Major Gifts Officer

The Action Center; Lakewood (CO); On-site; USD 68,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

The Action Center in Lakewood, Colorado is seeking a Major Gifts Officer to cultivate and manage a donor portfolio and support all fundraising initiatives. You will engage major donors, plan stewardship strategies, and collaborate with the leadership team to achieve revenue goals.

Responsibilities include managing ~150 donors, increasing gift amounts, coordinating donor events, and guiding communications. A Bachelor’s degree and 2+ years in fundraising are required; strong writing and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and at least 2 years’ experience in fundraising/nonprofit work.
• Ability to secure gifts and meet objectives.
• Exceptional writing and speaking skills to motivate individuals to give.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple donors and tasks.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of ~150 donors giving $2,000–$5,000 last year; grow gifts by 25% next year.
• Solicit event sponsorships and paddle raise commitments from major donors and sponsors.
• Provide input on communications for events and donor engagement activities.
• Coordinate tours and engagement activities with the Development Team and CDO/CEO.
• Contribute to social media and donor education opportunities.

Skills

Fundraising experience

Donor stewardship

Communication

Event coordination

Donor software

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

DonorPerfect

Google

MS Office

Job description

Job Type

Full-time

Description

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) cultivates and maintains strong relationships primarily with donors who have given between $2,000 and $5,000 in the most recent fiscal year, or who have the potential to give that amount in the next year. The MGO directly supports all of the Action Center’s fundraising initiatives, including the annual spring fundraiser, peer-to-peer activities, the school supply drive, the holiday gift program, Colorado Gives, and year-end giving campaigns.

Requirements

Major Donor Stewardship

• Manage and steward a portfolio of approximately 150 donors who have given between $2,000 and $5,000 in the last fiscal year
• Develop an individual donor stewardship plan to increase gift amounts by at least 25% in the next fiscal year.
• Implement strategies to engage and retain major donors, including personalized texts and emails, phone calls, face-to-face meetings, community recognition, and access to exclusive networking and donor education opportunities.
• Provide regular status updates to the Chief Development Officer (CDO) regarding pending and successful solicitation efforts, and actual-to-budget revenue goals for the assigned portfolio of donors and prospects.
• Provide facility tours for major donors or representatives of companies or other groups with high donor potential.
• Update data for portfolio donors in Donor Perfect, including contact information, personal notes, and outreach records.
• Implement strategies to recapture lapsed donors with demonstrated major gift potential.
• Build knowledge of planned giving strategies, including legacy giving, DAFs, IRA contributions, and other qualified charitable donations (QCDs)s in order to advise donors and participate in planned giving conversations.

Events Support

• Solicit event sponsorships and paddle raise commitments from major donors and corporate partners.
• Provide technical advice and recommendations to the development team and the event planning consultant regarding vendor contracts, content, and the run of show.
• Provide input into communications around events tailored to the needs of major donors and corporate sponsors.
• Collaborate with CDO and CEO to implement exclusive engagement activities for major donors.
• Support the planning and implementation of the Holiday Giving and School Supply events, especially through a major donor engagement and stewardship lens.

Development Team Support

• Coordinate requests for tours of the Action Center’s W. 14th Avenue campus and ensure that the appropriate staff are included.
• Lead the development of monthly talking points to be used by all development staff for donor stewardship.
• Participate in networking events as a representative of the Action Center.
• Participate in team meetings, monthly all-staff meetings, and in one‑on‑one check‑ins with the CDO.
• Contribute to social media posts, particularly at community events and shout‑outs for major donors or corporate sponsors.
• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor's degree and at least 2 years’ experience in fundraising/nonprofit work with a proven ability to secure gifts and meet objectives.
• Basic knowledge of fundraising concepts, strong communicator, and collaborative team player.
• Ability to navigate donor relationships and work independently, initiating contact with prospects.
• Exceptional writing and speaking skills to motivate individuals to take action.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and committed to following through on commitments.
• Ability to inspire engagement in our mission and vision, with strong interpersonal skills.
• Adherence to high ethical standards and sensitivity to donor needs.
• Excellent relationship‑building and communication skills with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks effectively and maintain professionalism.
• Creative and innovative mindset with strong computer skills in Google, MS Office, and donor software (like DonorPerfect preferred).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Able to lift 25 lbs.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work involves the normal physical activity associated with an office environment. May include setting up and taking down tables and displays, light lifting of equipment, conducting presentations, and participating in community committees with occasional night or weekend work and long days.

The Action Center’s policy is not to discriminate against any applicant or employee based on actual or perceived race, age, sex or marital status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, mental or physical disability (including pregnancy), religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (including transgender status), veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law. The Action Center also prohibits harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories.

Salary Description

68,000-73,000