Major Gifts Officer

Detroit Institute of Arts; Detroit (MI); Remote; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Detroit Institute of Arts seeks a Major Gifts Officer in the Development department to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors capable of gifts of $25,000 or more for endowment, operations, sponsorships, or planned giving.

Reporting to the Director, Development, you will manage a portfolio of prospects, coordinate solicitation strategies, prepare proposals, ensure donor recognition, and collaborate with museum leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field required.
• Six (6) years of fundraising experience required.
• Experience in planned giving and major gifts is preferred.
• Additional years of experience may be substituted for degree requirement.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for the assigned portfolio.
• Solicit gifts from individuals, corporations, and family foundations with a goal of meeting or exceeding $750,000 in cash annually.
• Support the fundraising efforts of the Director, Development and Chief Development Officer.
• Independently secure information to develop cultivation strategies, and proposal materials for prospective donors.
• Prepare proposals and solicitation packages, including gift agreements and naming opportunities.
• Ensure recognition, fulfillment and stewardship obligations for gifts.
• Maintain donor data in the donor management software.
• Provide strategic input towards long-term fundraising plans for the museum.
• Complete team-driven metrics with current and prospective donors.
• Act as a development liaison to museum auxiliary.
• Apply DIA values to interactions to support a culture of belonging.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Relationship management

Clear communication

Donor cultivation

Major gifts solicitation

Project management

Stakeholder relationships

Donor sensitivity

Travel readiness

Evening/weekend availability

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Office 365

Microsoft Teams

Job description

JOB TITLE: Major Gifts Officer

DEPARTMENT: Development

REPORTS TO: Director, Development

CLASSIFICATION: Full-Time, Exempt

REMOTE WORK ELIGIBILITY: Full

GENERAL SUMMARY

Under the guidance of the Director, Development, the Major Gifts Officer will identify, cultivate, successfully solicit, and steward individuals, corporations, and family foundations capable of making gifts of $25,000 or more for endowment, operations, sponsorships, matching gifts, planned giving or other museum priorities (restricted or unrestricted).

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for the assigned portfolio of prospects, developing and implementing written donor and solicitation strategies that align with museum priorities and relationship records.
• Solicit gifts from individuals, corporations, and family foundations including the management of the cultivation and solicitation of 100 donors and donor prospects assigned to meet or exceed the minimum goal of $750,000 in cash each fiscal year.
• Support the fundraising efforts of the Director, Development and Chief Development Officer.
• Independently secure project or organizational information to develop cultivation strategies, special correspondence, and solicitation or proposal documents for prospective donors (individuals, corporations, or foundations).
• Prepare proposals and solicitation packages, including coordinating research reports (narrative or financial), gift agreements, presentations on naming opportunities, or other materials as needed.
• Ensure that appropriate recognition, fulfillment and stewardship obligations and expectations are met for gifts negotiated or solicited.
• Maintain contact data for donors and prospects in your portfolio in the donor management software.
• Provide strategic input towards development of long-term comprehensive fundraising plans for the museum.
• Complete team-driven metrics with current and prospective donors to sustain and nurture relationships as determined in regular consultation with the Director of Development.
• Act as a development liaison to museum auxiliary as assigned.
• Apply DIA values to interactions to support a culture of belonging among internal and external stakeholders.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree in related field required. Six (6) years of fundraising experience required. Experience in planned giving and major gifts is preferred. Additional years of experience may be substituted for degree requirement.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to communicate with and manage relationships with external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to share complex information, ideas, and instructions clearly, effectively, and professionally to diverse audiences through talking or writing.
• Demonstrated experience cultivating and stewarding donor relationships to build a culture of giving and securing gifts.
• Demonstrated experiencesolicitingand securing high five and six-figure gifts.
• Demonstrated organizational skills to plan, manage, prioritize, and complete multiple on-going projects tomeet deadlines and goals.
• Demonstrated history ofrelatingand buildingmeaningful relationships within a diverse population of current, potential donors, board members,and volunteers.
• Sensitivity to donor relations management.
• Experience with donor management software, Raiser’s Edge preferred.
• Havea keen ability to sense a donor's mindset and level of comfort when discussing a potential gift.
• Ability to travel regionally as needed.
• Ability to work occasional weekend and evening hours forspecial events.
• Must be proficient inthelatest version of Office 365.
• Must haveproficiencyinusingremote work technology such asscheduling with, connectingto, andusing digital collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams.
• Must be able toestablishand maintain professional,productive,and courteous interactions that promote positive teamwork. This encompasses going beyond giving and receiving instructions and includes but is not limited to (a) performing work activities requiring interacting or speaking with others; and (b) responding appropriately to constructive feedback or suggestions for improvement from a supervisor.

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 job. Upon receiving notice, reasonable accommodations may be made, if possible, to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate and exchange accurate information using various methods including in-person, telephone, and email.