Leadership Gift Officer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Vermont.

📋 Description

• Develop and execute tailored qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for designated constituents.

• Personally engage in soliciting leadership annual gifts, concentrating on renewing and increasing contributions within the $10,000–$100,000 range while securing multi-year commitments.

• Conduct around 8–12 significant in-person or virtual donor and prospect visits each month.

• Establish a steady pipeline of potential donors through qualification, discovery, engagement, and solicitation processes.

• Recognize individuals with major and planned gift potential and collaborate with senior development colleagues on subsequent strategies and transitions.

• Achieve or surpass annual targets for fundraising revenue, donor visits, qualifications, solicitations, renewals, upgrades, and other key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Utilize prospect research, data analysis, and portfolio management tools to assess and prioritize relationships.

• Maintain precise records of donor interactions, strategies, proposals, contact reports, demographic updates, and moves-management activities in the constituent database.

• Foster enduring relationships with alumni, parents, friends, trustees, and other constituents.

• Represent Bennington College throughout the Western United States.

• Align donor interests with opportunities to support the College.

• Articulate Bennington College’s mission, academic programs, student experience, institutional priorities, and philanthropic prospects.

• Prepare customized donor correspondence, proposals, gift documentation, briefing materials, and other communications.

• Steward donors in collaboration with Donor Relations and Institutional Advancement colleagues.

• Identify donor engagement opportunities through College events, regional gatherings, campus programs, and volunteer activities.

• Collaborate across Institutional Advancement, Major Gifts, Annual Giving, Alumni and Constituent Engagement, Donor Relations, Special Events, Advancement Services, and Institutional and Academic Grants.

• Partner with College leadership, trustees, faculty, staff, and volunteers to enhance constituent relationships and philanthropic opportunities.

• Recognize emerging donor interests, philanthropic trends, and engagement opportunities.

• Share donor insights with colleagues to guarantee coordinated relationship management.

• Contribute to a collaborative, adaptable, and goal-oriented Advancement team culture.

• Support the planning and execution of cultivation, stewardship, and engagement opportunities in the Western United States.

• Attend and provide support at selected College and Advancement events.

• Professionally represent Bennington College at regional events and gatherings.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.

• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in frontline fundraising, sales, account management, relationship management, business development, or a related field.

• Experience in higher education advancement or nonprofit fundraising is preferred.

• Valid/current driver’s license and the ability to travel independently.

• Ability to build and maintain meaningful relationships with a diverse range of individuals.

• Comfort and effectiveness in initiating discussions about philanthropy and making direct person-to-person solicitations.

• Strong organizational and portfolio-management skills.

• Capability to manage multiple relationships, priorities, and deadlines independently.

• Ability to prioritize tasks, take initiative, follow through consistently, and work towards measurable goals.

• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

• Strong listening skills and the ability to translate constituent interests into meaningful engagement and philanthropic opportunities.

• Experience with CRM or donor-management databases.

• Familiarity with fundraising and moves-management systems is preferred.

• Comfort using data, research, and technology to inform portfolio strategy and fundraising activities.

• Ability to work independently in a remote setting and collaboratively as part of a distributed team.

• Professional interaction with donors and colleagues.

• Sound judgment and discretion when managing confidential information.

• Ability to work respectfully and effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly throughout the Western United States and periodically to Bennington, Vermont, and other locations as required.

• Successful completion of a background check.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Life insurance.

• Long-term disability insurance.

• Retirement benefits.

• Tuition benefits, including Tuition Exchange scholarships.

• On-site fitness center.

• Generous time off benefits.

• Fully remote work arrangement.