Major Gift Officer

Seeds of Peace seeks a Major Gift Officer to join as a significant member of the development team and be responsible for securing financial resources. In this role, you will collaborate with the Director of Development to create a strategy and implementation plan for all major donors. Your primary focus will require meeting and working with donors and prospects (with significant giving capacity) to accomplish specific giving objectives as outlined by leadership and the strategic plan.

You will engage in and be responsible for all aspects of the development cycle including but not limited to identification, cultivation, solicitation, engagement, and stewardship. This full-time position reports directly to the Director of Development, and requires occasional international and frequent domestic travel. It also includes periodic evening and weekend responsibilities to be successful.

Position Responsibilities:
· Creates and implements cultivation and solicitation strategy for major donors (with a capacity of $1,000+).
· Directly manages and establishes a strategy for an assigned portfolio of up to 140 major donor prospects with a capacity of $5,000+.
· Collaborates with Development staff in major Seeds of Peace programs and events and creates/manages small-scale cultivation events with a particular focus on major individual donors.
· Supports high end direct mail and personalized written appeals.
· Stewards major donors with supplemental acknowledgment of gifts and general sustained communications.
· Collaborates with the development team to increase the number and quality of major donor prospects through networking and cultivation.
· Cultivates new and stewards existing caseload assignments through visits, zoom calls, emails, and other high-level interactions, documenting actions in Raiser’s Edge.
· Builds relationships with SOP program staff, communications staff, and others to acquire the information needed to solicit gifts and build donor relationships effectively.
· Consults program staff to determine funding opportunities, develop in-depth proposals, and package giving opportunities to prospects.
· Collaborates with other development staff in all aspects of work, including major gifts strategies, enhanced creative approaches to upgrading select donors, and assists in prioritization of major gifts portfolio.
· Manages and updates portfolio through the regular entry of actions, call reports, and other information in the database.
· Works in partnership with the Director of Development and key development staff to enhance departmental operations and strategies.
· Drafts, edits, and finalizes donor correspondence such as letters, emails, funding proposals, and reports.
· Maintains accurate records of donor outreach and solicitation plans through regular upkeep of donor database.
· When possible, creates, and manages opportunities for planned giving.

Essential skills and experience:
· Minimum of 5 years of relevant development experience
· Experience in the successful solicitation of major gifts from individuals
· Familiarity with all aspects of fundraising principles and practices; knowledge of annual giving/direct mail and planned giving particularly important
· A basic understanding of planned giving vehicles
· Excellent time management and prioritization skills
· Must possess a strong work ethic, have confidence, take initiative and be self-motivated, enthusiastic team player
· Must be flexible to travel in the interest of donor cultivation, as needed
· Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively and professionally with executive staff and board members and to build productive relationships with major gift prospects
· Commitment to goal attainment, high degree of initiative, and ability to motivate and engage high-level volunteers and donors
· Ability to develop and follow through on creative and effective solicitation strategies and to generate enthusiasm for them among team members.
· Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience

Valued but not required skills and experience:
· Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge preferred
· Familiarity with social media as a fundraising tool
· Experience planning fundraising events
· Advanced knowledge of planned giving

We realize that members of historically marginalized communities may not have had the exact requirements listed in the job posting. We encourage you to apply even if you are not sure if your qualifications are the right fit, and share your story with us! We are committed to creating an inclusive community in which youth of different racial, religious, economic, and political backgrounds see themselves represented in staff with similarly diverse backgrounds, so that together, we can live out our mission.

How to Apply
In order to apply for this role, please submit your application through our online portal. If you are selected to the next step, you will be contacted to schedule an interview. For any questions, or to learn more about the position, please e-mail info[at]seedsofpeace.org .

Seeds of Peace is committed to protect the children that we come into contact with in the pursuit of our goals, and the recruitment and selection processes for employees, volunteers, and contractors in contact with children will reflect this commitment.

Seeds of Peace is an equal opportunity employer. We strictly prohibit discrimination against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information, or any other legally protected class.