Major Gifts Officer

The Major Gifts Officer should possess a track record of successful relationship management and a demonstrated ability to close significant and complex philanthropic commitments. Major Gifts Officers at Davidson manage a portfolio of approximately 125 prospective and current donors and are deployed throughout the United States. Responsibilities include developing philanthropic relationships with alumni, parents, and friends of Davidson in support of the college's ambitious fundraising goals.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop and manage productive philanthropic relationships with donors capable of making significant and complex commitments.
• Using the Blackbaud CRM system develop and maintain individualized prospect engagement and solicitation plans based on individual donor interests.
• Travel regularly to assigned cities and regions including San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, DC, North Florida, and the Deep South. Territories are assigned by the Senior Director of Major Gifts and are subject to change at the Senior Director's discretion.
• Conduct a minimum of 144 (12 per month) personal visits annually with major gift prospects.
• Establish and meet measurable annual goals for major gift proposal activity.
• Efficiently manage travel logistics and expenses.
• Serve as a development liaison to a specific area of the college assigned by the director and serve as a subject matter expert for that area.
• Maintain a complete record of all donor interactions using the Blackbaud CRM system.
• Actively engage in the life of the college through attendance at campus events.
• Staff College Relations special events on campus and in regional territories on an as needed basis.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum three years experience in development or related field (e.g., sales or marketing)
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Willingness to travel extensively
• Ability to manage projects and initiatives

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience working with major donors and a track record of closing significant philanthropic commitments
• Project management experience.

Those who may not fully meet the qualifications, but believe they can demonstrate their suitability for the position, are still encouraged to apply. We are eager to meet candidates with a wide range of experiences and skills.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Major Gifts Officer must possess strong oral and written communication skills, the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, and must be self-directed, motivated, and organized. A Major Gifts Officer must be able to engage and develop rapport with donors from diverse backgrounds. High professional standards are required, with an understanding of boundaries associated with donor confidentiality.

Additional skills:
* Significant experience using MS Office software
* High degree of comfort with information technology and learning new software
* Experience with Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) software and/or ability to quickly gain proficiency in CRM.
* Organizational and planning skills
* Information gathering and information monitoring skills
* Problem and data analysis skills
* Judgment and decision-making ability
* Initiative and self-motivation
* Attention to detail and accuracy
* Flexibility and adaptability

As a part of your application materials, a resume and cover letter are required. Information about how to submit the application documents can be found at https://employment.davidson.edu

Interested but unsure about submitting your application? Please apply and give us an opportunity to tell you more, or feel free to connect with the hiring manager, Jeff Prince, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-prince-7475278/