Major Gifts Officer

at  Spirit Rock Meditation Center

Status: Full time 37.5 hours per week, exempt. Hybrid work schedule with a minimum of two days a week on site.
Reports to: Development Director

SUMMARY

The Major Gift Officer (MGO) serves as a key development team leadership member and an active thought partner on strategy affecting Spirit Rock. Instrumental in engaging the Board, Development Committee, and Executive Director in creating and implementing an innovative and strategic fund development strategy that can sustain and strengthen all development needs for the entire organization. The MGO is a self-motivated fundraiser committed to establishing and growing productive, long-term relationships with current and new donors, while bringing energy and creativity to the Development Department.
Qualified candidates who self-identify as a Black Indigenous Person of Color (BIPOC) and/or are part of the LGBTQI community are especially encouraged to apply.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree preferred
• Minimum 5+ years development work experience in an individual, foundation, or corporate giving role, including at least 2 years of experience as a frontline fundraiser managing a portfolio of individual donors with a track record of directly soliciting and securing gifts of $10,000+
• Capital Campaign experience a distinct plus
• Experience using constituent relationship management software and database system, Raiser’s Edge NXT preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Suite
• Dharma/meditation practice preferred but not required
• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Commitment to goal attainment, high degree of initiative, and ability to motivate and engage high-level donors
• Demonstrated ability to work with a high degree of autonomy and accountability, specifically in regard to managing deliverables and meeting deadlines
• Highly organized with excellent time-management, prioritization, and investigative skills
• Superior written and oral communication skills, as well as interpersonal and motivational skills, with experience writing proposals
• Comfortable initiating new relationships with an aptitude for establishing immediate rapport with donors
• Outgoing and communicative, with the ability to initiate relationships and network with a diverse community as well as a good telephone presence
• An eye for creating efficiencies and keeping track of details
• Good listener with a strong ability to internalize key messaging and language
• Strong team player with a sense of humor who is positive and supportive of team
• Ability to travel throughout the Bay Area (occasionally includes nights and weekends)
  Salary: $120,000-$135,000 Salary Exempt
  Spirit Rock Meditation Center participates in the E-Verify program, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm employment eligibility

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of 75-100 individuals throughout the Bay Area and greater California to raise support for annual and campaign gifts.
• Responsible for contributing to an annual fundraising goal of ~$2.4M in FY24, and a 5-7 year campaign goal of ~$50M, this role will create and implement strategies to effectively upgrade individual major gift donors at the $10,000+ level, growing the Major Gifts program in partnership with the development team, as well as Spirit Rock teachers, board members and program staff.
• In partnership with the Director of Development, responsible for creating all major gift goals, budgets, benchmarks, projections, and milestones—contributing to an annual strategic development plan.
• Learn the particular ways that development at Spirit Rock is unique and incorporate this understanding into all development activities.
• Establish structures and systems to support major gifts at Spirit Rock, including database tracking and reporting, and supportive relationship and communication channels with stakeholders.
• Responsible for creating communication strategies and campaign collateral, cultivation activities, major donor event strategies in support of major donor engagement and retention.
• Maintain an active schedule of moves management with a personal portfolio of 75-100 individuals through a variety of means including in-person or virtual meetings, emails, cold calls, and written communications.
• Engage the board, development committee, and other leadership volunteers in various aspects of major gift fundraising.
• Utilize Raiser’s Edge NXT (our database) to identify donors and prospects with the capacity to give $10,000+.
• In coordination with the Marketing and Communications team, create consistent and powerful content for proposals, reports, correspondence, and campaign appeals as they relate to major gift development efforts.
• Collaborate with Development team members to ensure timely and accurate completion of routine work such as gift acknowledgements, solicitation and cultivation mailings, event invitations, and database coding of gifts.
• Work in partnership with the Director of Development to craft compelling major gifts proposals and assist with the completion of a small number of grant applications as needed.
• Identify Planned Giving Prospects and coordinate a planned giving strategy with the Director of Development.
• Innovate and grow/develop position with the changing needs of the organization.