Major Gift Officer - West Coast

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS); Lander (WY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is seeking a seasoned Major Gift Officer to lead a West Coast donor portfolio, build strategic engagement plans, and steward long-term relationships. You will collaborate with finance, expedition and wilderness medicine teams to design high-impact donor experiences and align gifts with NOLS priorities.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record in major gifts, leadership in donor relations, and a genuine passion for the outdoors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with a proven fundraising track record (3–5 years preferred).
• Experience securing major gifts and managing portfolios.
• Knowledge of deferred giving, estate planning, or tax laws.
• Ability to travel ~50% within the U.S.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to write proposals.

Responsibilities

• Major Giving: research, cultivate, solicit, and steward a 110+ donor portfolio.
• Cultivate donor goals and align with organizational priorities.
• Meet outreach, personal visits, and revenue metrics.
• Coordinate with Donor Relations/Stewardship to deliver materials.
• Leadership Annual Giving: solicit gifts $10,000+ and steward Fund donors.
• Strategy and leadership: stay updated on major gift trends; plan fundraising tactics.
• Participate in donor events and travel as needed.

Skills

Relationship building

Donor stewardship

Major gifts

Portfolio management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM software (Mission CRM)

Job description

The Advancement Team supports NOLS’ mission and goals that inspire meaningful and enduring engagement of our alumni and friends worldwide. We build lifelong relationships that engage the time, loyalty, and intellectual and financial resources in support of NOLS’ aspirations, goals, and organizational priorities. We’re seeking a seasoned fundraiser who’s passionate about the outdoors and skilled at building authentic, lasting relationships. You’ll engage our West Coast alumni and supporters in their impact of giving back to NOLS. You’ll enjoy working with a large and engaged alumni base, with a shared passion for NOLS and our 60-year history.

The Major Gift Officer (MGO) will serve as the lead strategist and relationship manager for a dynamic portfolio of major and principal gift donors across the West Coast. You will develop personalized engagement and solicitation plans, steward long-term donor relationships, and work collaboratively with colleagues to align donor interests with the school’s priorities. This position plays a central role in elevating philanthropic partnerships and opening new pathways.

In this role, you'll also coordinate closely with other teams across the organization—including finance, expedition, wilderness medicine and other staff, trustees, and volunteers—to design high-impact donor experiences and create opportunities for deeper engagement. You will represent NOLS with confidence and authenticity, speaking passionately about our leadership, the outdoors as the greatest teacher, and wilderness medicine programs. You will be a compelling advocate for giving at all levels, including planned gifts and other non-cash contributions.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong track record of securing major and principal gifts, an instinct for building relationships, and a genuine passion for the outdoors. You’ll be a strategic thinker, a natural collaborator, and an articulate spokesperson for NOLS’ mission and impact. This is more than a fundraising role, it’s a leadership opportunity to bring others into a shared vision and help fuel the next chapter of NOLS.

What does a Major Gift Officer do?

Primary Responsibilities:

Major Giving (60-70%)

• Effectively researches, qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards a large 110+ donor portfolio of prospective donors with the ability to secure major and principal gift commitments.


• Cultivates major and principal gift prospects, building relationships and understanding the donors’/prospects’ goals with the expressed purpose of building comprehensive donor strategies to align donor interests and organizational goals.


• Meets outreach, personal visit, and revenue metrics as established by the Vice President of Advancement.


• Employs high-volume email, phone, social media messaging, and personalized mail outreach to secure first-time personal visits with major gifts prospects and increased leadership annual gifts.


• Ensures necessary tracking and regular communication with prospects. Tracks fundraising progress and manages relationships to increase donor gift amounts.


• Designs highly customized donor engagement plans for assigned donors.


• Works in concert with Donor Relations/Stewardship Coordinator to produce and deliver stewardship materials for donors.

Leadership Annual Giving (20%)

• Works with the Director of Annual Giving to present a coordinated fundraising effort to all donors in portfolio.


• Solicits annual fund gifts, especially at $10,000 and above, from portfolio donors and prospects to help reach annual goals for unrestricted support.


• Stewards NOLS Fund donors through personal communication and adheres to thank you protocols.

Strategy, Leadership and Support (10-20%)

• Maintain professional affiliations and expand skills by keeping abreast of the latest information and trends in major gift fundraising, including deferred giving techniques, estate planning, and tax laws.

The above duties should not be considered an exhaustive list; other responsibilities may be required.

In your first 6 months, you will:

• Begin to connect with donors in your portfolio, requiring individual visits (in-person and virtually) to cultivate, steward, and solicit support


• Develop and implement strategies for cultivation, solicitations, and stewardship of donors


• Establish cooperative working relationships with development and other staff members to increase understanding and support of development efforts


• Learn about NOLS programs and projects across the world


• Learn how to use the NOLS donor database


• Participate in the development of funding proposals and other donor collateral


• Lead or assist in donor events

We are looking for people who share our values and are keen to learn and develop their expertise. We are looking for candidates with the skills listed below. We expect to provide training and development support in some of the areas.

• 3+ years of progressive experience in a development department as a frontline fundraiser.


• Proven success building long-term relationships, managing an individual portfolio, and actively asking for and closing major gifts (5-figure minimums).


• Foundational understanding of major, principal, and planned giving vehicles within a non-profit structure. Capital and endowment campaign experience preferred.


• Ability to energetically and accurately represent NOLS to a variety of constituencies including alumni, major and leadership annual donors, board, staff, parents, and other friends of the school. NOLS program experience preferred.


• Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with fundraising constituents to help our donors accomplish their philanthropic goals and ambitions.


• Ability and willingness to work outside of normal business hours frequently, participating regularly in fundraising dinners, community events, conferences, and after-hours or weekend meetings with high-net-worth individuals.


• Expert project management skills, initiative, flexibility, discretion, and thoughtful decision-making to achieve ambitious performance objectives for outreach to constituents, including personal and virtual visits, gift solicitations, gift closures, and stewardship.


• A genuine passion for the outdoors, leadership development, and wilderness medicine programs.


• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to write customized giving proposals and deliver pitches confidently.


• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and advancement CRM software (such as Mission CRM).


• Ability and willingness to travel approximately 50% of the time within the assigned geographic region in the U.S.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree along with a proven fundraising track record, ideally with 3-5 years of experience and demonstrated success securing major gifts. Consideration may be given for related experience in customer-facing sales, nonprofit programming, financial and estate planning, or marketing.