Leadership Giving Officer

Brown University; United States; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Brown University seeks a Leadership Giving Officer to manage a portfolio of major donors and lead development activities in the Boston/New England region, with hybrid work in Providence, RI. The role emphasizes qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors at the $50K+ level.

Requirements include a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and 4+ years in fundraising or related fields, plus 2+ years in direct development and gift closure. Travel is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Minimum of 4 years of professional fundraising or related experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of direct development experience and gift closure exposure.
• Brown development experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and conduct 130+ visits annually to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors.
• Execute 10–20 comprehensive proposals of $50K+ and record activities in the donor database.
• Collaborate with Advancement colleagues and unit managers across programs; travel as needed.

Skills

Prospect management

Donor cultivation

Proposal development

Interpersonal skills

Travel flexibility

Organization and planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Donor databases

MS Office (Word/Excel/PowerPoint)

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

Job Description

The Leadership Giving Officer (LGO) manages a pool of 200-225 major and leadership gift prospects rated $50K - $250K+, and the qualification of prospects at the $100K+ level. The position is responsible for making 130+ visits annually with these prospects to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects/donors; execute a minimum of 10 – 20 comprehensive proposals of $50K+; qualify newly identified prospects as future potential major donors; and secure unrestricted annual gifts as prospects are cultivated towards leadership-level gifts. As part of their annual visits, the LGO will also solicit their prospect pool for annual gifts and strive to close at least two planned gifts. Other responsibilities include effective collaboration and partnership with colleagues, peers, and fundraising unit managers across a diverse range of fundraising programs; staffing University administrators and faculty on development visits with prospects and donors; and recording activities, contacts, proposals, and strategic plans in the donor database. This position requires in-depth knowledge of the University, its initiatives, and its internal and external constituents to serve as a University representative and a liaison between the Division of Advancement and Brown’s alumni, parents, and friends. The Leadership Giving Officer routinely interacts with a variety of University colleagues, including those in Advancement leadership, Alumni Relations, Development, various academic departments, and faculty members, among others. This position currently manages a portfolio of prospects based in the Boston, New England region; the considering officer must be located in the Providence, RI area. Education and Experience Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Minimum of 4 years of professional experience in a related field such as fundraising, related higher education or nonprofit experience, sales, customer service, or volunteer management. Minimum of 2 years of direct development experience and exposure to solicitation and gift closure. Brown development experience and knowledge of Brown University are strongly preferred.

Job Competencies

Strong organizational and planning skills with the ability to initiate, collaborate, implement, monitor, evaluate, and advance strategic plans that support the activities of the program and contribute to the overall goals and objectives of Advancement and the fundraising enterprise. Superior interpersonal skills with proven ability to successfully interact and collaborate with varied constituencies in a professional manner, exhibiting excellent written and oral communication skills, team-building skills, and demonstrating tact, poise, and diplomacy while working with a wide variety of personalities. Ability and comfort in meeting and interacting with individuals of considerable social status and affluence are required. Must be able and willing to work occasional evenings and weekends. Must be able and willing to travel frequently throughout the United States to attend relevant programs and events and to meet with current and prospective donors and leadership volunteers to further cultivation and solicitation strategies. Ability to apply good judgment and proven responsible decision-making skills; tact and discretion are required to deal with highly confidential alumni, parent, student, family, donor, and prospect information. Must be a detail-oriented, self-starter with a demonstrated ability to work independently and manage multiple projects and priorities to meet aggressive timelines and challenging deadlines. Working knowledge of email and calendars, the Windows environment, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other software such as Adobe Acrobat, donor databases, etc. Decisiveness, trustworthiness, discretion, and creativity are daily requirements of this position. Commitment to working in a team environment is essential.

Background Check

All offers of employment are contingent upon a successful criminal background check and education verification satisfactory to Brown.

Recruiting Start Date

2026-09-23

Job Posting Title

Leadership Giving Officer

Department

Advancement

Grade

Grade 10

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular Time

Time Type

Full time

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Position Work Location

Hybrid

Submission Guidelines

The designated Position Work Location for each position determines the approved modality of work. Positions are classified based on the operational and business needs of the department and may be designated as on-site, hybrid, or remote. Employees with a designated position work location as remote must reside and perform their work in a state where Brown University is registered to do business. Brown University is a registered employer in the following states: Rhode Island, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington, D.C. Please note that to be considered for a staff position at Brown University, you must submit a separate application for each position you wish to be considered for. Applications are reviewed only for the specific position to which they are submitted and are not automatically considered for future openings. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Brown is an E-Verify Employer.

EEO Statement

Brown University provides equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination, harassment and retaliation based upon a person’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law, in the administration of its policies, programs, and activities. The University recognizes and rewards individuals on the basis of qualifications and performance. The University maintains certain affirmative action programs in compliance with applicable law.

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Working at Brown brings more than just a paycheck and generous benefits; it offers an opportunity to contribute to a greater good.

Join us in supporting the pursuit of knowledge and individual growth that defines higher education and enriches our community.

Additional Information

You can find detailed information about our salary ranges on our website.