Major Gift Officer

DRG Consulting; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision coverage

Disability + life insurance

401(k)

Vacation, federal holidays, and sick/休

Job summary

The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law seeks a Major Gift Officer to join its development team.

You will manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, drive identification, cultivation, and solicitation of gifts of $25,000 and above, and partner with leadership to align donor interests with the organization’s mission. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, you will work across departments, plan donor engagements, and travel nationally to cultivate relationships with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Five to seven or more years of progressive fundraising experience.
• Demonstrated success securing five- and six-figure gifts from high-net-worth individuals and foundations.
• Proven ability to manage a major gift portfolio through all donor lifecycle stages.
• Strong relationship-building, written and verbal communication, and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects.
• Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans.
• Personally solicit major gifts and advance donors through the fundraising cycle.
• Meet annual revenue and activity goals for solicitations and donor contacts.
• Travel nationally to meet with donors and prospects (up to 40%).
• Collaborate with leadership and cross-functional teams to craft funding opportunities.

Skills

Frontline fundraising

Major gifts

Donor engagement

CRM proficiency

Portfolio management

Communication skills

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

CRM software

Job description

The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law (LDB) is pleased to partner with DRG to conduct this search.

The Organization

The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law (LDB) was founded in 2011 by Kenneth L. Marcus, a civil rights attorney who recognized the need for an organization that utilizes law-based initiatives to combat anti‑Semitism. LDB is an independent, unaffiliated, nonprofit corporation established to advance the civil and human rights of the Jewish people and promote justice for all. LDB engages in research, education, and legal advocacy to combat the resurgence of anti‑Semitism on college and university campuses, in the workplace, and elsewhere. It empowers students by training them to understand their legal rights and educates administrators and employers on best practices to combat racism and anti‑Semitism. Throughout its existence, the Brandeis Center has advanced the most significant legal protections for Jewish Americans.

LDB is broadly recognized as the premier legal advocacy organization for Jewish Americans who face anti‑Semitic discrimination on and off college campuses. The Center aspires to achieve broad acceptance of the legal proposition that harassment of Jews based on shared ancestry, ethnicity and national origin is anti‑Semitic and unlawful. To learn more about the Brandeis Center, visit https://brandeiscenter.com/about-us/.

The Position

The Louis D. Brandeis Center seeks a Major Gift Officer (MGO) to join its dynamic and growing Development team. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the MGO will serve as a frontline fundraiser responsible for building, managing, and advancing a portfolio of major donors and prospects capable of making gifts of $25,000 and above. This relationship-driven role will drive the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of high‑net‑worth individuals and foundation partners while developing and executing strategic engagement plans tailored to each donor's philanthropic interests.

The MGO will play a critical role in expanding the organization's philanthropic support through disciplined portfolio management, personalized donor engagement, and effective moves management. As a member of a collaborative Development team that includes the Chief Development Officer, Development Manager, Donor Relations Manager, and Development Operations staff, the MGO will partner closely with colleagues to deliver an exceptional donor experience and support the organization's fundraising goals. Working closely with leadership, attorneys, and cross‑functional staff, the MGO will align donor interests with organizational priorities, create compelling funding opportunities, and help secure transformational support for the Brandeis Center's mission. The successful candidate will be an entrepreneurial fundraiser who excels at building authentic relationships, facilitating donor cultivation events, and achieving ambitious revenue and performance goals through national donor outreach.

ROLE OVERVIEW

• Build, manage, and strategically prioritize a portfolio of 125 major gift donors and prospects, with a focus on securing gifts of $25,000 and above.
• Develop and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans.
• Personally solicit major gifts and advance donors through the fundraising cycle.
• Identify and qualify at least 10 new major gift prospects annually and move them toward portfolio inclusion.
• Meet or exceed annual goals for revenue, and metrics for solicitations, donor contacts, and gift closures.
• Maintain consistent donor engagement through disciplined moves management and proactive outreach.
• Create compelling solicitation materials including proposals and stewardship reports.

