Major Gifts Officer

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

📋 Description

• Oversee and expand a major-gifts portfolio consisting of current, prospective, and lapsed donors starting at the $5,000 threshold.

• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, renew, upgrade, and nurture donors throughout the complete donor lifecycle.

• Create tailored donor strategies utilizing disciplined moves management.

• Conduct meetings with donors and present direct gift requests.

• Obtain high five-figure and low six-figure donations.

• Prepare pitches, proposals, reports, and donor communications for unrestricted, restricted, multi-year, and various giving opportunities.

• Develop strategies for cultivating and stewarding current and lapsed supporters.

• Identify donors with the potential for elevated or leadership-level contributions.

• Achieve portfolio revenue, retention, upgrade, qualification, and activity objectives.

• Represent WaterAid at donor meetings, cultivation events, and other engagement activities.

• Maintain precise and timely donor records, opportunities, contact reports, stages, next actions, and forecasts in Salesforce.

• Utilize CRM data for segmentation, moves management, portfolio analysis, and donor progression.

• Assist in planning and communication for cultivation, solicitation, renewal, and stewardship efforts.

• Prepare donor briefings, proposals, grant applications, reports, and other donor-related materials.

• Coordinate programmatic, financial, and impact information for customized donor opportunities.

• Manage assigned projects and deliverables to completion.

• Identify process enhancements that bolster fundraising efficiency and donor experience.

• Collaborate with philanthropy leadership, Individual Giving, and prospect research to identify and qualify emerging major-gift prospects.

• Review the database for potential major-gift, family-foundation, donor-advised fund, and planned-giving opportunities.

• Facilitate the transition of donors from Individual Giving to Major Gifts and guide established donors toward increased investment.

• Engage in portfolio reviews, moves-management discussions, and revenue forecasting.

• Recognize stalled relationships, pipeline gaps, and emerging opportunities, recommending next actions.

• Work with Communications, Programs, Finance, and other colleagues to enhance donor relationships and revenue goals.

• Integrate donor conversation and portfolio insights into broader philanthropy planning.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and/or a minimum of five years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.

• Experience preferably focused on international issues.

• Proven success managing a portfolio and identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors.

• Demonstrated ability to secure high five-figure contributions and experience in closing or significantly contributing to low six-figure donations.

• Experience managing the entire donor lifecycle and leveraging moves management to enhance engagement and contributions.

• Strong oral and written communication skills, along with analytical abilities.

• Proficient in Salesforce or a comparable fundraising CRM.

• Strong administrative and project management capabilities.

• Experience in effectively using AI to enhance research, communications, analysis, and workflows while exercising sound judgment and human oversight.

• Experience in crafting donor communications, proposals, grant applications, reports, and stewardship materials.

• Excellent attention to detail and a willingness to contribute across the philanthropy revenue stream.

• Ability to juggle multiple priorities and deadlines while working independently with minimal supervision.

• Sound judgment, curiosity, humility, and a flexible, collaborative approach.

• Ability to travel domestically, including occasional evening and weekend commitments.

• Experience in international development, global health, or another mission-driven organization.

• Experience working within a small or growing fundraising team.

• Familiarity with donor-advised funds, family foundations, planned giving, or other complex gifts.

• Experience collaborating with executives, board members, and program colleagues in donor engagement.

• Knowledge of highly personalized and segmented donor communications.

• Ability to work remotely from anywhere in the US.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical insurance options with 70–100% employer-paid coverage for employees and their dependents.

• 100% employer-funded dental and vision insurance.

• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts.

• 403(b) plan with employer contributions matched up to 5% of gross annual salary after one year of service.

• 12–13 public holidays.

• Floating holiday.

• 120+ hours of paid time off (PTO) upon hire.

• Three paid volunteer days.

• Summer Fridays.

• Additional office closures.

• Employee Assistance Program support, including Health Advocate, One Medical, Talkspace, and other services.