Major Gifts Officer

Perkins & Will; Fisher (MN); On-site; USD 92,000 - 129,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Wellness programs

HRA

FSA

Life Insurance

Long-Term Disability Insurance

401(k) Match

Tuition Reimbursement

Paid Time Off

EAP

Job summary

Perkins seeks a Major Gifts Officer to drive fundraising growth for a global education mission. You will manage a 150+ donor portfolio, cultivate high-capacity prospects, and secure five- to six-figure gifts to support annual, multi-year, endowed, and planned giving priorities.

You will partner with program leaders and board members, draft compelling proposals, ensure data integrity, and travel to donor meetings and events, advancing Perkins’ bicentennial campaign.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5+ years of major gifts fundraising experience preferred (or proven high-level relationship management).
• Experience with international fundraising is a significant plus.
• Strong writing and presentation skills; ability to draft proposals and host donor events.

Responsibilities

• Portfolio management of 150+ donors and prospects with five- to six-figure gifts.
• Execute targeted cultivation and solicitation strategies with an active visit schedule.
• Identify, research, and qualify new major gift prospects for growth.
• Draft customized donor proposals, briefings, and stewardship materials; collaborate with program leaders and board members.
• Record donor interactions, activity logs, and pipeline statuses in the database.
• Travel for face-to-face donor visits and events.

Skills

Portfolio management

Cultivation & Solicitation

Pipeline development

Communication & Collaboration

Data integrity

Travel

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Salesforce

Google Workspace

Job description

Perkins helps children with disabilities find their place in the world. An international NGO, we are committed to delivering best-in-class education to children, providing immersive training and support to professionals and families, advocating for inclusion, and accelerating innovation for people with disabilities. At Perkins, we think courageously, act collaboratively, and we own our work. Join a supportive community committed to growth where your work makes a difference.

What you can expect as a Major Gifts Officer

This role comes at a pivotal moment of expansion: our Development team is on track to double fundraising revenue over the next three years. With an upcoming comprehensive campaign leveraging Perkins’ bicentennial in 2029, you will aggressively grow our prospect pipeline, ignite donor imaginations, and inspire transformational gifts in support of our work locally and around the world. You will focus on securing gifts of $10,000+ from a portfolio of high-capacity individual donors to advance Perkins’ annual, multi-year, endowed, and planned giving priorities.

How you will make an impact

• Portfolio Management: Actively manage and steward a dynamic portfolio of 150+ donors and prospects capable of making five- and six-figure contributions.
• Cultivation & Solicitation: Execute targeted strategies to engage donors, maintaining an active visit schedule and meeting key activity metrics for proposals submitted, gifts closed, and prospect meetings.
• Pipeline Development: Identify, research, and qualify new major gift prospects to support our growth trajectory leading into our 2029 bicentennial campaign.
• Communication & Collaboration: Draft customized donor proposals, briefings, contact reports, and stewardship materials. Partner closely with program leaders, board members, and development colleagues to build compelling cases for support.
• Data Integrity: Timely and accurately record all donor interactions, activity logs, and pipeline statuses in our database.
• Travel: Travel as needed for face-to-face donor visits, cultivation meetings, and organization events.

Education/Experience :

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5+ years of successful major gift fundraising experience (preferred). We will also consider candidates with a proven track record in high-level relationship management or luxury sales.
• A genuine passion for Perkins’ mission and the ability to translate complex programs into compelling, high-stakes solicitations.
• Skilled in Salesforce and Google Workspace.
• Exceptional writing and presentation skills; you should be as comfortable drafting a formal proposal as you are hosting a donor at a campus event.
• Unwavering commitment to handling sensitive donor information with the highest level of confidentiality and integrity.
• Experience with international fundraising is a significant plus.
  

The following shared salary range is what Perkins reasonably expects, in good faith, to pay for the position. The applicable range could differ based on experience and qualification.

$91,500.00-$129,225.00

Perkins offers a comprehensive benefits package for part time and full time employees, including:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance Wellness programs available.

• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Employer-Paid Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance

• 401(k) Plan with employer match

• Education Benefits: Tuition reimbursement day one

• Paid Time Off

• Extras: Employee Recognition Programs, EAP, legal services, referral bonuses, credit union access, pre-tax MBTA passes and more!

Perkins is a mission-driven community that supports your well-being at work and beyond. We are located in the heart of Watertown, adjacent to the Charles River and less than 1 mile from food & entertainment at Arsenal Yards.

Perkins is an equal opportunity employer. View the Perkins Notice of non-discrimination.