Leadership Gifts Officer I

at  Spelman College

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Director, Leadership and Planned Giving, the Leadership Gifts Officer I is responsible for the management of prospect portfolios consisting of donors who are generally capable of making commitments of $25,000 and more to the annual fund, institutional endowment, or special projects at the College. This individual will work closely with colleagues throughout Institutional Advancement and throughout the College to ensure high-quality engagement and successful resources.
This officer must be able to work independently and collaboratively as a team member. The officer must work strategically, as assigned, with the Assistant Vice President for Advancement Relations, other senior administrators, faculty, staff, campaign volunteer leaders, and the College President to support college-wide fundraising priorities. The officer must be able to travel up to 25% or more locally and nationally.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

A Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three to five years of related experience in fundraising or a related field (such as sales) is required. Master’s degree is preferred.
Excellent oral and written communication skills are required, with the ability to read and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, and technical and procedural manuals. Must have excellent writing and proofreading skills and be able to write proposals, correspondence, and reports independently. Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and persuasively, orally and in writing, during one-to-one visits and in groups. Must possess a highly developed sense of propriety in handling sensitive information. Must have the ability to adhere to deadlines while managing multiple projects. Excellent analytical and organizational skills are required. Must be able to travel locally and nationally.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must have intermediate skills using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) which includes preparation of memos, basic correspondence, and spreadsheets. The employee must be internet savvy and able to use email systems such as MS Outlook or Lotus Notes. Familiarity with fundraising software is a plus.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience in higher education and with comprehensive fundraising campaigns is highly preferred, and progressive development-related experience may be considered.

• Sets and executes immediate and long-term fundraising plans, including strategies to grow and sustain leadership fundraising from the College’s constituents;
• Meets and exceeds annual fundraising goals set annually;
• Identifies, qualifies, cultivates, and solicits prospects toward an individual commitment of $25,000 or greater
• Personally visit with prospective donors and achieve 20+ meaningful contacts/visits per month;
• Oversees projects and events for prospect groups related to various projects;
• Supports the AVP for Advancement Relations, Senior College Leadership, and Trustees with gift solicitations; this includes outreach for appointments, preparing briefing documents, and any additional follow-up as appropriate;
• 80% of the incumbent’s time should be spent actively managing a prospect pool of 125 – 150 leadership prospects, including potentially significant travel;
• Develops, documents, and implements a strategy for each donor and prospect, including ways to increase their involvement in the activities of the college;
• Works closely with volunteers to achieve fundraising goals;
• Designs, creates, and delivers presentations personally to donors and assists others in preparing for such visits;
• Drafts and submits timely proposals and reports to constituency groups;
• Works with the Leadership Gifts Project Coordinator and Advancement Operations colleagues to actively steward donors and complete the acknowledgment process;
• Keeps the College’s master files up-to-date including biographical updates and contact reports;
• Supports annual giving, special projects, planned giving, and campaign goals through an active representation of these priorities with constituents;
• May supervise administrative staff as required;
• Must support Advancement Relations, Institutional Advancement, and Spelman College community during major events and other activities as assigned.