Major Gift Officer

Assumption University; Worcester (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Assumption University seeks an experienced Major Giving Officer to build and manage relationships with alumni, parents, and friends capable of gifts of $50,000 or more. The role involves cultivating prospects, soliciting gifts, and stewarding donors to advance the university’s mission.

The officer will work with senior leadership to design strategies, engage campus partners, and move top prospects through the giving pipeline.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5–7 years in major gift fundraising.
• Experience with multi-year capital/comprehensive campaigns.
• Proven track record of closing gifts of $50,000+.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Willingness to travel.
• Ability to direct and manage volunteers.
• Knowledge of tax laws related to charitable giving.
• Ability to conduct research, gather data, analyze information, and prepare reports.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise good judgement.

Responsibilities

• Build, develop and manage a portfolio of 125 major/planned gift prospects.
• Conduct a minimum of 100 face-to-face meetings annually to qualify, engage, solicit or steward donors.
• Engage campus leaders to deepen engagement with top prospects.
• Partner with senior leadership to move top prospects toward major gifts.
• Collaborate with Athletics and Advancement teams to identify new prospects.
• Expand membership in the 1904 Legacy Society for estate-planned gifts.
• Provide staff leadership for a reunion class giving initiative.
• Move prospects through moves management in Slate.

Skills

Major gift fundraising

Fundraising strategy

Relationship building

Travel readiness

Donor stewardship

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Description Now entering the fourth year of “Thrive,” the institution seeks a dynamic and experienced advancement professional with superb interpersonal, strategic, and operational skills and abilities to fill the key position of Major Giving Officer.

Now entering the fourth year of “Thrive,” the institution seeks a dynamic and experienced advancement professional with superb interpersonal, strategic, and operational skills and abilities to fill the key position of Major Giving Officer.

SCOPE:

Interacts with the President’s Office, University Deans, administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, donors, and friends of the University. Extensive travel is required to fulfill the job of meeting with alumni, parents and friends to secure support. That travel may be local, regional or national in scope and take place over multiple days, requiring overnight stays. Duration may be longer the further from Assumption to maximize division budget.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION:

In support of the mission of the University, the Major Giving Officer (MGO) works to build and enhance relationships with alumni, parents, and friends capable of making a gift of $50,000 or more. The MGO is responsible for qualifying, cultivating, and soliciting prospects and stewarding donors. She/he will work with prospective donors to determine their philanthropic interests and how those interests align with the strategic needs of the University.

The successful candidate will have a positive, can-do attitude and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. She/he needs to be able to juggle a wide variety of tasks and projects simultaneously, make decisions independently, as appropriate, and always position Advancement and Assumption in the best way possible. She/he should have a deep understanding of philanthropy and the impact that it can make on higher education and enjoy working with a wide variety of personalities and work styles.

• Build, develop and manage a portfolio of 125 major/planned gift prospects.
• Conduct a minimum of 100 face-to-face meetings annually to qualify, engage, solicit or steward donors. This includes meetings with individuals both on and off campus, traveling as appropriate.
• Engage and strategically utilize campus community members (VP’s, Deans, Department Chairs, faculty, coaches, etc.) in the advancement process to deepen engagement with top prospects.
• Serve as a trusted partner to senior leadership in the development and execution of thoughtful strategies designed to move top prospects closer to making a major gift to the University.
• Partner with Assumption Fund team and the Leadership Giving Officer for Athletics to identify new prospects and volunteers and support the goal of growing unrestricted and restricted annual support to the University.
• Collaborate with Major and Planned Giving Officer to expand membership in the 1904 Legacy Society, which recognizes individuals who have included the University in their estate plans.
• Provide staff leadership for one reunion class giving initiative. Focus is establishing fundraising goals and strategizing with the class volunteer group to actively solicit and steward class members.
• Move prospects through the giving pipeline by actively managing and documenting moves management strategies, including all donor interactions and activity in the University’s Advancement database (Slate).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Sitting, standing, walking, and bending are required of this position. Use of a computer keyboard and computer screen for periods of time with close vision and the ability to adjust visual focus plus manual dexterity are required.

MENTAL DEMANDS:

The mental demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Examples of mental demands include reading (documents), detailed work, confidentiality, language, math, reasoning, oral communications, written communications, customer contact, multiple concurrent tasks, constant interruptions, and performing calculations when necessary.

About Assumption University:

St. John Paul II wrote: “Man’s creation by God ‘in his own image’ confers upon every human person an eminent dignity; it also postulates the fundamental equality of all human beings.” Assumption University recognizes the essential contribution of a diverse community of students, staff, and faculty and condemns all forms of harassment, discrimination, and disrespect. As such, and in compliance with the requirements of federal law and/or the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Assumption University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy, as well as other legally protected status, in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities, except where such conditions may constitute bona fide qualifications for the programs or activities in question.

Requirements

• Must be willing to contribute actively to the mission of the University as well as show an understanding of and a respect for the Catholic and Assumptionist identity of Assumption University.
• Five to seven years’ experience in major gift fundraising, preferably in higher education.
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Experience working in a multi-year capital or comprehensive fundraising campaign preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals and constituencies. This includes being a good listener and thoughtful questioner.
• Willingness to maintain an aggressive travel schedule
• Proven track record of closing gifts of $50,000+.
• Ability to direct and manage volunteers, to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments
• Knowledge of tax laws related to charitable giving.
• Conduct research, gather data, analyze information, and prepare reports and other materials
• Exercise good judgement, to demonstrate and understanding of ethics related to development activities, and to use discretion in interactions with donors, prospects, volunteers, and others
• Maintain confidentiality
• Adjust priorities as necessary, independently as well as in conference with supervisor
• Foster effective working relationships within a team environment, leading by example
• Apply and explain rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.