About the Opportunity

Reporting to the Director, Major Giving and Engagement, the Major Gifts Officer is responsible for securing five- and six-figure gifts from individual donors and prospects to support the broad scope of Robin Hood’s mission. The Major Gifts Officer will engage, solicit, steward and cultivate a portfolio of 150 qualified donors and prospects, implementing targeted strategies they develop, resulting in gift closures at maximum levels of support. This group is a highly valuable community of supporters and a potential source of significant growth for Robin Hood, some as major givers and others as long-term donors and/or planned giving candidates. A particular focus in the first year will be to build Robin Hood’s first Women’s Collective, engaging and stewarding generous and passionate women donors.

This role involves working collaboratively across different fundraising programs, and with Development, Marketing & Events (DME) leadership, recognizing that success will include significantly increasing revenue for other programs.

This role entails stewarding and soliciting a robust donor pipeline, enhancing brand visibility within philanthropic circles, and nurturing relationships with current contributors. The ideal candidate thrives on data-driven strategies and engaging prospective donors at the highest levels of philanthropy while supporting and managing existing donor relationships.

If you are an experienced fundraiser driven by measurable outcomes, adept at portfolio development, and passionate about helping New Yorkers escape poverty permanently, then this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

Donor Engagement and Solicitation

• Manage a pool of 150 major giving donors acting as primary contact to steward, cultivate, and solicit.
• Using both quantitative and qualitative data along with research, create customized short-, intermediate-, and long-term strategies for existing donor/prospect portfolio.
• Build strong relationships to retain and/or upgrade donors through strategic meetings, phone calls, personalized email communications, ongoing written contact, and events.
• Organize face-to-face discovery, engagement, and solicitation visits by various stakeholders.
• Collaborate with donor relations team to develop compelling fundraising materials, appeals, and campaigns that resonate with target audiences

Stewardship

• Nurture donor loyalty through personalized communications and outreach, including phone calls, emails, written contact, and events.
• Tailor stewardship efforts based on donor giving levels and interests.
• Proactively stay abreast of Robin Hood’s model, key priorities and funding needs.

Cultivation

• Conceptualize and launch recruitment for “learning and action” affinity groups to acquire new donors and to steward and upgrade current donors.
• Partner with the Director of Major Giving to co-lead exploratory conversations, develop strategy and framework for giving and member benefits.
• In the first year, focus on enlisting a group of generous and passionate women to join Robin Hood’s first Women’s Collective.

Reporting and Analysis

• Maintain accurate and confidential records of donor interactions in Salesforce.
• Monitor and report on program metrics and goals, modifying strategies as necessary to meet objectives.
• Identify success and assessment metrics, analyzing rates, retention, and upgrades.
• Conduct midcourse (January or June) and yearly review and assessment of pipeline program, making adjustments as necessary.

Key Qualifications

• Minimum of seven years of relevant experience in fundraising, donor engagement, major giving, or a closely related field
• Commitment to Robin Hood’s mission
• Proven track record of soliciting, closing and stewarding five- and six-figure gifts
• Experience managing a large pool of donors and skilled at cultivating strong relationships with donors through personalized communications and outreach to retain and upgrade their support.
• Strong background in using both quantitative and qualitative to inform fundraising strategies
• Ability to conceptualize and implement a strategic plan for creating and launching affinity groups, setting clear goals and outlining actionable steps.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to be an effective spokesperson for Robin Hood
• Strong attention to detail with an analytical mind and superb problem-solving skills
• Ability to exercise flexibility and discretion
• Strong interpersonal skills: ability to influence others to achieve objectives, both internally and externally at all levels of the organization
• Willingness to jump in where needed while staying positive and flexible
• Team player and collaborator
• Exceptional project management and execution skills
• Self-starter skilled at completing tasks with minimal support
• Volunteer/affinity group management skills and experience are a plus
• Ability to travel locally and work occasional evenings and weekends
• Understanding of New York City philanthropy of added value
• Excellent Microsoft Office suite skills (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, but not required

All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Compensation
Robin Hood provides a competitive compensation package with extensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. Employees benefit from a 403(b) retirement plan match and an additional employer contribution to a 401(a) retirement plan. Robin Hood supports a healthy work-life balance, offering new hires 20 days of accrued paid time off.

The salary range for this role is $125,000 - $160,000 and is eligible for a performance-based bonus.

To express interest, please submit your cover letter and resume in confidence https://www.developmentguild.com/current-searches/major-gifts-officer-robin-hood/.

For more information, please visit www.developmentguild.com.