Oxfam America

Major Gifts Officer(New Position)

Department: Resource Development

REPORTS TO:

Director of Major Gifts

COORDINATES WITH: 

VP and Deputy Director for Resource Development, Director of Capital Campaign, Leadership Giving, Institutional Support, and Direct Marketing.  Also Oxfam’s Program Division, Executive Office, Board, and Leadership Council, as well as key volunteers, donors, and prospects.     

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

To increase financial support from and involvement of a portfolio of high
capacity individual Major Donor prospects, and to expand both the number and loyalty of these donors
through networking, cultivation, and the Capital Campaign.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Prepare and implement a strategic plan for the cultivation and solicitation of an assigned portfolio of up to 200 Major Donor prospects with the potential to make $10,000+ annual gifts and/or multi-year Campaign pledges.  Achieve annual revenue goal and assist in meeting departmental and campaign goals.  Increase the number and quality of Major Donor prospects through research, networking and cultivation. 
  2. Allocate and prioritize time and travel resources for greatest return on investment.Conduct visits and other high-level interactions with prospects, documenting actions as appropriate.  Prepare correspondence and proposals.  Ensure annual requests of all prospects, and that all requests are closed on schedule and acknowledged accordingly.
  3. Support the Capital Campaign by working with Campaign Director and team members to identify prospects, formulate strategies, recruit and support campaign volunteers, and communicate the Case for Support and progress on campaign initiatives to external constituents.  Provide stewardship to donors and ensure pledge fulfillment.
  4. Participate actively in Prospect Review meetings to share and request ideas for cultivation and solicitation strategies for both campaign and annual gifts.  Support interactive learning by all team members. 
  5. Engage and support volunteer and staff leadership in fundraising process.  Recommend timing for visits by leaders, and prepare background reports, strategies, scripts and talking points and manage briefing sessions.  Accompany on visits as appropriate, debrief and manage follow up activity.
  6. Identify, recruit, and support hosts for cultivation and fundraising events.
    -Engage hosts in assisting with prospecting and recruiting major gifts volunteers.
    -Oversee event planning and execution including direction and strategy and follow--up and prioritization based on resources available.
    -Support Leadership Council (LC) event(s) and recruitment, and develop strategies and involvement plans for assigned LC members.
  7. Collaborate with Departmental Administrative Assistant as a team member, providing direction and checking on progress of assigned tasks as needed.  Share responsibility for the timely and accurate completion of routine projects such as gift acknowledgements, mailings, invitations, and database coding of gifts. 
  8. Build relationships with program staff, communications staff, and others to acquire the information needed to solicit gifts and build donor relationships effectively.  Collaborate with other fundraising staff, especially the Major Gifts Research Officer and Gift Planning Officer, to strengthen strategies, enhance creative approaches, and assist in prioritization of portfolio.
  9. Perform related duties as required.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE POSITION:

  • The incumbent will stay abreast of professional standards, trends and issues affecting this set of responsibilities, demonstrating continuous learning of the field.
  • S/he will work effectively in support of a team-based work culture, will perform all duties appropriate to a multi-cultural environment, treating all persons with dignity and respect, and will be familiar with and committed to Oxfam America mission and goals.
  • Must be able to travel approximately 20-30% of work time.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience

Core Competencies:

  1. 5-7 years of experience in direct personal major donor solicitation at the $10,000+ level and using major gifts tracking tools.
  2. Commitment to goal attainment, high degree of initiative, and ability to motivate and engage high level volunteers and donors.
  3. Demonstrated ability to work with high degree of autonomy and accountability and to be a team player.
  4. Superior oral and written communication, as well as interpersonal and motivational skills including specific experience writing funding proposals.
  5. Ability to develop and follow through on creative and effective solicitation strategies and to generate enthusiasm for them among team members.
  6. Highly organized and proficient in word-processing, ability to access database information, and strong investigative skills.
  7. Excellent time management and prioritization skills. 

Preferred: 

  1. Capital campaign gift cultivation and solicitation experience.
  2. Experience in project management and/or implementation of cultivation events.
  3. Experience working with executive staff, board members and major gifts volunteers.
  4. Public speaking experience.
  5. Knowledge of basic finance or accounting principles.
  6. Fluency in Spanish or French.

Desired: 

Prior cause-related fundraising experience in a national organization.
Experience in the field of international development or related issues.
 
Exempt

Please see our How to Apply page for application information. Oxfam America is an Equal Opportunity Employer.