Description

The Major Gifts Officer will play a crucial role in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major gift prospects to secure substantial donations for our agency’s programs and initiatives. Reporting to the head of development, the Major Gifts Officer will be instrumental in sustaining our major gifts pipeline and maximizing philanthropic support. The ideal candidate will be responsible for articulating UMC’s structure, theology, polity, and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion to potential donors and stakeholders. Therefore, they must possess or be willing to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the denominations’ theological principles, organizational structure, and governance.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities:

• Major Gift Prospecting: Identify and cultivate relationships with major gift prospects annually. Develop tailored cultivation strategies based on donor interests and organizational priorities.
• Solicitation Strategies: Develop and execute solicitation strategies to secure major gifts that align with our funding priorities. Collaborate with the Director of Development and key stakeholders to craft compelling proposals and presentations for donor engagement.
• Donor Stewardship: Build and maintain long-term relationships with major donors through personalized stewardship activities. Ensure donors receive timely acknowledgments and reports on the impact of their gifts.
• Proposal Preparation: Prepare detailed and compelling proposals and stewardship reports for major gift prospects and donors. Tailor communications to align with donor interests and organizational goals.
• Reporting and Tracking: Track and report on major gift activities monthly to monitor progress towards fundraising goals. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of donor interactions and contributions in the database.
• Goal Achievement: Regularly meet and exceed internal goals set for activity and revenue secured. Cultivate relationships with a portfolio of 75-125 major gift prospects and maintain ongoing engagement with major donors.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field such as public relations, marketing, or communications.
• Proven experience in fundraising, particularly in securing $100k plus in major gifts from individuals or corporations. A minimum of five (5) years of fundraising experience is a plus.
• High energy, positive, can-do attitude, flexibility, teamwork, and attention to detail; high degree of initiative.
• Strong strategic planning and organizational skills.
• Five (5) years plus donor management and relationship experience with donor database background, preferably within the nonprofit sector.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with donors.
• A solid understanding of finances and budgeting.