Senior Major Gifts Officer

American Civil Liberties Union • Pittsburgh, PA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The ACLU of Pennsylvania is seeking a full-time Senior Major Gifts Officer (SMGO) in the Pittsburgh region to expand its fund development program and sustain its presence and programmatic impact across the state. The SMGO is a key member of a five-person fundraising team and helps raise transformative gifts to support the organization’s programmatic goals. Reporting to the director of philanthropy, the role manages relationships with existing donors, engages supporters, and identifies and secures new major-gift donors. The position manages a portfolio of approximately 100 donors with an estimated capacity to give $10,000 or more, and develops sophisticated giving strategies involving blended gifts, complex assets, and planned gifts. The SMGO may mentor junior development staff, engage executive leadership and board members, advise the director of philanthropy, influence development strategy, and lead a statewide initiative.

The role involves substantial direct donor engagement, both virtually and in person, with the goal of increasing leadership-level gifts ($10,000+) and planned gifts from supporters across Pennsylvania. The position is hybrid, with two days a week in the office suggested, and requires occasional travel within the state and the ability to work occasional evenings, weekends, and irregular hours.

The ACLU-PA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest organization dedicated to defending and enhancing personal freedoms protected by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights through litigation, legislative advocacy, and community education. The organization has three offices, ten volunteer chapters, over 40,000 members and donors, 40 employees, and a $5.3 million operating budget. The position is full-time, salaried, and exempt, with an annual salary of $96,044. Relocation assistance may be available for out-of-state candidates.

Requirements

• At least three years of experience in major-gift fundraising and prospect development.
• Commitment to the ACLU-PA’s mission and core priorities, including criminal legal reform, voting rights, First Amendment rights, immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ&T equality, privacy and security, and racial justice; experience centering people directly impacted by these issues.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, with an approach that values individuals and respects differences in race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socioeconomic circumstances.
• Dedication to ethical fundraising through a racial justice lens, centering the voices of directly impacted individuals and avoiding tokenism or white-savior narratives.
• Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.
• Strong interpersonal skills and enthusiasm for building professional relationships with donors, board members, volunteers, staff, and the general public.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to discuss the potential impact of philanthropic investments compellingly and comfortably.
• Ability to work occasional evenings, weekends, and irregular hours and to travel within the state as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Nonprofit development experience is preferred, though transferable experience from other fields will be considered.
• Direct experience soliciting donors, closing major gifts, and stewarding major gifts is ideal.
• Understanding of, knowledge of, and commitment to civil liberties, civil rights, and the ACLU of Pennsylvania’s mission.
• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with Salesforce.
• Knowledge of the Philadelphia philanthropic community.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 100 donors with estimated giving capacity of $10,000 or more, qualifying, cultivating, and soliciting major and planned gifts.
• Create and execute individual cultivation and solicitation strategies for qualified donors.
• Solicit major and planned gifts in person and virtually, partnering with the Executive Director and Director of Philanthropy on key solicitations.
• Develop stewardship opportunities and participate in broader donor cultivation events.
• Work with program staff to obtain project information and create personalized materials aligned with donor interests and programmatic priorities.
• Maintain working knowledge of local and national programmatic priorities and issues.
• Partner with colleagues from the national ACLU to advance key donor relationships.
• Engage members and donors in supporting the organization through donations of time, talents, and connections.
• Assist with events and donor communications about the ACLU-PA’s mission, activities, and successes.
• Embed equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in fundraising, program development, organizational practices, and processes.
• Record meaningful donor interactions, qualification assessments, strategies, and follow-up steps in the donor database in a timely manner.
• Manage a fiscal-year plan for portfolio management and prepare accurate reports on portfolio activity and performance.
• Contribute to comprehensive fundraising strategies, the organization’s major-gifts strategy, and special organizational initiatives.
• Advise the Executive Director and Director of Philanthropy and prepare them for high-level donor interactions; staff them at major cultivation events.
• Help plan and execute major-gift donor events.
• Partner with prospect research and data analytics to identify emerging high-net-worth prospects and elevate donors into principal-giving tiers.
• Contribute to the planning and design of a statewide development initiative and lead its execution.
• Undertake other special projects as necessary.

Benefits

• 11 paid holidays.
• Generous vacation and sick leave, including two paid shutdown weeks per calendar year.
• Half-day Fridays.
• Employer-provided individual or family health insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Long-term disability insurance.
• Defined contribution plan with employer match.
• Relocation assistance may be available for out-of-state candidates.

What This Job Offers

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