Job DetailsLevel: ExperiencedJob Location: Sweet Briar College - Sweet Briar, VA 24595Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: 4 Year DegreeTravel Percentage: Up to 50% Job Shift: DayJob Title: Major Gift Officer
Job Title: Major Gift Officer
Classification: Exempt
Reports To: Chief Development Officer. The Senior Director of Major Gifts will provide indirect supervision and management to the analytical activities of major gift officers.
Job Summary/Objective: The Major Gift Officer will be responsible for cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major gifts in support of the college’s mission and strategic priorities. This role focuses on building meaningful, long-term relationships with alumnae, parents, and friends to secure significant philanthropic investments that advance academic programs, student scholarships, faculty support, and campus initiatives.
Position Type/Expected Work Hours: Full time, Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm with flexibility for events and weekends as needed.
Essential Responsibilities:
Responsible for a personal solicitation portfolio of up to 100 Sweet Briar donors with a focus on donors capable of making gifts of $25,000 or more to be determined in consultation with Senior Director of Major Gifts and other leadership;
Develop individual donor strategies to include written cultivation and solicitation plans for all assigned prospects;
Conduct regular outreach, including in-person visits, virtual meetings, and personalized communications.
Collaborate with colleagues on annual giving, planned giving, and campaign initiatives
Report and record in Banner all contacts, solicitations, next steps and outcomes;
Stewardship of donors and prospects;
Participate in regular Major Gift Officer meetings;
Assist with updating prospect bios;
Assist with developing overall fundraising strategies;
Willingness to travel for alumnae/donor meetings;
Represent the College as requested at alumnae/donor events;
Help identify and cultivate potential alumnae leaders and prospects.
QualificationsRequired Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree required;
Minimum of three to five years of experience in donor relations, fundraising and stewardship;
Proficient in all aspects of Advancement to include annual, major, and planned giving;
Highly effective communications skills, written and oral;
Knowledge and utilization of on-line fundraising strategies;
Excellent judgment and high integrity;
Positive and approachable interpersonal style, able to win trust among co-workers;
Commitment to mission and strategic priorities of the College
Expert level skills with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google platform
Ability to learn complex computer system quickly and individually
Preferred Qualifications:
Advanced Degree in a related field;
Applicable experience within an institution of higher education;
Experience working with alumni and volunteer leaders.
Familiarity of gift tax implications and rules, nonprofit accounting, GAAP, and CASE rules and regulations;
CFRE designation
Work Environment:
Traditional office environment, primarily indoors.
This position requires frequent travel, including regional and occasional national trips, to meet with donors and attend college events.
Currently this is an on-campus position.
Travel: 75% for travel. Expectation of minimum 15 donor calls per month.
Physical Demands: Extensive computer use and typing; extended periods of sitting/standing may be required.