Donor Cultivation, Engagement & Events (25%)

• Create meaningful donor experiences that deepen relationships, expand affinity for the mission, and generate new philanthropic investment.
• Plan and execute approximately five donor cultivation salons annually, leveraging Board members, high‑net‑worth individuals, and key supporters as hosts.
• Coordinate donor cultivation events, individual meetings, and targeted engagement opportunities.
• Manage a cadence of stewardship communications, in partnership with the Donor Relations Manager.
• Support specialized engagement strategies for donors contributing $10,000+ and family foundation program officers through tailored briefings, updates, and calls.
• Conduct approximately 12-15 donor meetings monthly, both virtual and in‑person.
• Foster purposeful donor experiences that strengthen long‑term philanthropic relationships.

Strategic Partnerships & Advancement Leadership (20%)

• Collaborate closely with the Chief Development Officer and development team, CEO, Board members, attorneys, and volunteer leaders on donor strategy.
• Prepare organizational leadership and key stakeholders for donor meetings and solicitations.
• Work across departments to identify compelling funding opportunities and cases for support.
• Participate actively in development planning, campaign strategy, and organizational fundraising initiatives.
• Serve as a thought partner in advancing a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.

Prospect Strategy, Operations & Travel Management (15%)

• Maintain accurate, timely donor records, contact reports, strategies, and next steps in the CRM.
• Monitor portfolio performance and pipeline activity to ensure consistent movement toward solicitation.
• Analyze donor and prospect engagement to identify new opportunities for growth.
• Travel approximately one-third of the time to cultivate and solicit donors nationally, including key markets such as Los Angeles, Northern California, Texas and New York.
• Coordinate logistics and follow‑up for donor meetings, events, and strategic cultivation initiatives.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Additional Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Five to seven or more years of progressive fundraising experience, including significant frontline major gift fundraising responsibility.
• Demonstrated success securing and stewarding five- and six‑figure gifts from high‑net‑worth individuals, family foundations, and institutional donors.
• Proven ability to build, manage, and advance a major gift portfolio through all stages of the donor lifecycle, from prospect identification and qualification through solicitation and stewardship.
• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding fundraising performance metrics, including donor meetings, solicitations, revenue goals, and portfolio activity.
• Confident and self‑directed fundraiser with the ability to independently cultivate donor relationships and personally solicit major gifts.
• Experience partnering with organizational leadership, board members, and volunteers to develop and execute successful donor engagement and solicitation strategies.
• Exceptional relationship‑building skills with a donor‑centric approach that creates meaningful, seamless, and rewarding philanthropic experiences.
• Outstanding written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate a compelling case for support to diverse audiences.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities, with demonstrated success managing multiple priorities and opportunities simultaneously.
• Executive presence, sound judgment, and professional maturity that inspire trust and confidence among donors, volunteers, and colleagues.
• Dynamic, collaborative, and entrepreneurial mindset, coupled with a positive attitude, adaptability, and sense of humor.
• Passion for the Brandeis Center's mission and the ability to serve as an authentic, credible representative.
• Familiarity with Jewish philanthropy, Jewish communal organizations, or demonstrated personal, volunteer, or professional involvement in the Jewish community strongly preferred.
• Commitment to delivering an exceptional donor experience that makes supporters feel valued, engaged, and inspired to deepen their investment in the organization's mission.
• Proficiency with CRM systems and moves management best practices.
• Willingness and ability to travel nationally up to 40% of the time and work occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

WHO WE ARE

The Louis D. Brandeis Center currently has a hybrid work environment with staff across Washington DC, NYC, and California. This position will be based in Washington DC or NYC.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

$110,000 - $135,000

• Health, dental, and vision coverage
• Disability+ life insurance
• 401(k)
• Vacation, federal holidays, and sick leave
• Monthly commuting stipend