Job Details
Our Client is signficantly increasing their major gift solicittion and stewardship across the US and are seeking dynamic and entrepreneurial leaders who will be successful as an individual contributor in a robust fundraising operation through solicitations and closing gifts at the six-figure and above level. The Major Gifts Officer will develop, engage, and solicit a portfolio of prospective donors capable of gifts of at least $100,000.
Responsibilities include developing and managing a portfolio of donors for the purpose of supporting the various science and research priorities of WIS. The Major Gifts Officer will work independently to arrange in-person meetings including follow up, working collaboratively and creatively with the territorial team, the faculty and volunteers, to plan and implement thoughtful engagement, solicitation, and stewardship strategies. The selected candidate will contribute in a comprehensive manner tothe organizations strategic plan, priorities, programs, and key financial measures to best represent the Institute’s interests.
Reporting to the Executive Director of Major Gifts, the Major Gifts Officer will focus primary on securing support from donors and prospects in their assigned territory. This includes developing and broadening the major gifts pool, soliciting leadership gifts, and strengthening donor stewardship. Exceptional candidates must have the creativity and grit required to connect with current donors and new prospects through a variety of mediums including cold calling, cold emailing, personalized mailing tactics, identification of a warm introduction through a common connection or other means necessary for success. The candidate has the flexibility to live wherever they prefer for this remote position, and will be assigned a territory as close as possible to where they reside.
Key Activities:
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of approximately 50-75 +/- major gifts prospects
• Develop strategies and approaches to generate higher levels of giving; conduct approximately 12-15 substantiative visits with prospects and donors per month
• Make at least 15 major gift ($100,000+) solicitations per year once fully onboarded
• Identify and qualify new prospects by working independently and with colleagues, including the Prospect Management and Research team in the national office.
• Track progress against goals by developing and maintaining regular Moves Management reports, while reporting out at monthly revenue calls with national colleagues.
• Work in partnership with the Principal Gifts team on identifying a customized cultivation and solicitation strategy for those prospects with gift capacity at $5M and above.
• Lead specialized donor cultivation and recognition activities for high-capacity donors including mission trips to the Weizmann Institute campus in Israel and locally based intimate lectures connecting donors with Weizmann scientists.
• Track all prospect outreach and information in Raiser’s Edge and input contact reports in a timely fashion.
Minimum Qualifications & Requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree required. MBA, advanced degree, or additional certifications (e.g., CFRE) preferred.
• 5+ years of proven experience in major gifts cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship and/or campaigns with a proven record of success.