Development Officer - Major Gifts

Houston Area Women's Center; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 86,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan 125% match

Paid Holidays

Job summary

Houston Area Women's Center seeks a Development Officer, Major Gifts to lead strategic advancement efforts, expand the donor base, and secure funding for long‑term sustainability.

The role focuses on identifying, qualifying, cultivating, and soliciting gifts of $10,000+ while partnering with the DOD and CAPSO on proposals, reports and donor stewardship. A strong track record in major gifts and knowledge of Houston philanthropy are preferred.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of progressive experience in fundraising, development and/or advancement.
• Experience working with a direct service agency is required.
• Solid knowledge and understanding of Houston’s philanthropic community.
• Strong working knowledge of major gifts, including securing multi-year commitments; capital campaigns desirable.

Responsibilities

• Donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship across assigned donors and prospects with a minimum giving capacity of $10,000+.
• Support fundraising strategy and performance goals with the DOD and CAPSO.
• Prepare tailored donor communications, proposals and reports.
• Maintain data integrity in the donor database and generate actionable reports.
• Collaborate with the Advancement and Public Strategies team on events and campaigns.

Skills

Donor Cultivation

Major Gifts

Fundraising Strategy

Communications

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Microsoft Office

Job description

In collaboration with the Chief Advancement and Public Strategies Officer (CAPSO) and the Director of Development (DOD) the Development Officer, Major Gifts (DOMG) provides strategic leadership for HAWC’s comprehensive advancement efforts. This position is essential to the growth and sustainability of HAWC, as it involves building our donor base, securing funding, and increasing community visibility to advance the organization’s mission and long‑term sustainability.

The primary focus of the DOMG is to identify, qualify, cultivate and solicit prospects and donors for gifts $10,000 or more. This position works closely with the DOD on various fundraising activities including developing and executing cultivation and solicitation strategies, preparing proposals and reports, and cultivating, stewarding and soliciting major donors and prospects.

Your Schedule:

• Full Time
• Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Work Model: Hybrid
• Local Travel: 25% - 35% - Donor meetings, special events, and various meetings

Our Total Rewards Package:

At the Houston Area Women's Center, we are committed to supporting our employees with a comprehensive Total Rewards Package that promotes health, financial well‑being, and work‑life balance.

• Annual Compensation:$95K based on relevant experience
• Pay Schedule: Semi‑monthly
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Disability Insurance
• Time Away From Work Program, including:
• Vacation Leave based on relevant professional experience (15–30 days annually for full‑time employees; prorated for eligible part‑time employees)
• Sick Leave (112 hours annually for full‑time employees; prorated for eligible part‑time employees)
• Eleven (11) Paid Agency Holidays for eligible employees who are regularly scheduled to work on the observed holiday
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with a 125% employer match on employee contributions up to 4% of annual earnings for eligible full‑time employees after one year of service

**Vacation and sick leave eligibility, accruals, usage, rollover limits, holiday eligibility, and all benefit programs are administered in accordance with HAWC policies and applicable plan documents.**

Imagine a place where your talent can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Working at Houston Area Women’s center gives you a rewarding experience in which our diverse team of employees work together as part of the empowerment of a survivor’s life and at the same time part of a much larger mission. We are committed to doing the work and challenging each other to be an organization in which everyone is respected and heard. Every day we continue to embed diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equity in everything we do as we provide service to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

POSITION SUMMARY

In collaboration with the Chief Advancement and Public Strategies Officer (CAPSO) and the Director of Development (DOD) the Development Officer, Major Gifts (DOMG) provides strategic leadership for HAWC’s comprehensive advancement efforts. This position is essential to the growth and sustainability of HAWC, as it involves building our donor base, securing funding, and increasing community visibility to advance the organization’s mission and long‑term sustainability.

The primary focus of the DOMG is to identify, qualify, cultivate and solicit prospects and donors for gifts $10,000 or more. This position works closely with the DOD on various fundraising activities including developing and executing cultivation and solicitation strategies, preparing proposals and reports, and cultivating, stewarding and soliciting major donors and prospects.

