Senior Major Gift Officer – Mike Ilitch School of Business

Wayne State University•Detroit, MI

67d•Hybrid

About The Position

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced Senior Major Gift Officer – Mike Ilitch School of Business at its Detroit campus location. Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society. This position reports to the Senior Director, Major Gifts – Mike Ilitch School of Business. The role involves providing expertise and experience while participating in fundraising efforts, strategies, and initiatives for the Mike Ilitch School of Business (MISB). The officer will manage a prospect portfolio to achieve ambitious fundraising and contact goals annually, and cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift donors to meet established fundraising goals within the allocated expense budget.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a degree in marketing, public relations, business administration or related field.
Five (5) to Eight (8) years of experience working as a fundraising professional in direct major donor solicitations in excess of $25,000 or equivalent experience as a fundraising professional at another institution operating in a similar capacity.
Direct experience preparing proposals and conducting major gift solicitations required.
Professional understanding of, and interest in, Development and Alumni Affairs best practices and general operations.
Understanding of trends and best practices related to major gift solicitation.
Positive and collaborative professional philosophy, recognizing that this position is integral to the achievement of the goals and objectives of Development and Alumni Affairs.
Ability to evaluate, interpret, and present complex information effectively in professionally prepared documents or presentations.
Demonstrated attention to detail in order to achieve a high degree of accuracy.
Exhibits a willingness to partner with units across the university with integrity and high character to reach unified goals.
Possesses the ability to navigate difficult situations with grace and understanding.
Ability to communicate clearly, concisely and professionally both orally and in writing.
Strong interpersonal skills are a must.
Demonstrates the ability to plan and deliver oral and written communications that are impactful and persuasive including presentations to university management and committees.
Independent and innovative self-starter who displays an ability to learn quickly and easily adapts to changing situations.
Experience researching topics to gain knowledge and understanding when information gaps exist.
Ability to manage several projects simultaneously, prioritize and plan work activities while meeting respective deadlines.
Strong organizational and time-management skills required.
Maturity, sound judgment and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a deadline-oriented environment.
Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues within the division and other units to gain full understanding of the project and desired outcome; ability to produce high quality and consistent results with assistance of team members; provide support to teammates when tackling complex projects.
Proficient in the use of complex administrative systems software, preferably in the higher education environment.
Proficient with Microsoft Office suite, especially Word, Excel and Teams.
Ability to understand and translate complex concepts into lay terms.

Nice To Haves

Higher education development and prior volunteer management experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve in the role of seasoned professional by providing expertise and guidance in identifying fundraising needs and priorities.
Collaborate with the AVP and Sr. Director of Major Gifts, Dean, Department Chairs, and faculty.
Develop major gift fundraising plans and strategies.
Establish realistic and achievable timelines.
Remain current with fundraising trends.
Manage a prospect portfolio to achieve ambitious fundraising and contact goals annually.
Establish and implement prospect qualification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies with a particular focus on securing commitments of $25,000+.
Engage university leadership and college-based colleagues as appropriate to support prospect strategies.
Responsible for achieving annual fundraising goal and assisting in meeting unit and division goals; allocating and prioritizing time and resources to achieve the greatest return on investment.
Serve as seasoned resource with Development units (e.g., Foundation Relations, Donor Experience, Planned Giving, and Prospect Development) as well as other university units to ensure operational efficiencies within the unit.
Draft and negotiate gift and pledge documentation ranging from moderate to high complexity.
Ensure timely routing of donor contributions to central development for processing.
Perform other related duties as assigned.