Development Officer

The VMI Alumni Association; Lexington (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

The VMI Alumni Association is seeking a Development Officer to cultivate leadership donors, strengthen philanthropic partnerships, and advance the mission and legacy of VMI.

Reporting to the Strategic Operations Officer, you will manage a portfolio of prospects and represent the Foundation and Keydet Club at events across the country, including evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Higher education fundraising experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build strategy for growing leadership gift outcomes through meetings, mail solicitation, and events.
• Manage a portfolio of donors capable of $1,000–$25,000 gifts.
• Move prospects through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship stages.
• Collaborate with Advancement Services to ensure donor stewardship.
• Attend Foundation and Keydet Club events, including athletics, with possible evenings/weekends.
• Travel for face-to-face visits and stewardship events.
• Perform other duties as requested by the Strategic Operations Officer and Chief Development Officer.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Join our mission: Development Officer at the VMI Foundation and VMI Keydet Club.

Do you enjoy building relationships and helping donors invest in something bigger than themselves? The VMI Foundation and VMI Keydet Club are seeking a dynamic Development Officer to cultivate leadership donors, strengthen philanthropic partnerships, and help advance the mission and legacy of VMI.

About the Role

The Development Officer connects the development team, prospect development, and major gift colleagues to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward leadership-level donors. Reporting to the Strategic Operations Officer, this role manages a portfolio of prospects and represents the Foundation and Keydet Club at events across the country.

Salary Range: $60,000-$63,000 annually, commensurate with experience, qualifications, and demonstrated skills.

What You’ll Do

• Build strategy for growing leadership gift outcomes through face-to-face meetings, direct mail solicitation, and event fundraising
• Manage a portfolio of donors capable of making gifts of $1,000–$25,000
• Move prospects through all stages of qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for the Foundation and Keydet Club
• Collaborate with Advancement Services to ensure proper donor stewardship of leadership donors
• Attend Foundation and Keydet Club events, including athletic events, which will sometimes be held in the evenings and on weekends
• Travel as necessary for face-to-face visits and stewardship events
• Perform other duties as requested by the Strategic Operations Officer and Chief Development Officer

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree required
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently, overseeing projects and managing competing priorities
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication and organizational skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite
• Higher education fundraising experience preferred

Why This Role Matters

In this position, you will play a vital role in building lasting relationships with donors who invest directly in cadets and programs across VMI. In doing so, you will help secure the resources that sustain scholarships, athletics, and Institute priorities for generations of cadets to come.

Applications accepted on a rolling basis. www.vmialumni.org, an Equal Opportunity Employer.