Major Gifts Officer in Development & Alumni Relations

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Dean, Development at Columbia Business School (CBS), the Major Gifts Officer will manage a robust portfolio of current and prospective donors, with a focus on identifying, cultivating and soliciting alumni, parents, foundations and friends of CBS with the capacity to make gifts in the $250,000 to $5,000,000 range.

Working within the highly collaborative environment of a dynamic fundraising team, the Major Gift Officer will play an integral role in achieving annual fundraising objectives and in advancing the School’s priorities.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 125 prospects through all phases of the giving cycle, from validation and engagement through cultivation, solicitation, gift negotiation, and stewardship.
• Conduct a minimum of 125 prospect meetings annually to cultivate and solicit prospects and close gifts. Responsible for managing communications and follow-up, including maintaining detailed activity reports and moves management information on all prospects in the portfolio.
• Regularly conduct validation meetings with prospects, alumni, and parents who have not been previously visited to determine their giving potential and opportunities for engagement.
• Meet agreed-upon fundraising goals and metrics by identifying and working with major gift prospects through successful gift closings.
• Actively participate in the life of the team, learning and growing with colleagues.
• Serve as a high-level spokesperson and representative for Columbia Business School. This involves advocating for the school’s funding priorities with donors, internal stakeholders, faculty, directors of centers, and colleagues from across the organization.
• Independently travel, and occasionally with leadership, to deepen relationships between prospects and the School. Maintain enthusiasm and flexibility in representing the school’s interests.
• Instill values of teamwork, integrity, accountability, and respect within all professional interactions.
• Performs other related tasks and special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required. Minimum 5-7 years related experience required.
• A minimum of 5 years of fundraising or combination of fundraising and sales experience with a proven track record of closing six-figure and seven-figure gifts.
• Ability and comfort to interact effectively with business executives, CEO-level contacts, and high-net worth individuals.
• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Outstanding strategic thinking and analytical skills, interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and experience handling highly confidential information.
• Strong initiative, creativity, organizational ability, and attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze a problem and present a strategic solution.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and cooperatively with other staff.
• Ability to be creative, enterprising, and tactful.
• Some weekend and evening work hours required. Up to 40 days travel.
19 hours ago