Leadership Gifts Officer

Bowdoin College; Brunswick (ME); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan (401a/403b)

Paid time off

Job summary

Bowdoin College seeks a Leadership Gift Officer to build relationships and secure major gifts from alumni, parents, and friends. You will identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects, while collaborating across campus to meet fundraising objectives.

The role requires developing strategies for gifts at the $100,000 level and beyond, managing a personal donor caseload, and coordinating visits with senior College leaders and volunteers. A strong mission articulation is essential.

Qualifications

• Ability to cultivate and build superior relationships with high end donors for purposes of identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of gifts to the college.
• Excellent writing and speaking skills are necessary.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop development strategies to secure support from individuals at the major gifts level ($100,000+).
• Steward a personal caseload of prospects and establish long-term donor relationships with the College.
• Prepare reports, briefings, proposals, and related documents for solicitation of major gift prospects.
• Schedule visits for the president, deans, faculty, and volunteers, and accompany them when appropriate.
• Articulate the College’s mission to alumni, parents, and friends.

Skills

Donor relations

Communication

Organization

Travel readiness

Team collaboration

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Microsoft 365

Google Workspace

Job description

Through their work forging relationships and securing major gifts, the Leadership Gift Officer will have the ability to significantly impact the College’s principal commitments, including access and opportunity for all deserving students, a life-changing academic experience and support for career exploration leveraging the Bowdoin network as students become graduates.

This position is tasked with building relationships and raising major gifts from individuals connected to Bowdoin College. Responsibilities include identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift prospects and donors from within the alumni, parent, and friends communities; maximizing capital and annual gifts to the College; establishing long-term relationships with major donors; working in collaboration with other offices in development and alumni relations, and across campus, to meet the college’s fund-raising objectives. Specific regional territory assignments remain under consideration and will be shared with finalists as part of the search process.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Developing and executing development strategies to secure support from individuals at the major gifts level ($100,000 and above).
• Developing and stewarding a personal caseload of prospects and establishing long-term donor relationships with the College.
• Preparing reports, briefings materials, correspondence, proposals, and related documents for solicitation of major gift prospects.
• Scheduling visits for the president, deans, faculty, volunteers and accompanying them when appropriate.
• Understanding the culture of a small, highly selective liberal arts college and effectively articulating the College’s mission to alumni, parents, and friends.

Education/Skills Requirements

• Ability to cultivate and build superior relationships with high end donors for purposes of identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of gifts to the college.
• Excellent writing and speaking skills are necessary.
• Strong organizational skills and analytical skills.
• Familiarity with computer systems and the willingness to use those systems.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, working both independently and as a member of a team.

Experience Requirements

• 5+ years of successful fund-raising or related experience required with a strong preference for experience in leadership gift work.
• Experience with Microsoft 365, Google Suite, and fundraising database systems such as Raisers Edge.
• Frequent coordination with other offices of development and college relations.
• The ability and willingness to travel up to 40% of the time. A valid Driver’s license and the ability to meet the requirements of the College’s Motor Vehicle Use Policy required.
• Absolute confidentiality, professionalism and discretion required.
• Commitment to the mission and goals of Bowdoin College.
• An understanding and a belief that fund-raising is a team sport.
• Willingness and ability to be on campus for weekend and evening events throughout the year.

Administrative hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm often with work after 5:00 pm or weekends. This is an exempt position requiring time commitment necessary to satisfactorily complete job requirements. Frequent travel required.

This position is hybrid-eligible for qualified candidates residing in Maine, after completing an adaptation period.

BENEFITS AND PERKS

• A variety of health insurance plans (Medical, Vision, Dental)
• Generous Retirement Plan – 401(a) and 403(b)
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off: 20 days of vacation per calendar year, 12 days of personal/sick time
• Paid Holidays and Special Days Off: https://www.bowdoin.edu/hr/our-workplace/college-holidays-and-special-days-off.html
• Paid Parental Leave (Available after one year of service)
• Household access to many of the College’s facilities including the gym and pool
• Free fitness and wellness classes!