Major Gifts Officer

Major Gifts Officer

The Major Gifts Officer cultivates, solicits, and stewards individual donors and prospects to increase philanthropic support for JFCS East Bay. The position manages a portfolio of major donors, builds individualized engagement strategies, conducts donor meetings, and partners with executive leadership, Board members, program staff, and Development colleagues to achieve fundraising goals.

The position also supports planned and legacy giving, special initiatives, community engagement, and donor data management. A key responsibility is supporting JFCS East Bay's 150th Anniversary celebration to strengthen donor relationships, increase community awareness, and generate philanthropic support.

Essential Responsibilities:

Major Gifts & Donor Development

• Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects with capacity for gifts of approximately $5,000–$100,000+, developing and executing strategies for qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, retention, and increased giving.
• Conduct approximately 10–12 substantive donor/prospect meetings monthly and build long-term relationships by aligning donor interests with JFCS East Bay's mission, priorities, and community impact.
• Prepare and participate in major gift solicitations with executive leadership and Board members, including developing proposals, donor briefings, talking points, impact reports, and stewardship materials.
• Strengthen donor engagement and philanthropic support through personalized strategies, timely follow-up, and effective stewardship.

Prospect Research, CRM & Portfolio Management

• Research, identify, qualify, and prioritize prospects to build and maintain a strong major gift pipeline.
• Maintain accurate, timely donor and prospect records in Salesforce or another CRM, including giving history, relationships, engagement, solicitations, and next steps.
• Track portfolio activity, moves management, pipeline progress, and fundraising results; use data and research to prioritize outreach and inform strategy.

Planned Giving & Special Initiatives

• Identify and cultivate planned and legacy giving prospects and coordinate follow-up with Development leadership and professional advisors.
• Support fundraising campaigns, special initiatives, donor events, and organizational milestones.
• Support donor engagement activities for JFCS East Bay's 150th Anniversary, including stewardship, commemorative events, communications, and community engagement.
• Leverage the anniversary to deepen donor relationships, increase visibility, and advance philanthropic support.

Leadership, Program & Community Engagement

• Develop a strong understanding of JFCS East Bay's programs, priorities, and impact and translate them into compelling donor opportunities and communications.
• Partner with the CEO, Development leadership, senior staff, and Board members to advance donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, including preparation of prospect profiles, briefings, and meeting strategies.
• Collaborate with program and communications teams to communicate impact through compelling stories that protect client dignity, privacy, and confidentiality.
• Represent JFCS East Bay at donor, community, and philanthropic events and build relationships with community leaders and partners.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience, plus five or more years of progressive nonprofit fundraising experience, including at least three years managing a major donor portfolio.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors, securing gifts of $5,000 or more, and developing a strong major gift pipeline using effective prospect research, moves management, and individualized engagement strategies.
• Strong ability to build authentic donor relationships, align philanthropic interests with organizational priorities, and communicate mission and program impact through compelling written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Strong strategic thinking, project management, organizational, and analytical skills, with experience using Salesforce, Blackbaud, or comparable donor CRM systems to manage portfolios, track activity, and inform fundraising strategies.
• Demonstrated sound judgment, collaboration, confidentiality, and ethical fundraising practices, with a commitment to cultural humility, equity, inclusion, and the mission and diverse communities served by JFCS East Bay.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with planned or legacy giving, donor…