Major Gift Officer

Calvin University • Grand Rapids, MI

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is accountable for identifying, cultivating and soliciting major gift support for the University, maintaining a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects and participating in a donor stewardship plan.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university.
• Three to five years of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Organizational skills
• Related fund-raising or sales experience
• Highly motivated to achieve fund-raising goals
• Eager to promote Calvin University to all audiences
• Requires travel
• Ability to regularly negotiate gifts and transactions
• Ability to solicit financial donations from companies or individuals
• Ability to write proposals
• Ability to plan
• Ability to interpret Calvin policies in situations requiring judgment and persuasion
• Ability to handle highly sensitive and/or confidential information.
• Ability to solve problems and to deal with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to take actions or make decisions that will affect processes and people throughout the division of the organization and the customers who are served.
• Considerable decision-making authority regarding procedures, plans and schedules.
• Requires regular participation with donors, alumni, employees or customers.
• Commitment to the educational mission of Calvin as a Christian liberal arts University affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.
• A commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development.
• Demonstrated awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationships and positive communication across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, physical limitations, class, or religious perspectives.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships and secure major gift support for the college through personal visits with donors and prospective donors.
• Work with the Advancement Division staff to help meet established monetary goals of the university and participate in division planning activities which include bi-weekly meetings of the Major Gifts Team.
• Work with the division office to target potential donors and effectively use available resources for prospect identification.
• Initiate and maintain effective communication with donors through personal communication via multiple channels, including writing follow up letters, developing proposals and providing information on specific aspects of Calvin University or projects of donor/prospects interests.
• Work to expand the donor base in specific regions of the country (TBD) and also advance the University and its messages.
• Work to document conversations or personal visits with donors and prospective donors.Document call reports in using database tools.
• Meet established monthly goals for in person donor visits (min of 15) and calls.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level