Leadership Annual Giving Officer

The Leadership Annual Giving Officer (Gift Officer I) identifies and cultivates relationships with donor prospects at leadership annual giving levels, develops and implements fundraising plans, and collaborates with Advancement staff to meet predefined gift contribution goals. This frontline development role manages a portfolio of up to 200 mid‑capacity prospects and employs data‑driven, AI‑assisted strategies to advance fundraising efforts across the University of Wisconsin‑Milwaukee campus and its affiliated foundation.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of up to 200 donors and prospects.
• Work with university leadership to set fundraising goals.
• Develop custom strategies to engage and solicit donors and prospects.
• Engage prospects through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.
• Utilize database and AI‑assisted solutions to track relationship status and optimize portfolio management.
• Adopt a team‑centric approach, building partnerships with University Advancement staff, academic leaders, and the UWM Foundation.
• Demonstrate independent, proactive, creative, and strategic thinking in all work.
• Maintain strong verbal and written communication skills; leverage technology for efficient results.
• Manage multiple simultaneous assignments and meet deadlines without compromising quality.
• Identify, promote, and maintain donor relationships; uncover solicitation opportunities to meet program funding goals.
• Develop and deliver targeted fundraising and communication programs and materials aligned with strategic initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Prospect Management Team to update prospect portfolios and evaluate existing strategies.
• Serve as a front‑facing member of the University Advancement team, providing information to donors and representing institutional interests.
• Act as a liaison to internal and external constituencies, representing the university’s interests.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience in a client‑service profession such as advancement, development, non‑profit management, or a related field.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with computers and standard applications (Microsoft Office, Adobe, etc.).
• Preferred: Demonstrated track record of successful annual gift solicitation, sponsorship solicitations, or equivalent measurable achievement.
• Broad‑based fundraising experience in annual giving, proposal/report preparation, event or meeting planning.
• Experience with customer relationship management (CRM) software or other database solutions for event management or marketing.
• Experience conceiving and managing projects from inception to delivery, including tracking and reporting results.
• Experience working in large, complex institutions such as universities, hospitals, or government agencies.

Compensation

$60,000 – $70,000 (final salary offer determined based on qualifications and experience)

Contact Information

Deshanna Taylor – HR Coordinator
taylor@uwm.edu