Major Gifts Program Manager

Montana State University - Office of Student Engagement

Bozeman (MT)

On-site

USD 65,000 - 79,000

Full time

5 days ago

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Job summary

Museum of the Rockies seeks a Major Gifts Program Manager to build, solicit, and steward a donor portfolio focused on gifts of $10,000+ annually. You will move prospects through a structured pipeline, cultivate relationships, and coordinate solicitations with museum leadership and trustees.

Ideal candidates bring moves management expertise, strong donor relations skills, and experience managing a 70–100 donor portfolio; some regional travel and occasional evenings/weekends are required.

Qualifications

BA/BS or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience securing major gifts ($10,000+) from a donor portfolio.
Knowledge of moves management and advancing donors through the pipeline.
Experience with donor or customer relationship management software.
Strong written and editing skills with high attention to detail.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of 70–100 major gift prospects and donors capable of giving $10,000+ annually.
Develop tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies for each donor and coordinate meetings with museum staff and board members.
Recognize and steward donors, ensuring personalized acknowledgment and ongoing engagement to renew and increase giving.
Maintain accurate donor records and activity in the donor database; track next steps, proposals and outcomes.
Collaborate with staff and Board to leverage relationships and support fundraising events and donor engagement.

Skills

Major gifts fundraising

Moves management

Donor relationship management

Donor database software

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 27072 For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Colin Deschamps

colin.deschamps@montana.edu

406-994-4973

Classification Title Program/Project Lead Working Title Major Gifts Program Manager Brief Position Overview

The Major Gifts Program Manager at Museum of the Rockies is responsible for building, soliciting, and stewarding relationships with donors capable of making gifts of $10,000 or more. The position manages a portfolio of 70-100 donors and prospects, primarily in the Bozeman area, and is expected to meet fundraising goals that support the museum’s annual operations, capital projects, exhibitions, and strategic initiatives.

Using a moves management approach, the Major Gifts Program Manager develops donor relationships through personal meetings and other forms of communication. They maintain accurate records and follow-up activities in the museum’s donor database.

The ideal candidate is a self-motivated relationship builder with strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills, high personal integrity, and a proven ability to manage a donor portfolio and achieve revenue goals. An appreciation for the role of public institutions and museums is important. Some regional travel and occasional evening or weekend work are required.

The position reports to the Director of Development and Membership.

Position Number 4C5267 Department Museum of the Rockies Division Museum of the Rockies Appointment Type Professional Contract Term Fiscal Year Semester If other, specify From date If other, specify End date FLSA Exempt Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining FTE 1.0 Benefits Eligible Eligible Salary Salary starting at $72,000 annually, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications Contract Type LOA If other, please specify Recruitment Type Open

Position Details

General Statement

Museum of the Rockies is an independent 501©(3) nonprofit, a division of Montana State University, a Smithsonian Affiliate, and an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums. Located in Bozeman, Montana, the museum inspires curiosity through world-class exhibitions in paleontology, cultural history, science, and astronomy, serving visitors of all ages while advancing research, education, and community engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities

Donor Relationship Management

Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors of 70-100 individuals or households capable of giving $10,000+ to the museum annually.
Build and maintain strong relationships with the portfolio through personal meetings, calls, emails and other forms of communication.
Develop a deep understanding of each prospects’/donors’ interests, motivations, and philanthropic goals to motivate giving.
Move prospects through a structured donor pipeline.

Cultivation and Solicitation

Create individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies for each donor.
Coordinate meetings between donors and other museum staff (e.g. curators, Director of Development and Membership, Executive Director) and Board of Trustees members as appropriate and in pursuit of securing donations.
Prepare and present compelling funding opportunities and gift proposals. Personally ask for major gifts.

Stewardship and Donor Retention

Ensure donors are recognized for their gifts in a personalized format and in addition to the museum’s standard gift acknowledgment processes.
Demonstrate the impact of donor contributions through personalized stewardship.
Maintain ongoing engagement to encourage renewed and increased giving.

Database and Reporting

Maintain accurate donor records and interaction notes in the museum’s donor database software.
Track donor activity, next steps, proposals, and gift outcomes.

Internal Collaboration

Work closely with other museum staff and museum Board Members to leverage existing relationships and take a team-approach to donor cultivation, as appropriate.
Support museum fundraising events and donor engagement opportunities.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Bachelor’s Degree in a field relevant to the position and/or work environment or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
Experience securing major gifts ($10,000+) from a portfolio of donors and/or driving sales from a portfolio of customers in the private sector.
Demonstrated knowledge of the moves management process and experience tracking and moving donors through the pipeline of identification, qualification, cultivation, stewardship and solicitation.
Demonstrated knowledge of fundraising or sales computer software for donor/customer record management.
Experience composing, editing and formatting business correspondence with a high degree of attention to detail and accuracy.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Demonstrated ability to use fundraising or sales computer software for more complex purposes such as reporting, wealth screenings and/or analysis of large donor/customer datasets.
Experience in a Major Gifts position with similar duties and responsibilities.

The Successful Candidate Will

Exceptional English written and verbal communication skills with the ability to inspire confidence and motivate giving from varied audiences.
Impeccable attention to detail and ability to produce high-quality work with deadlines while managing a variety of projects concurrently.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with staff, donors, trustees, volunteers, and community partners.
Team player who balances team and individual responsibilities, gives and welcomes feedback as a way to support everyone’s efforts to succeed.
Curious and proactive mindset that possesses sound judgment.
Ability to communicate in a professional and effective manner, providing a high level of customer service and discretion with sensitive or confidential information.
Consistently exercise initiative and adaptability in a dynamic campaign environment.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

Some regional travel and occasional evening or weekend work are required.

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

This position has supervisory duties? No

Posting Detail Information

Number Of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date Upon Completion Of a Successful Search Position End Date (if Temporary) Open Date Close Date Applications Will Be

Screening of applications will begin on September 14, 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions

This position is not eligible for sponsorship.

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents