Major Gifts Officer

About the Role:

The Brooklyn College Foundation is seeking a dynamic and experienced Major Gifts Officer to join our Institutional Advancement team. This pivotal role will manage a portfolio of 175–200 major gift prospects, playing a key part in the College’s capital campaign and fundraising initiatives. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in major gift fundraising, strong interpersonal and organizational skills, and a passion for higher education.

The Major Gifts Officer will represent the Brooklyn College Foundation to a wide range of constituents, including board members, donors, prospects, and friends of the College, building and nurturing meaningful relationships to support the institution's mission and goals.

Key Responsibilities:

• Cultivation and Solicitation:
• Develop and implement strategic plans to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift donors and prospects.
• Initiate and maintain meaningful engagement with potential donors to move them through the giving cycle effectively.
• Donor Stewardship:
• Build and maintain strong relationships with donors to ensure continued support and long-term engagement.
• Create tailored proposals, acknowledgments, and stewardship materials in collaboration with the Institutional Advancement team.
• Collaborative Campaign Leadership:
• Partner with campaign leadership, the College President, and senior staff to secure gifts aligned with campaign priorities.
• Support and guide board members and volunteers in their fundraising efforts.
• Portfolio Management:
• Monitor donor prospect activity to ensure positive and impactful donor relations.
• Evaluate cultivation strategies and prioritize donor interactions to achieve optimal outcomes.
• Administrative Duties:
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions and proposals in Raiser’s Edge or similar CRM systems.
• Support additional initiatives and projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required.

Experience:

• 3-5 years of successful experience in direct soliciting in major gift fundraising, ideally within higher education.

Skills:

• Exceptional research, writing, organizational, and communication skills.
• Strong project management capabilities, with the ability to balance multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors successfully.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Raiser’s Edge or similar database systems.
• Sound judgment, maturity, and the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders, including donors, trustees, faculty, and staff.

Additional Requirements:

• Willingness to travel and work occasional evenings and weekends as needed.
• A passion and commitment to advancing the Brooklyn College Foundation’s mission and fundraising priorities.

Application Process:

To apply, please email your resume and a compelling cover letter to Anna David at amjohnson@brooklyn.cuny.edu. Include "Major Gifts Officer" in the subject line.