Senior Major Gifts Officer

Position Description

POSITION TITLE: Senior Major Gifts Officer

DEPARTMENT: Office of Advancement

POSITION STATUS: Full-Time (12-month)

POSITION REPORTS TO: Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement, the Senior Major Gifts Officer will provide leadership in building lasting relationships with assigned prospects and donors, and securing the resources needed to support the major gifts work of AUM Advancement and AUM’s philanthropic mission. The Senior Major Gifts Officer works with Advancement leadership, Board members, and other key donors to identify, cultivate, and invite alumni, parents, and friends of AUM capable of making major gifts, and to develop both long-term and immediate strategies for the engagement of major gift donors in all matters pertaining to the advancement and philanthropic support of the University.

Major Responsibilities, Duties, and Essential Functions

•Maintain a well-qualified, substantive portfolio of major gift prospects. Independently manage a portfolio of 80 to 120 major gift prospects.

•Ability to travel as necessary to cultivate and invite major gifts.

•Capacity and knowledge to utilize metrics to track activity and analyze outcomes, utilizing a return on investment strategy to manage donor portfolio.

•Identify and Cultivate Prospects: Discover and build relationships with potential major giving prospects through research, initial contact ratings, peer reviews, and other resources. Understand the passions and interests of prospects to align their philanthropic goals with AUM's mission.

•Develop and implement cultivation plans tailored to each individual major prospect.

•Solicit and Secure Gifts: Engage with prospects to solicit major gifts through person-toperson visits, group presentations, and phone calls. Present compelling cases for support, highlighting the transformative power of their contributions.

•Develop campaigns and/or presentation proposals related to funding priorities to keep top prospects informed, interested, and involved to meet advancement goals and objectives.

•Develop reports, records, and programs and analyze information necessary to plan and complete projects and assignments.

•Stewardship and Engagement: Show gratitude for donations through personalized acknowledgements, and keep donors informed and involved by attending events and maintaining regular contact. Ensure donors feel valued and connected to the impact of their gifts.

•Champion Philanthropy: Impact a culture of giving for AUM, encouraging alumni and stakeholders to support the university's mission and vision. Foster a sense of pride and ownership among donors, showcasing the transformative impact their gifts have on AUM's future.

Essential Skills and Characteristics

• Proven track record of advancement and major gift fundraising success in a multifaceted setting with a demonstrated commitment to excellence, growth, and a culture of integrity.

• A sophisticated level of knowledge of prospect management systems and the major gift donor cycle, including the qualification, discovery, cultivation, invitation, and stewardship of major gift prospects.

• A high level of proficiency utilizing donor database (Salesforce) and prospect research functions to identify and qualify top prospects.

• Knowledge of multiple advanced fundraising techniques and best practices.

• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills that demonstrate a willingness to listen and share.

• Exceptional and effective planning, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

•Strong analytical skills to interpret data and effectively prioritize projects and actions.

• Deep personal integrity and honesty, with a commitment to transparency, accountability, respect, and teamwork.

•A collaborative style marked by enthusiasm, a positive approach, diplomacy, resilience, humility, and trust.

•The ability to learn quickly and to translate ideas into action, with a decision-making approach that is thoughtful, consultative, decisive and results oriented.

•Highly motivated and a self-starter.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

•A bachelor’s degree is required, and a master’s degree is preferred.

Experience

•A minimum of five (5) years of successful major gifts and development experience. Experience serving in major gifts fundraising in a higher educational setting is preferred.

To Apply

•Nominations and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed in confidence to Gonser Gerber Search at search@gonsergerber.com.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, résumé, and three (3) professional references. References will not be contacted until later in the search process. Diverse and traditionally underrepresented candidates are encouraged to apply.