Title: Major Gifts Officer
Status: Half-time, Exempt
Salary: To be determined depending on experience
Hours: Flexible; will include meetings after “regular” business hours
Reports to: Executive Director
Position Description:
Sasha Bruce Youthwork (SBY) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of youth and families in the Washington DC area. The agency includes 19 programs ranging from shelter for homeless youth to service-enriched transitional housing to street outreach, as well as a variety of counseling interventions using a competency-based youth development approach. Under the direction of the Executive Director, and working in close collaboration with the Development Director and the Board of Directors, the Major Gifts Officer will improve the agency’s ability to promote its mission through development of relationships with—and solicitation of major gifts from–individual and corporate prospects.
Minimum Qualifications and Skills:
Bachelor’s Degree, Masters preferred
Willingness to work towards fundraising goals in a 20-hour per week capacity through a flexible schedule
Three years successful experience in major or planned gift fundraising
Ability to understand the needs and interests of leadership and major gift donors in order to develop relationships between them and the agency
Interest in all aspects of youth development and a dedication to promoting the agency’s fundraising priorities through developing excellent relationships with board members, senior staff and volunteers
Successful experience in making cold calls as well as developing cultivation and solicitation strategies
Must have excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrated record of completing assignments
High emotional intelligence and sound ability to make qualification/disqualifications decisions
Entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to try experimental strategies to launch a major gifts program
Must be willing to travel in the Greater Washington DC Area
Excellent written and oralcommunication skills
Detail-oriented and organized
Duties and Responsibilities:
Build the agency’s capacity over the course of at least 3 years to operate a high-functioning, results-oriented major gifts program focused on new donor recruitment, donor retention, and stewardship.
Work with Executive Director, Development Director and Board of Directors to identify and appropriately solicit supporters. This will entail competence using SBY’s development database, as well as creating and maintaining major gifts tracking tools as needed.
Work with key staff and board members to identify fundraising priorities and develop case statements
Participate in meetings of the governing board’s fundraising committee; facilitate meetings of its Major Gifts Task Force
Meet major gift targets of $125,000 during first year of employment, and $250,000 during second year of employment.
Conduct 6 face-to-face visits per month.
Build and maintain a portfolio of approximately 75-100 prospects using annual fund data and research tools
Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward important donors, friends of donors and major gift prospects, including stakeholders at local or national corporations; responsible for soliciting gifts of $20,000 and higher from these individuals/institutions.
Work collaboratively with and in support of volunteers, the agency’s development staff, and other agency representatives to cultivate and solicit donors for agency-wide priorities, including special events.
Lead all aspects of the gift cycle:
– Initiate contacts with potential leadership and major gift donors
– Develop appropriate cultivation strategies for them, including volunteers
– Move potential donors in an appropriate and timely fashion toward solicitation and closure
– Make solicitations when appropriate – initial target is 10 per year
– Maintain stewardship contacts with donors; adhere to the highest ethical standards.
Monitors all prospect contacts to ensure positive and purposeful prospect and donor relations.
Work with the Development Director as the agency conducts direct mail solicitations and on-line fundraising efforts.
Maintain internal and external case materials.
How to apply
Send email message with the following attachments: a cover letter which describes qualifications for this position and a resume to:
Deborah Shore
Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Inc.