Leadership Gift Officer

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Leadership Gift Officer (LGO) will serve as a dynamic frontline fundraiser, managing a portfolio of approximately 125 individuals with the capacity to give $10,000 or more. The Officer will strategically use annual fund data to identify prospects with the highest potential for leadership and major gifts. The LGO will develop and implement tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to deepen donor engagement and drive philanthropic growth. Additionally, the Officer will actively engage with young alumni under 40, support campus events, and collaborate with across the Foundation to cultivate the next generation of major donors.

The LGO must be able to enthusiastically and accurately represent Hunter College to a variety of constituents, including board members, major donors, prospects, and other friends of Hunter.

Position Responsibilities:

Donor Portfolio Management:

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for a portfolio of approximately 125 donors and prospects, advancing them through the donor lifecycle to maximize engagement and philanthropy.
• Leverage annual fund data to identify and prioritize high-potential donors for portfolio inclusion.
• Develop and execute individualized solicitation strategies to secure leadership and major gifts of $10,000 and above from individual donors and alumni.
• Conduct regular validation meetings with annual fund donors, alumni, and prospects to assess their giving capacity and identify opportunities for increased engagement.

Prospect Identification and Qualification:

• Analyze annual fund giving patterns to identify emerging prospects with potential for leadership or major gifts.
• Collaborate with the annual giving team to transition qualified prospects into the major gift pipeline.
• Identify and cultivate new prospects to meet institutional advancement fundraising goals.

Young Alumni Engagement:

• Partner with Alumni Relations and other relevant parties to develop strategies for engaging alumni under 40, fostering their philanthropic connection to Hunter College.
• Support and participate in initiatives that encourage young alumni to transition from annual fund giving to leadership and major gift commitments.

Planned Giving:

• Promote and integrate planned giving opportunities into donor conversations to expand philanthropic impact.
• Collaborate with the planned giving team to cultivate, solicit, and steward planned gift donors.

Donor Engagement and Stewardship:

• Support donor stewardship initiatives by ensuring accurate recognition and acknowledgment of leadership and major gift donors.
• Work closely with the stewardship team to develop meaningful recognition and reporting opportunities for donors.

Collaboration:

• Collaborate with colleagues across Institutional Advancement to develop long-term cultivation and solicitation strategies for key donors, including alumni, parents, trustees, and other friends of the college.
• Partner with the Alumni Relations team to align fundraising and engagement efforts, particularly for young alumni.

Campus and Event Participation:

• Actively participate in fundraising events, donor receptions, and other campus activities to cultivate relationships and steward donors.
• Serve as a visible representative of Hunter College at on- and off-campus events, building rapport with donors and prospects.

Reporting and Metrics:

• Monitor and report weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual performance metrics, including meetings, proposals, and major gift revenue.
• Document all relationship management activities in Raiser’s Edge, including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree and three to five years of front-line fundraising experience required.

Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills

Resourceful and data-driven work ethic

Proficiency in donor management software and analytical skills for assessing donor data.

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Compensation and benefits

Salary commensurate with education and experience $85,000-$105,000.

CUNY’s benefits contribute significantly to total compensation. We offer a range of health plans, and paid sick leave and vacation, and retirement plans. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.

Application Process:

Applications can be sent to htr-iarecruitment@hunter.cuny.edu with subject: Leadership Gift Officer.

Please include:

Cover Letter

Resume

Names and contact information of 3 references

Upload all documents as ONE single file-- PDF format preferred

CLOSING DATE

The committee will begin reviewing complete applications on February 7th, 2025. The search will remain open, and screening and review of applications will be ongoing-- until the position is filled. Applications submitted after the deadline will only be considered if the position(s) remain open after initial round.