Major Gifts Officer

United Food Bank•Mesa, AZ

47d

About The Position

The Major Gifts Officer manages and grows a portfolio of major gift donors through strategic cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. This role focuses on securing individual gifts of $5,000+ and advancing donor relationships using a structured moves-management approach. Responsibilities include developing individualized donor strategies, conducting donor meetings, preparing proposals and related materials, and documenting all activity in the CRM. The Philanthropy Officer serves as a subject matter expert in common charitable giving methods and proactively shares giving opportunities with donors as part of relationship-based conversations that deepens their engagement with our mission.

Requirements

Passion for alleviating hunger and serving the community
Commitment to the organization’s mission and values
Bachelor’s Degree (BA) or equivalent combination of education and experience
Minimum of 3+ years of progressive fundraising experience, CFRE preferred
Demonstrated success securing gifts of $5,000+
Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to engage donors with professionalism and discretion
Understanding of common charitable giving methods and comfort discussing them in donor conversations
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities
Comfortable working with senior leadership, Board members, and high-capacity donors
Experience using a CRM system (e.g., Salesforce) to track outreach and engagement
Self-motivated, dedicated to accomplishing tasks, able to take initiative and solve problems
Availability and willingness to attend evening or weekend events when needed
Valid driver’s license with reliable transportation and insurability required

Responsibilities

Portfolio & Relationship Management
Manage a portfolio of approximately 125–150 major gift donors.
Develop individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies for each donor.
Conduct regular in-person and virtual meetings to deepen relationships and understand donor interests.
Grow giving within an existing donor base and identify opportunities for increases.
Major Gift Strategy & Solicitation
Implement all phases of the major gift cycle, including qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Prepare personalized proposals, impact reports, and related materials to support gift requests.
Coordinate strategies involving organizational leadership when appropriate.
Charitable Giving Conversations
Understand common charitable giving methods such as:
Gifts of stock or appreciated assets
Donor-advised funds (DAFs)
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)
Basic bequests or beneficiary designations
Discuss these giving methods comfortably with donors to support philanthropic decision-making and deepen donor engagement.
Stewardship & Donor Engagement
Ensure timely fulfillment of stewardship activities, donor recognition, and follow-up commitments.
Support donor engagement opportunities, including occasional donor-focused events.
Participate in mission-related experiences and tours to connect donors with the impact of United Food Bank.
Data Management & Reporting
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions, strategies, and revenue projections in the CRM.
Use data to evaluate portfolio performance and support planning and forecasting.
Participate in regular portfolio and pipeline review processes.