Major Gifts Officer (Chicago)

Status: Full-time | Division: Fund Development | Location: Chicago, IL

About the role

The Major Gifts Officer manages relationships with current and prospective major donors to generate revenue and deepen support for IDEA’s mission. Reporting to the Regional Manager, the Major Gifts Officer identifies, qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards donors through personalized engagement strategies, meetings, proposals, and other meaningful outreach. The role works closely with regional staff, organizational leadership, volunteers, and cross-functional departments to grow the major-gifts pipeline, strengthen donor relationships, and advance IDEA’s fundraising and community-development goals.

Responsibilities

• Manages and grows relationships with a portfolio of major donors and qualified prospects.
• Develops and implements strategies for the identification of new donors, and for the cultivation and stewardship of current donors through appropriate personalized outreach initiatives.
• Implements fundraising strategies from individuals through major gift campaigns, personal cultivation/solicitation, planned giving vehicles and special events designed for individual donors.
• Contributes to major-gifts strategy and develops individualized engagement plans for assigned donors and prospects in coordination with the Regional Manager and appropriate Fund Development leadership.
• Develops and manages the major gifts annual operational and revenue plans in conjunction with the regional team’s annual plan.
• Coordinates and liaises with other Fund Development team members, executive management, and other relevant departments regarding relationship building and donor cultivation events, including briefings, private and public presentations, and special events to provide a source of targeted funding.
• Contacts and meets with prospective and current donors through personal or virtual visits, spending approximately 50% of time meeting with active and prospective donors.
• Participates in and assists with the regional development strategy and community outreach.
• Liaises with consultants and external contacts to progress and facilitate corporate giving and like strategies.
• Works closely with executive management and fund development staff to ensure that major donors are acknowledged in a personal and time-sensitive manner and receive appropriate stewardship and impact reporting.
• Writes and