Major Gifts Officer / Associate Director of Development

University of Pennsylvania; United (PA); On-site; USD 77,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition benefits

Retirement plans

Flexible work hours

Job summary

University of Pennsylvania, based in Philadelphia, seeks a Major Gifts Officer / Associate Director of Development to manage a large donor portfolio and drive leadership gifts for Penn Medicine. You will craft compelling proposals, coordinate donor visits, and collaborate with faculty and leadership to align fundraising priorities with institutional goals.

The role emphasizes relationship-building, strategic communication, and cross-functional teamwork across health-system programs, with a focus

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; 3–5 years in institutional development or related field.
• Advanced degree highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a major gift portfolio for Penn Medicine donors to meet philanthropic goals.
• Build relationships with faculty, administrators, and volunteers to engage donors in leadership gifts.
• Lead development of proposals, stewardship pieces, and communications for individual and organizational prospects.
• Coordinate donor visits, meetings, and events to advance cultivation and engagement.
• Collaborate with Penn Medicine leadership and development teams on fund opportunities and priorities.

Skills

Major gifts

Portfolio management

Donor relations

Grant/proposal writing

CRM systems

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree desirable

Tools

CRM systems

Donor databases

Job description

Major Gifts Officer / Associate Director of Development

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer inPhiladelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research,and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranksamong the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & WorldReport survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provideopportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education,all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been rankednationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbeswho named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Posted Job Title

Major Gifts Officer / Associate Director of Development

Job Profile Title

Major Gifts Officer

Job Description Summary

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) / Associate Director of Developmentidentifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards individual andinstitutional prospects for select clinical departments, divisions,and programs within Penn Medicine, while supporting broader PennMedicine fundraising priorities as appropriate. The MGO plans,coordinates, and implements development efforts for defined areasand works closely with many faculty, physicians, and programleaders across the health system. The MGO plays an integral role ina wide spectrum of fundraising responsibilities, includingcommunication efforts, events, and volunteer/boardmanagement.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Develop an understanding of the educational, research,clinical, and financial needs and goals of Penn Medicine (comprisedof the Perelman School of Medicine and the University ofPennsylvania Health System). Speak passionately and authenticallyabout the history, achievements, and strategic direction of PennMedicine, and have the ability to articulate that visioneffectively to a diverse audience.
• Successfully grow and manage a major gift portfolio of 100+donor prospects to meet philanthropic goals. Focus on donoractivity management, working collaboratively with faculty anddevelopment colleagues to engage donors toward major and leadershipgifts to Penn Medicine.
• Build and sustain effective relationships with a broad range ofconstituents by providing personalized, timely, and efficientsupport that inspires faculty, donors, and volunteer leaders totake action and ensure a rewarding gift experience.
• Emphasize cultivation and solicitation strategies that focus ondonor-centered philanthropy to maximize potential gifts. Coordinatethe participation of faculty, administration, trustees/volunteers,and other members of the development staff in achieving unit goals,while championing philanthropic opportunities across Penn Medicineand the University that align with donor intent and maximizeinstitutional impact.
• Lead the development of communication pieces for individual andorganizational prospects and donors, including major giftproposals, cultivation and solicitation materials, stewardshippieces, and e-communications, through direct writing and/or projectmanagement of content development, design, and production.
• Plan and coordinate donor and prospect visits, meetings,engagement activities, and special events, as appropriate, toadvance cultivation and relationship-building efforts. Develop andoversee creative, personalized stewardship strategies thatstrengthen donor relationships and foster meaningful, ongoingengagement.
• Report regularly to Senior Director of Development for UPHSLife Cycle and interact frequently with other colleagues on allfundraising activity through active implementation of the majorgifts tracking/reporting/moves management system.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with externalorganizations, including foundations and other philanthropicpartners, to advance funding opportunities and support prioritieswithin assigned clinical portfolios.
• Collaborate with University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicineleadership and development colleagues on all matters regardingassigned prospects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and 3 to 5 years ofprogressively responsible experience in institutional development(or related field) with experience in cultivating major gifts fromindividuals and organizations or equivalent combination ofeducation and experience is required. Advanced degree highlydesirable.
• Ability to function independently yet work in a centralizeddevelopment structure.
• Demonstrated ability to meet fundraising goals with a growingconfidence in managing and balancing donor/faculty/volunteerrelationships.
• Ability to work confidently and effectively with faculty,academic and administrative leaders, and community leaders, gainingtheir confidence and respect.
• Excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability todevelop polished, compelling, and audience-appropriate contentranging from formal donor communications and fundraising proposalsto high-level communications for institutional leadership. Abilityto produce accurate, high-quality written materials efficiently andeffectively under tight deadlines.
• Strong administrative experience, project management style, andability to establish objectives, set performance standards, andorganize a successful approach to achieving fundraising goals.
• Ability to work well with staff members, regardless of positionin office hierarchy; and willingness to function collaboratively.Demonstrate high integrity and trust, and is comfortable as a rolemodel for professional and support staff.
• Ability to take information from many sources and distill it tocore messages that are communicated strategically and effectivelyto different audiences. Adaptive to rapidly changingenvironments.
• Excellent computer skills are essential, including proficiencywith donor databases, CRM systems, and other software applicationsused to support fundraising and development activities.
• Ability to travel both locally and nationally and workoccasional evenings and weekends. A valid driver's license isrequired.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Development and Alumni Relations

Pay Range

$77,330.00 - $100,000.00 Annual Rate

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race,color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenshipstatus, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements

Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer ismade. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to therequirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Pennoffers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health,dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and yourfamily's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spendingaccounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent careexpenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuitionbenefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can gettuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are alsoeligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans tohelp you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, andSupplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on apre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investmentoptions through TIAA and Vanguard.
• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with asubstantial amount of time away from work during the course of theyear. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personalaffairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time withfamily-whatever your personal needs may be.
• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with GenworthFinancial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible familymembers) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of thecosts of long-term care services received at home, in the communityor in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, youwon't have to provide proof of good health or be subject tounderwriting requirements. Eligible family members must alwaysprovide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed tosupporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competingdemands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a widevariety of programs and resources to help you care for your health,your family, and your work-life balance.
• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides anarray of resources to help you advance yourself personally andprofessionally.
• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community,you have access to a wide range of University resources as well ascultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of theUniversity's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit ourarboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on atPenn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latestmusic or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the PennRelays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a memberof the Penn community, you're right in the middle of theexcitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of theseactivities for free.
• Discounts and Special Services: From arts andentertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find greatdeals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts andcultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admissionand memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoysubstantial savings on other goods and services such as new carsfrom Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movietickets, and admission to theme parks.
• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offercreative approaches for completing work while promoting balancebetween work and personal commitments. These approaches involve useof non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or jobstructures.
• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivableloan for eligible employees interested in buying a home orcurrently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used forclosing costs or home improvements.
• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligibleemployees on qualified expenses in connection with the legaladoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for upto two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race,color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenshipstatus, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.