Major Gifts Officer

About the Role

The Major Gifts Officer is responsible for the strategic management of a portfolio of approximately 150-175 major gift prospects and donors aligned within a specific geographic territory on the West Coast (geography may change over time). This role focuses on individuals capable of making gifts of $100,000 - $3,000,000 to the University. The Officer is expected to raise a minimum of $2M and, over time, upwards of $4M annually from their portfolio.

The position can be located in either Providence, RI or California near a major metropolitan area.

Responsibilities

• Manage effective relationships with alumni, parents, and friends, encompassing prospect and donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develop solicitation strategies and close major gifts aligned with University campaigns and major fundraising priorities.
• Collaborate and partner with colleagues, peers, and fundraising unit managers across diverse fundraising programs.
• Work with regional volunteers as needed.
• Plan and manage regional events.
• Staff University administrators and faculty on development visits with prospects and donors.
• Record activities, contacts, proposals, and strategic plans in the donor database.
• Serve as a liaison between the Division of Advancement and Brown’s alumni, parents, and friends, leveraging in-depth knowledge of the University, its initiatives, and its constituents.
• Interact regularly with a diverse range of University colleagues, including Advancement leadership, Alumni Relations, Development, academic departments, and faculty.
• Travel frequently throughout the United States to attend programs, events, and meetings with donors and leadership volunteers.
• Work occasional evenings and weekends as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of relevant experience (development, sales, customer relations, etc.) or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in a higher education or non-profit setting preferred; direct experience with fundraising, volunteer management, and knowledge of Brown University is highly desired.
• Proven ability to solicit and close philanthropic gifts at the $100,000+ level.
• Strong organizational and planning skills with the ability to initiate, collaborate, implement, monitor, evaluate, and advance strategic plans.
• Superior interpersonal skills with the ability to interact and collaborate professionally with varied constituencies, including individuals of considerable social status and affluence.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, team-building skills, and demonstrated tact, poise, and diplomacy.
• Ability to apply good judgment and responsible decision-making skills, particularly when handling highly confidential information.
• Detail-oriented, self-starter with the ability to work independently and manage multiple projects under aggressive timelines.
• Working knowledge of email, calendars, Windows environment (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Suite, Adobe Acrobat, and donor databases.
• Ability to work in hybrid and remote environments.
• Commitment to working in a team environment.
• Decisiveness, trustworthiness, discretion, and creativity.

Benefits

Please review additional information on the Benefits of Working at Brown.