Major Gift Officer (CA) - Scripps College
About The Position
Scripps College, a premier liberal arts college for women, is seeking a Major Gifts Officer to lead fundraising efforts in the Southwest region. This hybrid role involves managing a portfolio of major gift prospects, cultivating transformational philanthropy, and partnering with senior leaders to advance scholarships, academic excellence, and the future of the College. The ideal candidate is a relationship-driven hunter who enjoys traveling, meeting people face-to-face, and building meaningful connections. The position reports to the Director of Development and Major Gifts and focuses on cultivating long-term relationships with alumnae, parents, and friends capable of making significant gifts. The role also involves identifying and qualifying new prospects, developing gift proposals, and collaborating with various advancement teams and campus partners. The Major Gifts Officer will be responsible for strategic travel plans throughout the Southwest, aiming to maximize donor engagement and strengthen the College's philanthropic presence.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Three or more years of nonprofit fundraising, higher education advancement, or related development experience.
- Demonstrated success cultivating and managing donor relationships.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including proposal development and donor presentations.
- Ability to develop and execute long-term fundraising strategies.
- Excellent relationship-building skills with senior leaders, volunteers, and high-capacity donors.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and portfolio management skills.
- Passion for women's education and the liberal arts.
- Ability to travel extensively throughout the assigned territory.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and donor CRM systems; experience with Raiser's Edge, GiveCampus, or similar platforms is preferred.
- Valid U.S. driver's license.
Nice To Haves
- Five or more years of progressively responsible fundraising experience in higher education or nonprofit development.
- Demonstrated success securing gifts of $50,000 or more.
- Experience supporting comprehensive campaigns or leadership annual giving initiatives.
- Knowledge of fundraising best practices within higher education.
- Experience leveraging social media as part of donor engagement strategies.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute multi-year cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and engagement strategies for a portfolio of 125–150 major gift prospects.
- Achieve annual fundraising goals for new commitments and cash.
- Conduct at least 120 meaningful donor visits annually while maintaining a healthy major gift pipeline.
- Identify and qualify new major gift prospects and advance them through the donor lifecycle.
- Develop compelling gift proposals, agreements, and stewardship plans aligned with institutional priorities.
- Partner with planned giving and leadership giving colleagues on complex and transformational gift opportunities.
- Represent Scripps College throughout the Southwest, strengthening relationships with alumni, parents, and friends.
- Prepare donor briefings and materials for the President, Vice President, and senior leadership.
- Represent Scripps College at regional events and donor gatherings.
- Collaborate with donor relations, annual giving, and alumnae engagement teams to deliver an exceptional donor experience.
- Build productive relationships with faculty, administrators, and campus partners to support donor interests and College priorities.
- Develop strategic travel plans throughout the Southwest region to maximize donor engagement.
- Travel approximately 5–15 days per month to meet with prospects and attend College events.
- Strengthen Scripps College's philanthropic presence through thoughtful regional engagement strategies.
- Maintain accurate donor strategies, contact reports, and proposals within the CRM.
- Monitor portfolio performance and adjust strategies to meet fundraising goals.
- Contribute to campaign planning, fundraising forecasts, and pipeline analysis.
- Support a collaborative, data-informed advancement culture focused on continuous improvement.
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Tuition Benefit Program for eligible employees and their dependent children (after one year of employment)
- Tuition assistance for undergraduate and some job-related master's degrees
- Dependent children may receive tuition assistance covering up to 50% of undergraduate tuition and required fees
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
