Major Gifts Officer, Family Giving

Job Posting Location:

Claremont, CA

Job Posting Title:
Major Gifts Officer, Family Giving

Job Description:

ABOUT POMONA COLLEGE: Located near Los Angeles, California, Pomona College is widely regarded as one of the nation's premier liberal arts colleges. Established in 1887, Pomona College is known for small classes, a challenging curriculum, close relationships between students and faculty, and a range of student research and leadership opportunities. Pomona is a member of The Claremont Colleges.

Position Summary

The Major Gifts Officer develops and implements comprehensive, individualized development programs for major gift prospects to secure gifts of $100,000 or more. Through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of gifts to the institution, this position manages a portfolio of current parents, past parents, and family donors of Pomona College. The successful candidate will understand the unique dynamics of family philanthropy—including the importance of timely, relationship-centered engagement within a family’s limited window of connection to the College—and will work in close partnership with the broader Family Giving and Advancement teams in support of Pomona’s comprehensive campaign.

Essential Functions

Reporting directly to the Director of Family Giving, the Major Gifts Officer works independently and collaboratively to perform the following essential duties and responsibilities:

- Manage a portfolio of 120 to 140 major gift prospects, including current parents, past parents, and family donors of the College, through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, with an emphasis on travel to key donor markets.

- Prepare proposals for major gifts ($100,000+).

- Develop long-term cultivation and engagement strategies for donors.

- Develop relationships with assigned prospects through in-person/virtual meetings, in writing, and through electronic resources.

- Make judgments regarding prospects’ financial capability and willingness to support College goals and objectives.

- Manage projects for specific fund-raising objectives as required.

- Create gift proposals and gift agreements. Negotiate dollar amounts and written terms for management of gifts. Monitor and ensure fulfillment of gifts.

- Maintain stewardship contacts with donors and adhere to the highest ethical standards.

- Prepare briefings for senior campus leadership meetings.

- Assist in the creation of stewardship plans and monitor implementation of the plans.
- Participate in all aspects of the donor engagement cycle from initiating contacts to securing gifts in an appropriate and timely manner.

- Assist Director of Family Giving in strengthening the Family Leadership Council through strategic member recruitment, engagement, stewardship and programming that deepens families’ connection to the College and encourages philanthropic leadership.

- Serve as a resource for Advancement staff, from identifying potential volunteer connections to knowing about meeting and event spaces in key locations.

- Secure support for a set of campus-wide priorities established by campus leadership.

- Coordinate special projects/tasks/duties and provide assistance as assigned.

- Partner with Alumni and Family Engagement (AFE) staff to support parent and family programming, including regional events such as Summer Welcome Parties and other family touchpoints.

- Build strong personal and professional relationships with the entire Pomona College community, including current and past parents, faculty, staff, and volunteers.

- Proactively work to understand and maintain an in-depth knowledge of Pomona programs, key faculty, research, student life, and student initiatives.

Qualifications

- Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, business administration, a liberal arts field, or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
- Experience: A minimum of five years of professional work experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience required with a proven track record of accomplishments and taking initiative. Demonstrated fundraising experience at an academic institution is desirable.

Required Knowledge and Critical Skills

- Prepare cultivation strategies for prospects that are recorded in Salesforce.

- Maintain updated solicitation status for prospects in the database.

- Retrieve information out of the Salesforce database for briefing preparations.

- Ensure key actions with prospects are entered in the master database system.

- Handle all activities and highly confidential information with patience, discretion, good judgment, courtesy, and tact.

- Foster a culture of personal accountability, innovation, creativity, and a customer-service oriented community and successful donor-centric model of sustained fundraising.

- The successful candidate will be an effective advocate for the value of the liberal arts with all constituents.

Required Hours

The regular hours for this full-time position are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday. Travel will be required monthly. Holiday, weekend, and evening work hours may be required. Regular hours and work location may vary based on the needs of the College or division.

ADDITIONAL POSITION DETAILS: This position is a regular, full-time, exempt position, benefits eligible. Annual Salary for this position is between $103,171 to $119,937 with a competitive benefits package. The specific factors that the College will consider when offering a salary to an individual will include, but not be limited to: education, training, relevant prior experience, and performance in prior roles. All staff positions are ineligible for visa or permanent resident card sponsorship. As a California employer, Pomona College requires all employees to be residents of California.

Physical Activities

Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like.

☐ Never ☒ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Moving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces.

☐ Never ☒ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.

☐ Never ☐ Occasionally ☒ Constantly

Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.

☐ Never ☒ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Adjusting or moving objects up to __ pounds in all directions.

☐ Never ☒ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Communicating with others to exchange information.

☐ Never ☐ Occasionally ☒ Constantly

Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.

☐ Never ☐ Occasionally ☒ Constantly

Operating machinery and/or power tools.

☒ Never ☐ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Operating motor vehicles or heavy equipment.

☒ Never ☐ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned.

☐ Never ☒ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Environmental Conditions

Low temperatures.

☒ Never ☐ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

High temperatures.

☐ Never ☒ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Outdoor elements such as precipitation and wind.

☐ Never ☒ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Noisy environments.

☐ Never ☒ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Hazardous conditions.

☒ Never ☐ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Poor ventilation.

☒ Never ☐ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Small and/or enclosed spaces.

☒ Never ☐ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Other adverse environmental conditions not listed above..

☒ Never ☐ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Physical Demands

Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting/standing.

☐ Never ☐ Occasionally ☒ Constantly

Light work that includes moving objects up to 20 pounds.

☐ Never ☒ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Medium work that includes moving objects up to 50 pounds.

☒ Never ☐ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

Heavy work that includes moving objects up to 100 pounds or more.

☒ Never ☐ Occasionally ☐ Constantly

ADA/OSHA: This job description defines the essential job duties of this position.  The College expects that employees hired for this position can perform the essential functions of this job without imposing risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of themselves or others.  It may also include marginal functions, generally defined within Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

DISCLAIMER: This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this position.  When duties and responsibilities change and develop, the College will review this job description and make changes of business necessity.