Major Gifts Officer Senior

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.

U-M EEO Statement

How to Apply:

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that are directly related.

Job Summary:

Join the nation's #2-ranked College of Pharmacy! Our Development and Alumni Engagement Team is hiring a dedicated Major Gifts Officer Senior at an exciting moment-as we support the University's Look to Michigan Campaign, prepare to move into a new building, and approach our 150th anniversary. You will offer a unique chance to build philanthropic partnerships that support the College's mission.

As a Major Gifts Officer, you'll help shape and implement strategies to grow major gift support-focused on identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors capable of giving $100,000 or more. You'll work with the Executive Director of Development and Alumni Engagement and collaborate with internal and external partners to align with College priorities.

Reporting to the Executive Director, you'll partner with the dean, department chairs, faculty, and university development colleagues to achieve results.

Join our small, collaborative, and flexible team where your ideas matter. If you're a team-driven professional passionate about fundraising and building donor relationships, we encourage you to apply!

For a full and detailed job description, please click here

Job Responsibilities

• Donor & Prospect Management (65%)
  • Grow philanthropic support by aligning donor interests with College priorities across students, faculty, research, and programs.
  • Identify and cultivate new prospects, including individuals, corporations, and foundations.
  • Manage a portfolio of major gift donors ($100K+), following University performance standards.
  • Partner with our Stewardship Officer to ensure meaningful donor recognition.
  • Develop tailored proposals and support materials to engage donors.
  • Support corporate and foundation engagement to secure funding.
  • Maintain accurate records, reports, and plans in the University's donor database.
  • Assist the Executive Director and Dean with donor strategy, travel prep, and correspondence.
• Strategic Planning for Major Gifts Program (15%)
  • Partner with the Executive Director to design and execute a multi-year fundraising plan supporting key College priorities.
  • Use data to assess prospects and develop strategies to maximize individual donor contributions.
  • Lead outreach and cultivation efforts, including donor events, volunteer engagement, and group giving campaigns.
  • Plan and execute donor-focused events to support identification, cultivation, and stewardship.
  • Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to align fundraising efforts with the Look to Michigan Campaign and develop strategic donor materials.
• Building Internal Partnerships for Fundraising Success (10%)
  • Facilitate collaboration with campus, college, and development colleagues to develop strategic partnerships that support fundraising goals.
  • Build and maintain robust relationships within the University Development community, working with regional, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, and major gift officers across campus to ensure collaboration
  • Partner with College of Pharmacy leadership, faculty, staff, and students to educate and develop partnerships that aid in donor identification, cultivation, engagement, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
• Collaborative Support for Pharmacy Development and Alumni Engagement Team Functions (10%)
  • Provide cross-trained support for the Pharmacy Development and Alumni Engagement team.
  • Participate in networking, training, professional development and educational opportunities to stay informed on best practices in major gift work and fundraising.
  • Foster a culture of philanthropy by engaging College of Pharmacy students, faculty, and staff in fundraising and donor engagement opportunities.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree.
• 4+ years of experience in major gift fundraising, or a combination of major gift fundraising and related experience in sales or similar fields.
• Successful track record of closing six-figure gifts and the ability to evaluate, qualify, and move prospects through the cultivation and solicitation cycle.
• Experience closing planned gifts.
• Knowledge of charitable giving laws, practices, and philosophies.
• Willingness to travel frequently and to adjust schedule to accommodate donor needs.
• Proficiency in using computing tools to retrieve, organize, and research donor/prospect information and conduct data management.

Special Requirements of the job:

• This hybrid role offers the flexibility of remote work. Team members are expected to be on-site 3 days per week, with travel days counting toward this requirement.
• Must be able to travel 30-40% of the time both in-state and throughout the country. This includes evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Why Work at Michigan?

We offer a benefits package that includes comprehensive training and career development opportunities, generous retirement savings plans, ample paid time off, and a wealth of family care support: https://careers.umich.edu/benefits/