Major Gift Officer

Calvin University; Grand Rapids; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Calvin University is seeking a Gift Officer to identify, cultivate, and solicit major gift support. The role maintains a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects and participates in a donor stewardship plan.

The position focuses on relationship-building, proposal development, and travel to engage donors, with the goal of expanding the university’s donor base and meeting fundraising targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Three to five years of related fundraising or sales experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to persuade and write proposals.
• Must be willing to travel.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships and secure major gift support through personal donor visits.
• Collaborate with the Advancement Division to meet monetary goals and participate in planning activities.
• Target potential donors and use available resources for prospect identification.
• Communicate with donors via letters, proposals, and information on Calvin University projects.
• Expand the donor base in defined regions and help advance the University’s messages.
• Document conversations and call reports in the database.
• Meet monthly goals for in-person donor visits (min 15) and calls.

Skills

Donor relations

Fundraising

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Title: Gift Officer

Department: Development

Division: Advancement

Status: Exempt, Full-time

FTE: 1.0

Job Summary

This position is accountable for identifying, cultivating and soliciting major gift support for the University, maintaining a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects and participating in a donor stewardship plan.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Build relationships and secure major gift support for the college through personal visits with donors and prospective donors.
• Work with the Advancement Division staff to help meet established monetary goals of the university and participate in division planning activities which include bi-weekly meetings of the Major Gifts Team.
• Work with the division office to target potential donors and effectively use available resources for prospect identification.
• Initiate and maintain effective communication with donors through personal communication via multiple channels, including writing follow up letters, developing proposals and providing information on specific aspects of Calvin University or projects of donor/prospects interests.
• Work to expand the donor base in specific regions of the country (TBD) and also advance the University and its messages.
• Work to document conversations or personal visits with donors and prospective donors.Document call reports in using database tools.
• Meet established monthly goals for in person donor visits (min of 15) and calls.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None

Skill Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE

• This position requires a Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university.
• Three to five years of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Requires excellent oral and written communication skills, organizational skills, have related fund-raising or sales experience, be highly motivated to achieve fund-raising goals and eager to promote Calvin University to all audiences
• Requires travel

Communication Skills

This position requires the ability to regularly negotiate gifts and transactions; solicit financial donations from companies or individuals; write proposals; plan; interpret Calvin policies in situations requiring judgment and persuasion; and activities requiring excellent communication skills. Handles highly sensitive and/or confidential information.

COMPLEXITY

The position requires the ability to solve problems and to deal with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Instructions may be furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The position has independent authority to take actions or make decisions that will affect processes and people throughout the division of the organization and the customers who are served.

DECISION MAKING/JUDGMENT

This position typically involves projects and/or assignments with considerable decision-making authority regarding procedures, plans and schedules.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The position requires regular participation with donors, alumni, employees or customers. Deals with items of a routine nature with occasional supervision. Participants use information and expertise to influence outcomes and solve problems.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work in this position is performed within routine office conditions, usually without exposure to hazardous or unpleasant conditions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

FAITH and EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT

• Commitment to the educational mission of Calvin as a Christian liberal arts University affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.
• A commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development.

DIVERSITY COMMITMENT

Demonstrated awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationships and positive communication across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, physical limitations, class, or religious perspectives.