Major Gifts Officer

Indiana University School of Medicine; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Indiana University School of Medicine is seeking an experienced Major Gifts Officer to manage a portfolio of alumni and donors capable of significant philanthropic investments. The role involves extensive donor meetings, solicitation, and stewardship across a regional territory.

The position reports to the Executive Director of Development and requires adaptability, relationship-building, and a track record in major gifts fundraising. Travel and donor-focused events are common components.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field is required.
• Minimum 5 years in fundraising, sales, a higher education foundation, or a related field.
• Excellent communication, professionalism, time management, quality focus, and adaptability.

Responsibilities

• Spends significant time meeting personally with donors and prospective donors across an assigned geographic territory.
• Supports selected clinical departments and programs within the Department of Medicine.
• Regularly solicits and closes gifts of various sizes with goals including six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Sets annual funds targets and tracks progress toward goals and deadlines.
• Creates and distributes compelling fundraising materials and analyzes ROI for solicitations.
• Performs complex special projects and participates in strategy discussions as needed.

Skills

Proficient communication skills

Maintains professionalism

Time management

Quality-focused

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Job description

Department Information

Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine (IUSM) is a national leader in medical research and education. With more than 60 academic departments and specialty divisions across 9 campuses statewide and strong clinical partnerships with Indiana's most advanced hospitals and physician networks, the school is continuously advancing its mission to prepare healers and transform health in Indiana and throughout the world.

The Office of Gift Development exists to secure philanthropic support necessary for the Indiana University School of Medicine to excel in its mission to teach, heal, and discover. We create meaningful opportunities for alumni, grateful patients, corporations, foundations, and friends to alleviate suffering and expand knowledge through their giving. As a result of this vital partnership with donors, we move closer to our shared goal of improving the human condition.

Our team is collaborative, ambitious, and deeply relationship driven. We believe successful fundraising begins with listening, understanding what matters to donors and connecting their interests with opportunities capable of producing meaningful and lasting impact.

Job Summary

Indiana University School of Medicine is seeking an experienced, energetic, and highly adaptable Major Gifts Officer to join its frontline fundraising team in a highly relational, externally focused position. Reporting to the Executive Director of Development, the Major Gift Officer will manage a portfolio of alumni, grateful patients, and other prospective donors with the capacity to make significant philanthropic investments in the School of Medicine. The successful candidate will enjoy being on the road, building relationships, uncovering interests, and thoughtfully guiding donors from initial engagement through solicitation and stewardship.

Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Spends significant time meeting personally with donors and prospective donors throughout an assigned geographic territory.
• Supports selected clinical departments and programs within the Department of Medicine and may also include areas of surgery.
• May include assignments that evolve as institutional priorities and fundraising opportunities develop.

General Responsibilities

• Plans and participates in solicitation efforts for major, planned, and/or principal gifts from alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, and other constituents and supporters of the university. Solicitation efforts are primarily in person through repeated contact, but may vary to include email, direct mail, social media, and phone communications. Fundraising outreach may be focused on programming, capital campaigns, named faculty chairs, or funds/needs of a particularly large school or spanning multiple schools or departments.
• Cultivates donor relationships through regular communications and outreach events; updates, maintains, and forwards prospective and current donor files and information to other development officers as necessary.
• Regularly solicits and closes gifts of various sizes with the goal of increasing gifts of $250,000.00 - $1,000,000.00. Ability to help raise donor sights, encouraging annual giving, multi-year commitments, and estate planning.
• Sets annual funds targets, contacts, and timelines by campaign for self; may participate in goal-setting for lower-level development staff, as well. Tracks progress toward goals, reporting or presenting figures on a regular basis to manager, team, and/or department/school representatives. Progress may be monitored via an incentive plan.
• Creates and distributes compelling print and digital fundraising materials for each campaign; tracks cost, funds received, and metrics such as return on investment for solicitation and pledge to donation yield.
• Researches, compiles, and provides metrics, facts, and general operations information about IU and its schools and departments to donors. Regularly collaborates with colleagues in relevant departments and schools and conveys donor questions/concerns related to their willingness to contribute.
• Provides an excellent donor experience through customer service, active listening, inclusive language, and thoughtful and persuasive discussion, consistently upholding the integrity and mission of Indiana University.
• Regularly takes on complex special projects, such as re-engaging lapsed donors, performing outreach to engage donors in volunteer leadership opportunities, or developing and executing targeted events for potential donors.
• May participate in committees or strategy teams with department, school, campus, and/or Indiana University Foundation representatives and assist with setting short-term and long-term annual giving strategy.
• May delegate administrative tasks, such as preparing and sending digital and direct mail solicitations and closing communications to other staff.

Qualifications

Education

Required

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.

Work Experience

Required

• 5 years in fundraising, sales, a higher education foundation, or a related field.

Skills

Required

• Proficient communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty.
• Highly thorough and dependable.
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure.
• Possesses a high degree of initiative.
• Ability to influence internal and/or external constituents.

Working Conditions / Demands

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Regular regional and out-of-state travel is expected.

Work Location

Indianapolis, Indiana

Advertised Salary

$90,000.00 - $100,000.00 annually, depending on the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications.

Benefits Overview

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU
• Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
• Generous paid time off plans
• Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure.

Job Classification

Career Level: Advanced

FLSA: Exempt

Job Function: Development & Advancement

Job Family: Major, Plan, & Principal Gifts

Click here to learn more about Indiana University's Job Framework.

Posting Disclaimer

This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.

If you wish to include a cover letter, you may include it with your resume when uploading attachments.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.

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