Officer, Major Gifts

Helen Keller International; New York (NY); On-site; USD 62,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

Helen Keller Intl in New York seeks an Officer, Major Gifts to manage a portfolio of 120–150 donors and prospects giving 5k–25k+ annually, with opportunities to engage senior leaders and craft strategic asks.

You will collaborate across teams, design donor experiences, and help translate program impact into compelling philanthropy while growing a donor-centered culture.

Qualifications

• Experience managing donor relationships and fundraising involving diverse gift sizes.
• Strong written and verbal communication, with ability to craft compelling donor stories.
• Ability to cultivate high-net-worth relationships and maintain portfolio activity.
• Experience partnering with senior leaders for donor meetings and cultivation.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and grow a 120–150 donor portfolio giving $5,000–$25,000+ annually.
• Solicit various gift types and record activity in the fundraising CRM.
• Craft donor communications and reports that align with donor interests and priorities.
• Collaborate with marketing and program teams to connect donors with impact opportunities.

Skills

Donor relationship management

Fundraising strategy

Storytelling/writing

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Google Workspace

MS Office

Job description

Job Announcement

Officer, Major GiftsNew York, NY, United States

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl

partners with communities striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty.

By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition, and clear vision,

we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in 20

countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we ensure every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

Background

The Major Gifts team, part of Helen Keller Intl’s Individual Giving team, is at an exciting point of growth as the organization continues to expand and diversify its community of major donors.The organization is intentionally evolving toward a more vibrant, donor-centered solicitation culture — one that sustains strong stewardship while more proactively inviting donors to make transformative investments in Helen Keller’s mission through unrestricted, loosely restricted, and multi-year support.This role offers a unique opportunity for someone who has been part of a development team and is ready to take the next step in managing and growing an assigned portfolio of donors and prospects. The Officer will receive strong mentorship and support from experienced colleagues

and organizational leaders while gaining meaningful exposure to strategy, donor engagement, and philanthropic storytelling.

Purpose or Scope of work

The Officer, Major Gifts manages and grows a portfolio of 120–150 donors and prospects giving, or capable of giving, $5,000–$25,000+ annually — including longstanding supporters and emerging major donor prospects across he United States.

Operating with a moderate degree of autonomy, the role is accountable for portfolio

management and donor engagement, collaboration and philanthropic partnership, and

events and donor experiences.

Working closely with colleagues across Helen Keller Intl — including the CEO, Executive Team, and program staff — the Officer, helps donors connect meaningfully with the organization’s mission and impact and creates philanthropic opportunities aligned with donor interests and organizational priorities.

Functional Relationships

The Officer, Major Gifts reports to the Director, Major Gifts and does not supervise staff.

The role works closely with the Individual Giving Unit and the Growth & Branding Group,

and collaborates with the CEO, Executive Team, program staff, and colleagues across

the organization to help donors connect meaningfully with Helen Keller Intl’s mission and impact. Externally, the role manages relationships with a portfolio of individual donors.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain an assigned portfolio of 120–150 donors and prospects giving or capable of giving $5,000–$25,000+ annually, overseeing the full donor lifecycle from identification and cultivation through solicitation, stewardship, and renewal.
• Personally solicit annual, unrestricted, loosely restricted, and multi-year gifts;conduct donor meetings both independently and alongside organizational leaders; and track engagement and activity in Raiser’s Edge and related systems.
• Craft compelling donor communications — emails, proposals, reports, stewardship updates, briefing materials, and thank-you correspondence — and serve as a persuasive storyteller in written and verbal interactions with donors and prospects.
• Learn Helen Keller’s programs deeply and partner with the Center for Marketing and Branding and other teams to match donor interests with funding opportunities and organizational priorities.

Events & Donor Experiences

• Collaborate with colleagues to design and deliver meaningful donor engagement opportunities, from virtual events and intimate gatherings to larger organizational
• Research attendees, prepare staff and volunteer leaders for donor interactions, and help identify and cultivate hosts for salon-style gatherings and events.

Collaboration & Organizational Culture

• Contribute to a collaborative, donor-centered culture of philanthropy, working effectively across teams and departments to advance donor engagement strategies and organizational priorities.
• Embodied Helen Keller’s values and welcome opportunities for shared learning, mentorship, and professional growth.

Other Duties

This job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities for the position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. All positions are required to perform any additional tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Skills & Experience

• Experience managing donor relationships and participating in fundraising efforts involving four- and five-figure gifts, with curiosity, initiative, and eagerness to grow as a frontline fundraiser.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build warm, strategic relationships with high-net-worth individuals and families.
• Excellent verbal communication and strong written communication skills, with the ability to tell a compelling, mission-driven story.
• Demonstrated orientation to fundraising goals and metrics, including accountability for portfolio revenue targets and activity measures.
• Experience partnering with — or preparing and staffing — senior leaders, executives, and volunteer leaders for donor meetings and cultivation.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills with careful attention to detail; able to work independently in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment while thriving as a collaborative team member.
• Diplomacy, professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment in handling confidential information and diverse relationships; a collaborative, flexible, solution-oriented approach.
• Computer literacy including Microsoft Office and Google Workspace, with proficiency in Raiser’s Edge and/or another fundraising CRM and donor research tools.
• Passion for Helen Keller Intl’s mission and interest in international development, global public health, nutrition, or vision programs.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3-4 years of relevant professional experience, including experience leading discrete projects.

Working Conditions/ Travel

• Ability and willingness to travel approximately 20% of the time, including some evening and weekend work.
• Ability and willingness to flex work hours occasionally to accommodate donor schedules and multiple time zones.

Compensation and benefits

Helen Keller offers a comprehensive benefits package. Specific offerings may vary by country in accordance with local laws. The compensation for this position will be aligned with the local salary structure. The full-time annualized salary range for this position based in New York is $62,000 to $93,000, with the midpoint of the salary range at $77,500.

Fairness, Belonging and Zero Tolerance to Abuse

As a member of the Helen Keller Family, each employee is expected to:

• Help to develop and maintain an environment that welcomes and develops a multi-cultural workforce with varied lived experiences and identities.
• Foster a work environment where everyone feels valued and included.
• Support employees’ evaluation and promotion processes based on skills and performance.
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all members of Helen Keller family, stakeholders in general, and particularly for the communities we serve.
• Follow Helen Keller Code of Conduct helping to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment, sexual abuse and exploitation, and trafficking in persons.
• Adhere to the Organizational Core Values, which include compassion, courage, integrity, and rigor.

In the spirit of the extraordinary ability and vision of our founder, Helen Keller Intl fosters an environment of fairness and belonging for our workforce.

Helen Keller Intl is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment.

*Locations where Helen Keller is a registered employer: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and United States: (California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia (DC), Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin).