Major Gifts Officer

About the Role

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) is a highly autonomous fundraising professional responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major, principal, and planned gifts in support of Pets In Need's mission and long-term sustainability. This relationship-driven role requires exceptional communication, strategic thinking, and interpersonal skills to build meaningful partnerships with individual philanthropists, family foundations, corporate partners, and community leaders.

Reporting to the Director of Development and Marketing, the MGO will develop and execute individualized engagement strategies that align donor interests with organizational priorities, secure transformational philanthropic investments, and strengthen Pets In Need's major gifts, principal gifts, and planned giving program. The MGO will work collaboratively with the Director of Development and Marketing, additional members of the Leadership Team, and program staff to identify funding opportunities, deepen donor engagement, and advance the organization's strategic fundraising goals.

Responsibilities

• Develop, manage, and grow a portfolio of major, principal, planned giving, and future comprehensive campaign prospects.
• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospective donors through all stages of the donor lifecycle using individualized engagement strategies.
• Secure transformational philanthropic investments, including five, six, and seven-figure major gifts, principal gifts, planned gifts, and future comprehensive campaign commitments.
• Partner with the Director of Development and Marketing to strengthen Pets In Need's annual giving program by identifying opportunities to deepen donor engagement and inspire increased philanthropic investment.
• Build and maintain meaningful, long-term relationships with donors, prospects, volunteers, community leaders, and strategic partners.
• Collaborate with the Director of Development and Marketing to develop annual fundraising strategies, campaign priorities, and long-term philanthropic initiatives that advance Pets In Need's mission.

Individual Giving

• Manage a dynamic portfolio of individual donors and prospects through the full continuum of relationship building, including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and renewal.
• Conduct regular discovery visits and personalized donor meetings to align philanthropic interests with organizational priorities while documenting engagement strategies, next steps, and fundraising outcomes in Salesforce.
• Support annual giving initiatives by helping identify upgrade opportunities, deepen donor engagement, and cultivate future major gift prospects.

Planned Giving & Capital Campaigns

• Develop and grow Pets In Need's planned giving program by identifying legacy giving opportunities, educating prospective donors on charitable estate planning options, and stewarding legacy commitments.
• Support the planning and execution of a future comprehensive campaign through prospect identification, campaign strategy development, donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

External Relations & Donor Communications

• Represent Pets In Need with donors, prospective supporters, volunteers, foundations, corporations, and community leaders to build awareness, strengthen relationships, and inspire philanthropic investment.
• Prepare compelling donor proposals, presentations, gift agreements, stewardship reports, and donor communications.
• Coordinate donor meetings, site visits, and engagement opportunities with the Director of Development and Marketing and members of the Leadership Team.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Project Leadership

• Serve as the lead relationship manager for major, principal, planned giving, and comprehensive campaign opportunities by partnering across departments to identify meaningful funding priorities and develop compelling cases for support.
• Collaborate with Leadership Team members and program experts to translate organizational priorities into philanthropic opportunities while maintaining a strong understanding of fundraising best practices, charitable giving vehicles, and legal and regulatory considerations affecting philanthropy.
• Contribute to the success of the Development and Marketing Department by supporting organization-wide fundraising initiatives, special events, donor stewardship activities, and strategic projects as needed.
• Demonstrate flexibility and a collaborative mindset by assisting with department priorities that advance Pets In Need's overall fundraising and engagement goals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• 3-5 years direct experience in Development and Fundraising.
• Excellent leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• High level of integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to the organization’s mission and a desire to make a significant impact on the organization’s growth.
• Experience in animal welfare, healthcare, higher education, or another mission-driven organization with complex programs and diverse stakeholder engagement is highly desirable.

Working Conditions

Primarily office-based with time spent traveling between shelter locations and donor locations.

Pay

Target salary range is $85,000 to $100,000 depending upon experience.