Executive Director, Principal Gift Officer

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Worcester (MA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension plan

Life insurance

Paid vacations

Tuition remission

Job summary

Worcester State University in Worcester, MA seeks an Executive Director, Principal Gift Officer-Capital Campaign to lead elite fundraising efforts, shaping strategy, prospect cultivation, and the solicitation of transformative gifts.

Reporting to the VP of University Advancement, the PGO will manage a top-tier portfolio, collaborate with senior leaders, and drive a rigorous donor-centered campaign that advances the university's priorities while ensuring compliance and ethical stewardship.

Qualifications

• Seven or more years of progressive fundraising experience in higher education or nonprofit settings.
• Proven record of securing major and principal gifts (six- to eight-figure).
• Experience creating donor proposals, gift agreements, and tailored solicitation plans.
• Familiarity with Raiser's Edge or similar CRM systems.
• Willingness to travel frequently and work occasional evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute principal gift strategy and manage a high-capacity donor portfolio.
• Lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for six-, seven-, and eight-figure gifts.
• Prepare high-level prospect briefings and materials for leadership engagements.
• Collaborate with university leaders to align funding priorities with capital campaign goals.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Strategic planning

Presentation skills

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Job description

About Worcester State University:

WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY is a liberal arts and sciencesuniversity with a long tradition of academic excellence dating backto 1874, as well as an Aff Our workforce is dedicated to academic quality, student-centered programming, engaged citizenship, open exchanges of ideas, diversity and inclusiveness, and civility and integrity. We are looking for job applicants who share these values and commitment to our students.

Worcester State is centrally located in Massachusetts, about an hour's drive from Boston, Springfield, and Providence, Rhode Island. Our 58-acre campus is nestled in the residential northwest side of Worcester--the second largest city in New England and home to 37,000 college students at more than a dozen colleges and universities. Over 6,000 of those students attend Worcester State--approximately 5,300 are undergraduates and 1,000 are graduate students. Learn more about us at worcester.edu/about.

Job Description:

OFFICIAL TITLE: Executive Director, Principal Gift Officer-Capital Campaign

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Vice President for University Advancement

General Statement of Duties: The Executive Director, Principal Gift Officer (PGO) for the capital campaign serves as a senior frontline fundraiser responsible for driving the strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of Worcester State University's highest-capacity prospects. The role is sharply focused on moving elite prospects toward transformative commitments in support of the University's comprehensive capital campaign and strategic priorities.

Reporting directly to the Vice President for University Advancement (VPUA), with dotted line supervisory responsibilities to the Director, Capital Campaign. The PGO operates with a dual primary mandate:

• Supporting the VPUA and the President on the institution's top, high-level institutional donor relationships.
• Directly managing a highly focused, elite portfolio of top-capacity prospects capable of making significant $1M+ principal gifts.

The PGO helps build and sustain a robust, top-tier pipeline of leadership-level philanthropic support while driving sophisticated, donor-centered campaign success. This is a full-time, exempt, fully benefited professional position funded by the University's three-year Capital Campaign. Continued funding for the position is contingent upon the availability of campaign funding.

Core Responsibilities and Essential Duties (E):

1. Principal Gift Strategy & Portfolio Management(60%)

• (E) Elite Portfolio Management: Manage a narrowly defined,highly focused portfolio of top-capacity prospects and donors(including high-net-worth alumni, friends, and key leadership figures) capable of making transformative major gifts.
• (E) High-Value Pipeline Acceleration: Drive the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship continuum specifically for individuals capable of six-, seven-, and eight-figure philanthropic commitments.
• (E) Customized Solicitation Plans: Build and execute sophisticated, tailored donor engagement plans, complex multi-year commitments, blended gifts, and high-level naming opportunitiesaligned with core institutional priorities.
• (E) Targeted Deliverables: Personally develop and maintain specific, critical deliverables, including:

1. Comprehensive top-prospect strategies and milestone tracking
2. Proposal concepts, bespoke case statements, and complex gift agreements
3. Direct, strategic follow-up plans and clear "next-step" tracking immediately following donor meetings

• (E) Performance Metrics: Meet or exceed individualized annual fundraising, strategic proposal submission, face-to-face visit, and revenue goals established by Advancement leadership.

2. Institutional Leadership & Strategic Support(30%)

• (E) Presidential & VPUA Briefings: Partner directly with the President, VPUA, and senior leadership to co-strategize and manage the university's top institutional relationships.
• (E) Executive Preparation: Prepare high-level prospect briefings, strategic donor correspondence, and presentation materials for leadership ahead of pivotal engagements.
• (E) Academic & Leadership Alignment: Partner with the Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Deans, and faculty to identify critical institutional funding priorities and convert them into compelling, high-level philanthropic investment concepts.
• (E) Strategic Coordination: Lead and debrief high-level campus visits, presidential engagements, and targeted cultivation activities for top-tier prospects.

3. Strategic Stewardship & Administrative Integrity(10%)

(These are supporting functions focused strictly on the principal/major gift level; routine execution, event logistics, and broad reporting are handled by supporting staff).

• (E) Principal Stewardship Strategy: Design overarching, customized stewardship plans for principal and major gift donors to ensure exceptional, high-touch experiences and compliance with donor intent.
• (E) Data Integrity: Maintain precise, timely records of principal gift interactions, strategic next steps, and fundraising outcomes within the CRM system (Raiser's Edge).
• (E) Collaborative Liaison: Serve as a strategic liaison among leadership, select Foundation Board members, and key campaign volunteers to ensure alignment on top-tier donor strategies.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, with a proven track record in higher education, healthcare, or nonprofit advancement.
• Demonstrated success directly securing major and principal gifts, including six- and seven-figure commitments from individuals or organizations.
• Proven ability to develop and execute sophisticated cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for high-net-worth individuals.
• Exceptional strategic planning, analytical, written, and presentation skills, with specialized experience drafting donor proposals and gift agreements.
• Experience utilizing donor databases and constituent relationship management systems (preferably Raiser's Edge).
• Complete discretion, sound judgment, and absolute confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently and work occasional evenings and weekends to facilitate high-level donor engagements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or Master's degree or other advanced credentials.
• 10+ years of equivalent experience.

Additional Information:

This is a full-time, benefited, exempt, non-unit professional position. The firm annual salary range for this position is $130,000- $140,000, commensurate with relevant professional experience and education. Funding for this position is secured for the length of the University's three-year Capital Campaign. Continued funding for the position is contingent upon the availability of campaign funding.

Here at Worcester State University, it is strongly recommended that all employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they begin employment.

Worcester State University offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• a choice of 8 different pre-taxed, health insurance plan options
• a choice of pension or 401(a), and supplemental plan retirement options
• life insurance up to 8x the annual salary
• long-term disability coverage
• dental insurance20 vacation days accrued per year
• 15 sick days accrued per year
• 5 personal days per year
• paid holidays
• tuition remission for self, spouse, and dependent children
• and more...

We are an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. M/F/D/V. Members of traditionally underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.