Major Gifts Officer

at  Sewickley Academy

About Sewickley Academy
Distinguished by its rigorous academics, outstanding faculty, and highly motivated students, Sewickley Academy is Pittsburgh’s longest-standing coeducational independent PreK-12 day school. Our mission is to inspire and educate students to engage their hearts, minds, and hands to cultivate their full individual and collective potential in the service of the greater good. At the Academy, every child is challenged to explore and excel to their highest ability and encouraged to arrive each day with their authentic selves.
With the recent completion of state-of-the-art computer science and robotics classrooms and new athletic facilities, the Academy is poised for the continued expansion of our STEM and athletic programs. We believe strongly in the importance and value of a well-rounded education in academics, the arts, athletics, and community service. Our faculty and staff from all departments and divisions work together to create an environment of encouragement and support by inspiring students to reach their goals and develop a love of learning.
This position offers a competitive salary plus excellent benefits and work/life balance programs including a premium-free health plan option, an excellent retirement plan, generous leave time, and tuition benefits programs. Are you searching for a workplace where a diverse mix of talented people come together to serve our students? If so, apply today!
Job Description
Major Gifts Officer (MGO) will cultivate and solicit philanthropic gifts to fund the Sewickley Academy’s short- and long-term strategic goals. The MGO will qualify donors, build a donor pipeline, create and implement cultivation strategies for new and existing major gift prospects, solicit annual and major gifts, and steward donors. Working closely with colleagues in the Advancement Office, as well as colleagues across the academy, the MGO will develop, execute, evaluate, and refine strategies for assigned priority projects to maximize their development potential.

Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement Officer to determine strategies and action steps needed to identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit major gift donors.
• Identify and manage a portfolio of at least 50 major gift prospects.
• Establish and manage effective relationships with significant prospects and major donors. Will plan and implement major gifts strategies using work plans and stewardship plans; identify and evaluate potential donors; design and implement prospect cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Conduct 10-12 prospect visits per month and assume stewardship responsibilities for assigned prospects.
• Develop and implement individual strategies for cultivating and soliciting prospects for major and planned gifts.
• Work with donors on multiple giving methods including current and deferred giving.
• Document all activity in the database.
• Work collaboratively with the Advancement staff to ensure appropriate coordination and communication.
• Perform additional duties and assist with special projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5+ years as MGO specifically required, additional fundraising experience preferred.
• Experience with Blackbaud/Raiser’s Edge or a similar fundraising CRM.
• Proven successful experience in individual fund raising or related sales/business development experience required.
• 5+ years experience in dealing with major gift prospects required.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Comfort level working in a team-oriented environment is required, but also must be disciplined and result-oriented.

• Partner with the Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement Officer to determine strategies and action steps needed to identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit major gift donors.
• Identify and manage a portfolio of at least 50 major gift prospects.
• Establish and manage effective relationships with significant prospects and major donors. Will plan and implement major gifts strategies using work plans and stewardship plans; identify and evaluate potential donors; design and implement prospect cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Conduct 10-12 prospect visits per month and assume stewardship responsibilities for assigned prospects.
• Develop and implement individual strategies for cultivating and soliciting prospects for major and planned gifts.
• Work with donors on multiple giving methods including current and deferred giving.
• Document all activity in the database.
• Work collaboratively with the Advancement staff to ensure appropriate coordination and communication.
• Perform additional duties and assist with special projects as assigned