Posted on October 12, 2012

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Major Gifts Officer

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), one of the world’s largest animal welfare organizations, has an exciting opportunity for a proactive Major Gifts fundraiser.

This is a unique opportunity to help strengthen and build the U.S. fundraising program of an international organization in a new U.S. office in New York City. The Major Gifts Officer will develop and implement strategies to cultivate and solicit new donors, steward current donors, maintain the organization’s major gift pipeline. S/he will work collaboratively with the U.S. development team, fundraisers in other country offices and the international fundraising team in London.

The Major Gift Officer reports to the U.S. Director of Development and will play a key role in a development department charged with raising more than $6M in 2013, with an ambitious plan for ongoing growth. Working closely with Prospect Research, s/he will cultivate, steward and expand the relationships between the organization and its major donors and prospects who have the capacity to make gifts of $30,000 and above. Using relationship building and cultivation skills, the Major Gifts Officer will have a significant impact on WSPA’s fundraising activities and will help to build the future of a growing global organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and manage relationships with prospective and existing donors at $30,000+ in all aspects of the gift cycle including: identifying, qualifying and initiating contact; developing cultivation strategies; meeting with donors, making solicitation and upgrading high-level donors to major donors
  
• Collect information about current and potential donors through meetings with current allies and other resources
  
• Prepare and write proposals for major gift prospects
  
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Development, Executive Director and Program staff to prepare for donor meetings; participate in donor meetings and take the lead on soliciting gifts, as appropriate
  
• Implement moves management program
  
• Maintain up-to-date records on all donor contact in fundraising database
  
• Work collaboratively with other development staff on major gifts activities
  
• Produce fundraising materials including, but not limited to, donor correspondence, PowerPoint presentations and reports
  
• Other duties as deemed necessary

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required, with 5-7 years of successful fundraising experience working with donors and prospects
  
• Demonstrated track record of achieving defined revenue goals
  
• Comfortable with cold calling
  
• Ability to develop effective cultivation and solicitation strategies
  
• Strong writer who possesses strong interpersonal and communications skills
  
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills; ability to take initiative, manage multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize effectively
  
• Creative and resourceful; entrepreneurial spirit and ability to work in a collaborative, productive manner with diverse constituencies
  
• Proficiency in Microsoft office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and web-based research skills and development database systems
  
• Working knowledge of RaisersEdge preferred
  
• Willing to travel
  
• Proactive, flexible and team-oriented
  

Application Instructions

This is a full time, New York City-based position. Salary is commensurate with candidate’s experience and this position includes generous benefits offered to full-time WSPA employees. Candidates wishing to be considered in the first round, please send a cover letter including salary requirements and resume to: hr4@wspausa.org. For consideration HR4-MDO must be in the subject line. Position will remain open until filled.

Applications submitted without salary requirements will not be considered.