Gift Officer - Flexible, Community-Driven Fundraiser

Experimental Station; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

401(k) matching

Competitive salary

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Paid time off

Parental leave

Vision insurance

Job summary

Experimental Station in Chicago is seeking a relationship-driven Gift Officer to grow mid-tier donors and advance the major gifts program. You will manage a portfolio, cultivate donors, and partner with leadership to shape strategy.

The role covers gift processing, CRM reporting in Salesforce, event planning, communications, and donor stewardship, with a lean team and opportunities to influence programs across the South Side community.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of progressive fundraising experience in a non-profit environment.
• Proven comfortable with directly asking individuals for financial support and securing gifts.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication for appeals and proposals.
• Ability to design and execute donor engagement tactics with measurable outcomes.
• Experience with data hygiene, gift processing, and basic financial reporting.
• Desire to deepen skills in portfolio management, donor solicitation, and campaign execution.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of ~150 mid-tier donors, serving as their primary contact.
• Execute personalized cultivation and stewardship plans to boost retention and upgrades.
• Lead direct solicitations for renewals, upgrades, and special gifts.
• Coordinate donor recognition efforts with timely, creative acknowledgments.
• Collaborate on strategy and execution of Annual Fund and seasonal campaigns.
• Write solicitation letters and donor communications; support social media campaigns.

Skills

Donor relationships

Direct solicitation

Written communications

Campaign planning

Data reporting

Portfolio growth

Tools

Salesforce NPSP

Job description

Experimental Station in Chicago is seeking a relationship-driven Gift Officer to grow mid-tier donors and advance the major gifts program. You will manage a portfolio, cultivate donors, and partner with leadership to shape strategy.

The role covers gift processing, CRM reporting in Salesforce, event planning, communications, and donor stewardship, with a lean team and opportunities to influence programs across the South Side community.