating, and soliciting leadership donors to enhance the philanthropic resources of the organization. This position involves managing a portfolio of major gift donors, developing solicitation strategies, and collaborating with various stakeholders to grow the major gift program.

Responsibilities

• Identify and manage a portfolio of qualified major donors and prospects; set and carry out solicitation strategies.
• Maintain and build a portfolio of 100-120 major gift donors and prospects.
• Manage a defined pipeline of new and retained donors through meaningful interactions and appropriate relationship-building steps to increase individual giving.
• Actively identify top relationships within the portfolio to determine specific donor interests and deepen their connection to the organization.
• Collaborate with prospect research team to enhance relationships and identify and engage prospective donors.
• Participate and strategize in the MOVES management team for all major gift donors and prospects.
• Articulate the case for support through oral and written means to engage and encourage donor financial support.
• Engage in 10-15 meaningful contacts each week including face-to-face or video visits, emails, phone calls, etc.
• Develop written proposals and other donor communications as needed.
• Work with AVP to coordinate activities among Advancement, Institution leadership, and program staff to ensure cooperative fundraising efforts.
• Document donor contacts in Raiser's Edge and provide regular reports on activity.
• Participate in donor events as needed.
• Stay up to date on current trends in philanthropy; engage in training as appropriate.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 5-8 years of experience in prospect management, donor cultivation, and solicitation.
• CFRE is preferred but not required.
• Experience with Raiser's Edge or other CRM software and Microsoft Office suite.
• Successful solicitation of major gifts of $50K or more.
• Experience developing and structuring major gifts.
• Capital/comprehensive campaign gift cultivation and solicitation experience.
• Ability to interact effectively with volunteers, leadership, and program partners.
• Ability to oversee multiple projects and quickly discern complex and competing interests.
• High degree of initiative and ability to motivate and engage high-level volunteers and donors.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a high degree of autonomy and accountability and to be a team player.
• Excellent time management skills.

Benefits

• Compensation starting at $120,000-130,000 annually.
• National health insurance network with Highmark.
• Flexible spending (or health savings) account options.
• Dental and vision insurance.
• Complimentary life insurance.
• Wellness incentives.
• Employee assistance program.
• Supplemental life insurance.
• Long-term disability options.
• Discretionary employer retirement plan contribution, recently 10% of gross compensation after designated service period.