Major Gift Officer

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Development, at the Graduate School of Journalism, the Major Gift Officer focuses on identifying, cultivating soliciting and stewarding alumni, foundations and friends of Columbia with the capacity to make gifts in the $100,000 to $3,000,000 range. The Major Gift Officer is responsible for a portfolio of up to 150 individuals and foundations. Serving as a key member of a dynamic fund-raising team, the Major Gift Officer is responsible for moving gift and grant prospects through the complete giving cycle : validation, engagement, cultivation, solicitation, gift / grant negotiation and stewardship. In collaboration with the Director of Development, identify priorities for fundraising focus.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio through all phases of the giving cycle, from qualification and engagement through cultivation, solicitation, gift negotiation, and stewardship.
• Conducts a minimum of 150 personal visits annually to identify, cultivate, solicit, close and steward leadership, major gifts and planned gifts.
• Annually fulfill a minimum of 15 major gift asks,10 leadership level asks and five planned giving conversations.
• Meet fundraising goals and metrics by identifying and working with major gift prospects through successful gift closings.
• Responsible for managing communications and follow-up, including maintaining detailed activity reports and moves management information on all prospects in the portfolio and ensuring that all activities are uploaded into the institution's donor database.
• Conducts regular qualification meetings with prospects who have not been visited previously to help determine giving potential and opportunities for engagement.
• Serves as a high-level representative for the School, including advocating for the School's funding priorities with donors, internal and external stakeholders, faculty, directors of centers, and colleagues from across the organization.
• Collaborates with administrators and faculty to understand Journalism School priorities, works with them on strategy development, meeting preparation, cultivation and solicitation, and gift stewardship.
• Attends prospect meetings with the Associate Dean for Advancement, Director of Development, Center Directors, and the Dean of Columbia Journalism School as required.
• Schedules donor and prospect meetings for the Dean and Center Directors in consultation with the Director of Development and briefs the Dean and Center Directors prior to the meetings and drafts follow up communications for them.
• Develops written solicitation and other development materials for prospects, including compelling proposals, donor reports, foundation letters of inquiries, and grant applications.
• Travels domestically and internationally as appropriate to meet with prospects and donors. Represents the school at events, including reunion weekend.
• Performs other related duties and special projects as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of four years of fundraising or related experience is required.
• An advanced degree preferred, as is experience or a strong interest in journalism, graduate journalism education and effective donor relations.
• Computer proficiency (Word, Excel, Google Workspace, and experience working with fundraising CRM software) required.
• Some evening and weekend work, and travel, is required.
• Must have excellent writing and presentation skills and be a persuasive advocate for Journalism School priorities.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, including a high level of attention to detail and being an active listener.
• Must be able to problem-solve and troubleshoot, and work independently in a dynamic team environment.
• A demonstrated ability to effectively partner with a diverse group of administrators and academic leaders is necessary.
• The successful candidate must be a strategic thinker, diplomatic and discerning, with sound judgment and a collaborative style that fosters teamwork and cooperation beyond the immediate team to the broader organization.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.