Major Gifts & Leadership Giving Officer

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology in New York City seeks a Leadership Giving Officer to cultivate leadership- and major-gift prospects from a nationwide membership base of nearly 100,000. The role focuses on donor engagement, soliciting major gifts, and managing a large prospect portfolio with extensive travel.

Responsibilities include portfolio management, targeted solicitations, collaboration with Lab staff and AA&D, and rigorous tracking in fundraising systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent and at least 2 years’ development or sales experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, demanding fundraising environment with mutually agreed targets.

Responsibilities

• Manage portfolio of about 250 households with potential interest in Lab priorities.
• Lead 1–3 major gift solicitations in year 1, increasing to 3–7 per year by year 3.
• Collaborate with Lab staff, AA&D, trustees, and volunteers to plan and execute donor engagement initiatives.
• Track strategies and actions in prospect files and Raiser's Edge/PeopleSoft.
• Travel to engage prospects in face-to-face conversations and cultivate gifts.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Communications

Relationship building

Stewardship

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology in New York City seeks a Leadership Giving Officer to cultivate leadership- and major-gift prospects from a nationwide membership base of nearly 100,000. The role focuses on donor engagement, soliciting major gifts, and managing a large prospect portfolio with extensive travel.

Responsibilities include portfolio management, targeted solicitations, collaboration with Lab staff and AA&D, and rigorous tracking in fundraising systems.