Major Gifts Officer

Activate Global • Berkeley, CA

19d • $140,000 • Remote

About The Position

Activate empowers scientists and engineers to reinvent our world by bringing their research to market. We partner with leading funders and research institutions to offer the Activate Fellowship, providing the funding, community, mentorship, network, and time that scientists need to become entrepreneurs. The results are game changing: Activate Fellows have launched 197 new companies since 2015. These companies have raised $4B in follow-on funding, created more than 2,800 U.S.-based jobs, and defined several new market categories. Activate supports fellows in Berkeley, CA; Cambridge, MA; New York, NY; Houston, TX; and across the U.S. through Activate Anywhere. We're looking for a Major Gifts Officer who will have an exceptional opportunity to enable Activate's mission by growing our major gifts program to provide a durable foundation for our organization’s next stage of scale and impact. Integral to our business development team, the Major Gifts Officer will develop and execute a strategic plan that harmonizes major gifts with our broader giving goals, identify and cultivate new major gift prospects, and build enduring relationships with and secure substantial donations from our most impactful donors. The Major Gifts Officer will report to the Director of Philanthropy.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in major gift fundraising, with demonstrated success in identifying, cultivating, and closing six and seven-figure gifts, including qualifying prospects and upgrading donors.
• Strong listening skills and an ability to engage with internal and external stakeholders in a thoughtful, inclusive manner.
• Exceptional oral, written, communication, and presentation skills, including the ability to listen and target communication to the specific interests of varied audiences.
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with a variety of internal partners, donors, and board members while maintaining impeccable discretion.
• Comfortable maintaining the integrity of data management systems (e.g., CRM) and utilizing these systems to make data-driven and evidence-based decisions.

Nice To Haves

• Is passionate about Activate’s mission and its connection to different impact sponsors and donors.
• Is a self-starter and entrepreneurial individual who is energized by the process of building relationships with new donors.
• Is innovative and responsive in their approach to identifying and cultivating donor prospects.
• Is service-oriented and establishes strong rapport.
• Is collaborative and emotionally attuned.
• Has a strong sense of accountability.
• Has a positive attitude, sense of humor, and flexible working style.
• Is enthusiastic by the opportunity to mobilize resources that drive hard tech innovation.

Responsibilities

• Identify and qualify new major gift prospects.
• Directly solicit major gifts and partner with the executive leadership team and board members on solicitations by providing prospect briefings, strategic guidance, and assistance with donor communications.
• Directly oversee and expand a diverse portfolio of 30-40 donors, strategically elevating mid-level donors to major donor status through personalized engagement strategies and meticulous relationship building.
• Engage directly with donors and prospects through calls and in-person meetings to build strong relationships.
• Strategically recommend individuals to the CDO, CEO and board for further outreach and engagement.
• Leverage HubSpot to identify and prioritize new donors for cultivation opportunities.
• Actively enhance the pipeline of existing donors for increased stewardship and investment.
• Support the development of and participate in strategic donor engagement opportunities, such as small events for select prospects in the portfolio.
• Understand popular planned giving vehicles and be prepared to collaborate with team members to maximize planned giving opportunities
• Serve as the primary contact for major donors (annual gift >$100,000), managing recruitment, engagement, and direct solicitations.
• Coordinate directly with development consultants on prospect list build out and outreach strategy.
• Leverage events as opportunities to cultivate relationships with current and prospective donors, enhancing engagement and fostering a community of support.
• Work collaboratively with the business development team to devise creative tactics and long-term engagement strategies to strengthen donor alignment and increase philanthropic giving.
• Create a comprehensive strategy for major donor cultivation, solicitation, and retention based on the donor’s giving history and capacity.
• Design and implement tailored plans to cultivate and strengthen relationships with prospects and donors.
• Lead a proactive stewardship strategy that ensures all contributions are acknowledged promptly and personally, increasing donor satisfaction and long-term engagement.
• Utilize HubSpot to systematically track, analyze, and deliver comprehensive reports on donor activities and interactions.
• Provide the CDO and board actionable insights to support strategic decision-making in major gifts cultivation and solicitation.
• Assume responsibility for the integrity and functionality of HubSpot, working with the operations team as needed to support a solid foundation for fundraising activities.
• Collaborate with the CDO and business development team to develop annual fundraising goals, and outline fundraising plans and related activities.

Benefits

• competitive salary of $140,000
• generous benefits package that includes professional development
• $2,000 in annual wellness funds
• flexible paid time off
• healthcare coverage for employees and dependents, with 90–100% of premiums covered
• opportunity to join a retirement plan with a 3% match beginning after 3 months at Activate

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed