Major Gifts Officer

About the role

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) serves as a senior member of the Focus: HOPE Development team, responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major and planned giving donors in support of the organization’s mission. This role manages a portfolio of major and planned giving prospects, builds and executes the organization's planned giving program, cultivates a volunteer-to-donor pipeline, collaborates on fundraising events, leads Focus: HOPE's annual appeals, and supervises key Development staff. The MGO partners closely with the Chief Philanthropy Officer on organizational fundraising strategy and serves as a deputy leader within the Development function.

Responsibilities

• Major Gifts
  • Manage an active portfolio of 100–125 major gift prospects and donors, developing individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies for each.
  • Conduct regular donor visits, high-touch outreach, and strategic stewardship, maintaining real-time tracking, forecasting, and pipeline metrics in the donor database (CRM).
  • Prepare formal gift proposals, briefing materials, and stewardship communications for major donors and prospects.
  • Partner with the CPO and CEO on cultivation and solicitation of principal-level gifts ($100,000+).
• Planned Giving
  • Design and launch a formal planned giving program, including marketing materials, gift-acceptance policies, and donor recognition (legacy society).
  • Identify and cultivate planned giving prospects among current donors, board members, and long-term supporters.
  • Serve as the organization's point of contact for bequest, trust, and other deferred gift inquiries, coordinating with donors' legal and financial advisors and the Finance Department as appropriate.
• Volunteer & Donor Pipeline
  • Engage and cultivate volunteers as prospective individual donors, developing a structured pathway from volunteer engagement to giving.
  • Partner with Program and Volunteer Management teams to identify high-potential volunteers for the individual giving pipeline.
• Annual Appeals & Fundraising Events
  • Lead planning and execution of Focus: HOPE's two annual appeals (Spring and End-of-Year), including strategy, segmentation, messaging, and results tracking.
  • Develop cultivation and solicitation strategies for the broader annual giving program, including direct mail, online giving, and monthly giving channels.
  • Develop donor re-engagement initiatives for lapsed donors and oversee stewardship and recognition activities to support donor retention and increased giving.
  • Collaborate in the planning and execution of 2–3 annual fundraising events, working with Marketing & Communications on logistics and donor engagement.
• Staff Supervision
  • Directly supervise the Development Coordinator and the Development & Marketing Associate, providing performance management, goal-setting, and professional development support.
  • Coordinate staff workplans to ensure alignment across Development and Communications priorities.
• Strategy & Leadership
  • Serve as a senior deputy within the Development function, supporting the CPO on organizational fundraising strategy and stepping in on key initiatives as needed.
  • Contribute to annual revenue planning and forecasting for the major and planned giving pipeline.
  • Encourage and support staff-wide colleague giving as part of Focus: HOPE's culture of philanthropy.
  • Collaborate with the Grants Manager and Corporate Philanthropy Officer on integrated donor campaigns and communications.
  • In coordination with the CPO and Marketing Manager, develop the organization’s annual report.
  • In coordination with the CPO and Marketing Manager, develop brand standards and guides.
  • In coordination with the CPO, direct the development of donor communications and collateral with Marketing staff.
  • Provide regular pipeline and program reporting to the CPO, including analysis and reporting on results across all annual giving program elements.
  • Work closely with the Finance Department to ensure accurate representation of contributed revenue in monthly financial reports.
  • Oversee CRM data integrity and moves management protocols within RENXT, including pipeline tracking for major/principal gift prospects, report generation for board and leadership, and coordination with Development Coordinator on data entry standards.

Requirements

• Education, Training, & Experience:
  • Bachelor’s degree required.
  • 5+ years of progressive major gifts fundraising experience; planned giving and event management experience strongly preferred.
  • Verified track record of closing five- and six-figure gifts.
  • Prior supervisory experience.
  • Familiarity with planned giving vehicles (bequests, charitable gift annuities, trusts) and gift-acceptance considerations.
  • Experience with donor database/CRM systems.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfort with direct donor engagement at a senior level.
  • Commitment to Focus: HOPE's pledge of intelligent and practical action to overcome racism, poverty, and injustice.
• Physical Demands & Working Conditions:
  • Work Location: Standard office environment; regular local travel required throughout Southeast Michigan for donor visits and community events.
  • Schedule: Occasional early mornings, evenings, or weekends required to attend fundraising events, donor dinners, and board meetings.
  • Physical Requirements: Ability to operate standard office equipment, converse effectively in person and virtually, and transport donor/event collateral up to 20 lbs.

Benefits

• Paid Vacation Time
• Paid Sick Time
• 12 Paid Holidays Per Year
• 401K Match
• Medical / Dental / Vision
• Life and AD&D (Employer Paid)
• Voluntary Life and AD&D
• AFLAC (Voluntary)
• Short Term Disability (Voluntary)
• Long Term Disability (Employer Paid)
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• FSA Plan (Flex Spending Account)
• Paid Parental Leave