Major Gift Officer

St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute
Buffalo, NY

St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute seeks a Major Gift Officer to join its Advancement team during

an exciting period of institutional growth and in the beginning phase of a comprehensive capital

campaign. Reporting to the Vice President of Advancement, this position is responsible for

identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major gift prospects on behalf of SJCI's mission and its

students. The Major Gift Officer will help shape and grow a comprehensive advancement

program and play a key role in building campaign momentum.


Roles and Responsibilities:

Portfolio Management

• Manage an active portfolio of 135 prospects through disciplined moves management,

advancing each relationship from identification through stewardship

• Conduct at least 120 face-to-face visits annually, developing individualized cultivation

and solicitation strategies for each prospect in the portfolio

• Regularly evaluate portfolio composition, in concert with the Senior Director of

Advancement Operations, promoting and disqualifying prospects to maintain pipeline

health

• Maintain timely and accurate records and contact reports of prospect activity in Raiser’s

Edge

• Handle all donor and prospect information with a high degree of confidentiality and

discretion, in keeping with SJCI's data privacy standards and the trust placed in the

Advancement Office by its constituents


Solicitation & Stewardship

• Conduct discovery visits with rated and newly identified prospects to assess capacity

and interest

• Prepare gift proposals and briefing materials for donor meetings, including those

involving the Vice President or President

• Manage the full solicitation cycle from first contact through gift closure and ongoing

stewardship

• Partner with senior leadership for key asks, serving as the primary relationship manager

throughout


Travel & Outreach

• Travel regularly to engage prospects and donors in the greater Buffalo area, the New York City metro, and additional national markets

• Represent SJCI with confidence in one-on-one settings, alumni gatherings, and regional events


Collaboration

• Partner with the Director of Annual Giving & Stewardship to identify and qualify prospects from the annual fund donor base and reunion classes

• Contribute to and attend Advancement events and participate in departmental planning


Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required

• Minimum three years of direct major gift fundraising experience, preferably in secondary education, higher education, or a comparable nonprofit or sales environment

• Demonstrated track record of closing five- and six-figure gifts

• Experience managing a geographically dispersed portfolio and comfort with sustained travel

• Familiarity with Raiser's Edge or a comparable CRM preferred

• Strong interpersonal skills and sound professional judgment; ability to represent an institution with deep meaning to its alumni community

• Connection to Catholic, Lasallian, or independent school culture is a plus, though not required


Compensation:

Salary ranges from $75,000-$85,000 based on experience.


Candidate Submission Information:

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Dan Warner '06, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at [email protected].

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