Discovery Officer

Trustees of Mount Holyoke College; United States; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

403(b) Retirement Plan

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible Spending Account

Job summary

Mount Holyoke College seeks a Discovery Officer to join the Development team. You will manage a portfolio of about 500 alumni and constituents, focusing on graduates from the last 25 years.

The role uses email, phone, text, social media, and video to deliver personalized outreach and strengthen the major gift pipeline. Reporting to the Director of Discovery, you will work in a fast-paced environment, meet fundraising goals, and collaborate across the College Relations team to ensure a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required; 1–2 years in donor relations or customer-facing roles.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage a high volume of work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong ethical standards and discretion with confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Actively manage a portfolio of ~500 prospects, focusing on recent graduates.
• Implement engagement strategies to increase donor participation and giving.
• Identify and qualify new major gift prospects to grow the pipeline.
• Secure virtual meetings with donors and advance fundraising goals.
• Collaborate with the College Relations team to ensure a donor-centered experience.
• Track data trends to inform program evolution.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

CRM

Job description

Job no: R-0000003722 Position Title: Discovery Officer Faculty or Staff: Staff Full Time or Part Time: Full time In-Person, Hybrid, or Remote: Hybrid Minimum Starting Rate of Pay: $69,637.00 Rate of pay commensurate with experience Start Date: 11/16/2026 Job Description: Mount Holyoke seeks a Discovery Officer, a new and pivotal frontline fundraising position on Mount Holyoke’s Development team. We are seeking a skilled communicator and relationship builder. In this role, you will manage a dynamic portfolio of approximately 500 alums and constituents, with a focus on graduates of the last 25 years. You will leverage email, phone, text, social media, and video to deliver highly personalized outreach that deepens engagement and increases giving. A core function of this role is managing discovery workflows to uncover new prospects and strengthen the College’s major gift pipeline. Reporting to and working closely with the Director of Discovery, the Discovery Officer must thrive in a fast paced environment, be comfortable soliciting gifts, and demonstrate independence and motivation to meet goals. The ideal candidate will possess outstanding communication skills, passion for Mount Holyoke’s mission, and a steadfast commitment to inclusive fundraising practices.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Actively manage a portfolio of approximately 500 prospects, focusing on alums from the last 25 years, with consistent and personalized outreach.
• Implement customized engagement strategies to increase donor participation, retention, and giving.
• Manage outreach to identify and qualify new major gift prospects supporting pipeline development.
• Execute clearly defined goals with an emphasis on securing virtual meetings with prospective donors and increasing giving.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of Mount Holyoke’s priorities, opportunities, and the MHC Forward Strategic Plan to inform meaningful donor conversations.
• Collaborate across the entire College Relations team to ensure a donor-centered experience.
• Track and monitor data to identify trends and opportunities for program evolution.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree 1-2 years experience of managing relationships with donors, clients, or customers Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. Proven ability to manage a high volume of work in a fast-paced environment. Strong customer service orientation with the ability to work diplomatically with a wide range of internal and external partners High ethical standards and discretion as this role requires working with confidential and sensitive information.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with a CRM or donor database Experience in fundraising, nonprofit organizations, or volunteer management.

Hiring Range

Hiring Range: $69,637 - $78,342

What We Offer

• 403(b) Retirement Plan (College contributes 9% of salary)
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Disability and Leave Benefits
• Life Insurance (College paid coverage 1x salary)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Benefits (to Mount Holyoke College or others)
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Access to Kendall Sports & Dance Complex

Background Checks

Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff and those associated with them to successfully carry out the mission of the college. As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Mount Holyoke College is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) Mount Holyoke College, the leading gender-diverse women’s college, is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. We are a diverse community of staff, faculty, and students, united in our mission to offer an intellectually adventurous education in the liberal arts through academic programs that are renowned internationally for their cross-disciplinary excellence, experiential approach, and commitment to diversity. Mount Holyoke College is a welcoming and inclusive environment that values and respects individuals of all backgrounds. As an EOE, we encourage members of historically underrepresented groups or nontraditional backgrounds to apply for open positions at our institution. The College has a long-standing tradition of providing women and other historically underrepresented groups with access to an innovative educational experience that prepares students for purposeful leadership by integrating hands‑on opportunities into the curriculum. We firmly believe that diversity enriches our community and enhances our ability to prepare students for success in an increasingly globalized world. We are dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all qualified applicants and to building an exemplary workforce that reflects the diversity of our student body and the communities we serve. Our ultimate goal is to produce graduates who are capable of engaging thoughtfully, effectively, and boldly with the world.