Your Schedule:

• Full Time
• Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Weekends as needed
• Work Model: Hybrid
• Local Travel: 25% - 35% - Donor meetings, special events, and various meetings

Our Total Rewards Package:

At the Houston Area Women's Center, we are committed to supporting our employees with a comprehensive Total Rewards Package that promotes health, financial well‑being, and work‑life balance.

• Annual Compensation:$95K based on relevant experience
• Pay Schedule: Semi‑monthly
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Disability Insurance
• Time Away From Work Program, including:
• Vacation Leave based on relevant professional experience (15–30 days annually for full‑time employees; prorated for eligible part‑time employees)
• Sick Leave (112 hours annually for full‑time employees; prorated for eligible part‑time employees)
• Eleven (11) Paid Agency Holidays for eligible employees who are regularly scheduled to work on the observed holiday
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with a 125% employer match on employee contributions up to 4% of annual earnings for eligible full‑time employees after one year of service

**Vacation and sick leave eligibility, accruals, usage, rollover limits, holiday eligibility, and all benefit programs are administered in accordance with HAWC policies and applicable plan documents.**

Imagine a place where your talent can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Working at Houston Area Women’s center gives you a rewarding experience in which our diverse team of employees work together as part of the empowerment of a survivor’s life and at the same time part of a much larger mission. We are committed to doing the work and challenging each other to be an organization in which everyone is respected and heard. Every day we continue to embed diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equity in everything we do as we provide service to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Qualifications

The Requirements We are Seeking:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of five years of progressive experience in fundraising, development and/or advancement.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working with a direct service agency.
• Solid knowledge and understanding of Houston’s philanthropic community, including individuals and foundations.
• A strong working knowledge of the major gift area, including securing multi‑year commitments, capital campaign experience is highly desirable.

What you Deliver in this role:

Donor Cultivation, Solicitation, and Stewardship

• Under the guidance of the DOD, conduct frequent site visits, meetings, and meaningful contacts to cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of assigned donors and prospects with a minimum giving capacity of $10,000 or more.
• Serve as a frontline ambassador for HAWC by responding to the needs and interests of major donors and members of philanthropic groups, strengthening relationships and encouraging continued investment in the mission.
• Serve as the key point of contact and relationship manager for the Monthly Giving Program.

Fundraising Strategy and Performance

• Achieve annual fundraising and performance goals as established by the CAPSO and the DOD, including dollars raised, donor contacts, solicitations, and other key performance metrics.
• Work with the DOD and CAPSO to identify and prioritize annual fundraising initiatives, creating strategies, timelines, and resources to support measurable outcomes.
• With guidance from the DOD and CAPSO, oversee and support annual giving strategies across multiple revenue streams, including major gifts, online giving, direct mail, special events, planned giving, and recurring gifts.

Donor Communications and Proposal Development

• In collaboration with the DOD and CAPSO, develop tailored, donor‑centric proposals and reports.
• Assist in drafting, editing, and reviewing acknowledgments, fundraising materials, and other donor communications.

Reporting, Data Management, and Governance Support

• Under the direction of the DOD and CAPSO, prepare materials and reports for presentation to the Board of Directors and relevant Board committees.
• Serve as the lead on maintaining data integrity within the Raiser’s Edge donor database.
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of all donor interactions, proposals, and gifts within Raiser’s Edge.

Collaboration and Organizational Support

• Collaborate with the Advancement and Public Strategies team on special events and campaigns throughout the year, including public speaking and donor engagement activities as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the goals of the Advancement and Public Strategies team and the organization.

What Skills and Assets you bring, and more:

• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams).
• Excellent attention to details.
• Strong communication skills, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to prioritize tasks to meet individual and team deadlines.
• Texas driver’s license with a good driving record; reliable transportation; ability to travel to off‑site locations utilizing personal transportation, if applicable.
• CFRE preferred.

When you work here at HAWC you make an impact not just in the lives of the survivors and the people you help, but also make an impact in our own lives and our community. We learn and grow with a purpose where we strive to work for a common cause, which is to end domestic and sexual violence for ALL.