Major Gifts Officer

Perkins; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 92,000 - 129,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Wellness programs

HRA

Flexible Spending Accounts

401(k) match

Tuition reimbursement

Paid Time Off

Employee Recognition Programs

Employee Assistance Program

Legal services

Referral bonuses

Credit union access

Pre-tax MBTA passes

Job summary

Perkins, located in Watertown, MA, seeks a Major Gifts Officer to advance our major gifts program as part of a growth-focused campaign tied to our bicentennial in 2029.

You will manage 150+ high-capacity donors, design cultivation strategies, and secure five- and six-figure gifts to support annual, multi-year, endowed, and planned giving priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5+ years of major gift fundraising experience preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills essential.
• Experience with high-level donor relationship management or luxury sales a plus.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 150+ donors and prospects capable of five- and six-figure gifts.
• Develop and execute targeted cultivation strategies and maintain an active visit schedule.
• Identify, research, and qualify new major gift prospects for the 2029 bicentennial campaign.
• Draft donor proposals, briefings, contact reports, and stewardship materials.
• Collaborate with program leaders, board members, and colleagues to build compelling cases for support.
• Ensure accurate data entry of donor interactions and pipeline status.
• Travel; attend donor visits and organization events.

Skills

Donor relations

Communication

Presentation

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Salesforce

Google Workspace

Job description

Major Gifts Officer### Major Gifts OfficerApply: Watertown Campus: Full time: Posted Yesterday: JR1586Perkins 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 impac**t* **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-$129,225.00Perkins 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.