Reports To:

Sr. Director of Individual Giving and Stewardship

Job Summary/Objective:

The major gifts officer will cultivate, solicit and steward gifts from an assigned portfolio of up to 150 prospects for leadership annual giving ($7,500 to $50,000 annually) and multi-year capital and endowment priorities ($25,000) and up.

Position Type/Expected Work Hours: 40 hours per week with travel

Essential Responsibilities:

• Cultivate, solicit, and close gifts from assigned portfolio of major gift prospects for leadership annual giving ($7,500 to $50,000 annually) and multi-year capital and endowment priorities ($25,000 and up). Portfolio size will be up to 150 prospects.
• Develop individual donor strategies for all assigned prospects, working with VP for AR & D and Director of Major Gifts, prospecting/research staff and volunteers/peers with knowledge of prospect.
• Make a minimum 60 intentional contacts per month (face-to-face and telephone contacts):
  • 20 solicitations and closing of gifts
  • 20 specific cultivations that move the prospect toward making a gift
  • 20 discovery contacts to qualify identified prospects
• Report and record in fundraising database (Banner) all contacts, solicitations, closing of gifts, next steps, and results/outcomes. Contact reports should be recorded within one week of action and should include a next step for each prospect.
• Meet and exceed defined fundraising metrics that measure activity (number of contacts, from discovery calls to cultivations/solicitations) and outcomes (dollars raised, numbers of gifts closed, yield of ask amount to resulting gift, amount of time from ask to close).
• Participate in regular prospect review meetings
• Assist with stewardship of donors in assigned portfolio
• Assist with updating prospect bios
• Assist with developing overall fundraising strategies and proposed capital campaign planning
• Represent the institution as requested at alumni/donor events

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Three or more years in personal solicitation with a college, university, school or other non-profit
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills
• A passion for and commitment to the mission of Sweet Briar College
• Ability to maintain flexibility while working with internal team
• Proven fundraising track record in soliciting and closing major gifts
• Results driven, self-motivated, and action-oriented
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of all donor/prospect information
• Professional demeanor in all contacts with donors and prospects, volunteers, peers, faculty and staff
• Willingness and ability to travel to meet with prospects/donors

Preferred Qualifications:

• Five or more years of major gifts experience in a higher education setting or similar nonprofit setting
• Master’s degree

Work Environment: The position will require talking on the telephone, sitting at a desk, and frequent travel. Primarily indoors, but some outdoor environments may also be required.

Physical Demands: Extensive periods of sitting/standing, talking on the telephone and working on the computer are required.

Travel: Frequent travel will be required.

Deadline for Submission: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until filled.

Other Duties: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

How to Apply: If applying for a faculty or staff position, please ensure you have attached a cover letter, résumé and three professional references to your online application, and that you have fully completed the online applicant profile information.