Major Gifts Officer
Faithful Friends Animal Society (FFAS) seeks an experienced Major Gift Officer (MGO) with a passion for animal welfare to build a strong base of individual donors in support of the ambitious and strategic growth of the organization. Reporting to the Director of Development & Public Relations, the MGO will work alongside the organization’s dynamic development team and organization’s leadership to best support the needs of high-level supporters. The MGO is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding of individual prospects at the $10,000+ level on behalf of FFAS; and ensuring the organization’s major donors have a positive and rewarding philanthropic experience.
This position requires a self-starter, comfortable with initiating and improving major gifts fundraising at FFAS, motivated to seek out solutions, and driven to meet funding goals. The MGO must be an effective communicator with the ability to speak to diverse audiences, and firmly committed to the lifesaving work of FFAS.
Key Responsibilities
Meet existing expectations for major gifts in the annual revenue budget
Work to identify and qualify prospects to expand the donor base
Maintain an active portfolio of 100-125 qualified major gift prospects
Develop strategic fundraising plans to secure five-, six-, and seven-figure gifts through individualized cultivation and stewardship, based on the donor’s history of giving and knowledge of the prospect’s capacity
Create funding proposals and written collateral necessary for the cultivation of major gifts
Directly solicit major gifts and collaborate with other frontline fundraisers to ensure consistent, comprehensive strategies for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
Build a high-quality donor experience through correspondence, donor engagement, professional proposals, mailings and acknowledgments
Maintain regular reports that accurately reflect progress toward building relationship and increasing donor support, including fundraising activities, funds raised, outstanding requests, and contingency plans
Meet annual goals and objectives that support the budget that are measured by number of prospects carried, face to face visits, number of solicitations, revenue generated, and any other statistics as necessary
Assist with planning major donor engagement gatherings and attend these events, along with attending the organization’s major fundraising events
Represent FFAS at external functions and events
Record all actions in donor database
Maintain current knowledge of best practices
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and levels of work to be performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties.
Required Education and Experience
Appreciation and passion for the mission of the FFAS.
Minimum of 5 years of experience in non-profit development with a proven track record of at least 3 years of cultivating, soliciting, and securing five, six, and seven-figure gifts
Demonstrated understanding of prospect screening software and experience with systematic, database-driven donor targeting, solicitation, and recognition
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and Google Suite
High degree of proficiency in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
CFRE preferred
Must be willing and able to travel and work some evenings and weekends
Must be able to work around animals
Required Compentencies
Good understanding of fundraising, donor cultivation, and moves management principles and best practices
Self-motivated / self-starter
Attention to detail combined with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and meet concurrent deadlines in a deadline-driven environment
Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to build, foster, and maintain positive relationships with both internal and external constituencies
Superior communication skills to express, orally and in writing, FFAS’s mission, vision, and goals with clarity, passion, and persuasion
Demonstrated ability to lead, take initiative, and work collaboratively with others across all functional areas, including volunteers and staff
About Faithful Friends Animal Society
Faithful Friends Animal Society (FFAS) was founded in 2000 and now serves 18,000 pets and 24,000 people each year through programs and services that focus on the most vulnerable. Over the past 22 years, FFAS has led reforms in animal welfare that have become the building blocks for a comprehensive, humane animal welfare system in Delaware. The number of pets and people we serve each year continues to increase as the demand for our services continues to grow. FFAS is funded through donations, grants, and fees for services with the majority of funding being allocated for community programs and services. In spring 2023, the organization will move into its new home in New Castle, Delaware on a 27-acre property granted by the state of Delaware. The new adoption and community resource center is currently in the final stages of construction and will be complete with walking paths, gardens, and meet-and-greet areas.
Job Type: Full-time
Annual Salary: $68,000 – $75,000
Benefits: Health insurance, flexible work schedule, paid time off, professional development assistance, employee discount for veterinary care
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Work Authorization/Security Clearance: Must pass criminal background checks / drug testing as required for the role
To Apply: Candidates for this position should submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to Shannon O’Neill, Director of Development, at shannon@faithfulfriends.us.
Employer-provided
Pay range in Wilmington, DE
Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.
Base salary
$68,000/yr – $75,000/yr
Featured benefits
Medical insurance