Major Gifts Officer

About the role

The Major Gifts Officer plays a key frontline fundraising role within the Development team, helping to grow and sustain a pipeline of individual donors in support of the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC). This position focuses on relationship-building, prospect research, and donor engagement strategies, and solicitation, while also supporting the planning and execution of a comprehensive campaign.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a portfolio of 100+ major, mid-level, and planned giving prospects.
• Develop and implement strategic approaches to engage both new and existing donors, with a focus on deepening relationships and increasing philanthropic support.
• Document at least 15 in-person or virtual visits per month.
• Support the Director of Individual Giving in identifying, cultivating, and stewarding major and planned giving prospects.
• Aid in preparing donor briefings, proposals, and stewardship materials for the CEO, Chief Development Officer, and other senior staff.
• Track donor interactions and moves management activity in the donor database (Bloomerang).

Donor Stewardship & Communications

• Draft and coordinate personalized donor communications including thank-you notes, emails, proposals, and reports.
• Ensure moves management efforts are being tracked in the agency’s donor database.
• Cultivate relationships with donor advisors and wealth managers to facilitate giving through donor advised funds.
• Steward relationships with existing donors, developing strategies to retain and deepen engagement.

Campaign Support & Project Management

• Support the CEO, CDO, and Director in advancing strategic major gift opportunities in support of the comprehensive campaign.
• Help track campaign milestones, donor and prospect lists, outreach efforts, and fundraising progress.
• Aid in producing materials and preparing meeting agendas and follow-ups for campaign leadership and volunteer committees.

Events & Prospecting

• Develop prospect lists and solicit sponsorships for DWC’s annual fundraising gala.
• Support the CEO and CDO by developing pre- and post-event stewardship and cultivation strategies for donors.
• Work with the Director – Events to plan and execute donor stewardship and prospecting events.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have any supervisory responsibilities.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool, as necessary. The employee must be able to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Required Education, Experience, and Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience soliciting and securing individual gifts of $10,000 or more, with a strong track record in relationship management, donor cultivation, moves management, and external relations; experience working with board committees preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5-7 years of progressive fundraising experience required.
• Experience with CRM software and donor databases.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.
• Commitment to the mission and values of the Downtown Women’s Center.
• Cultural humility.
• Must be a CA resident and live no more than 80 miles from DWC; must be available for in-person meetings at DWC.
• Must provide documentation of a negative TB test result within the last twelve months, on first day of hire.

Pay Range

$85,000 - $92,000/year