Major Gifts Officer

Job no: 530014
Position Type: Staff Full Time
Campus: UMass Boston
Department: VC-University Advancement
Pay Grade: 34
Date opened: 07 Jul 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 07 Aug 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Principal & Leadership Gifts and Campaign Director, the Major Gifts Officer is primarily responsible for developing, managing, implementing, and overseeing strategies for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of approximately 100-150 prospective leadership gift donors. The Major Gifts Officer will create individualized solicitation plans leading to major outright and deferred gifts of $50,000+, integrating unrestricted and restricted gifts, endowment, annual and capital gifts in support of UMass Boston’s fund-raising priorities.

Responsibilities will most significantly include the identification, cultivation and solicitation of new prospects for the University. The Major Gifts Officer will serve as a fundraiser for University-wide targeted initiatives and will work closely with colleagues in University Advancement, Dean’s, faculty and senior administrators in developing and implementing key fund-raising strategies and activities.

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the priorities of the University and make a persuasive verbal and written case for supporting key programs and projects, effectively matching the interests of prospects to specific University needs;
• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward special and leadership gifts from a managed portfolio of 100-150 prospects and donors with capacity to make gifts of $50,000 and more. Face-to-face solicitations are required;
• Articulate the mission of UMass Boston, its programs and activities in a succinct and compelling manner and advance individual relationships that result in philanthropic contributions to the university;
• Visit 10-12+ donors/prospects monthly along with significant phone, text and email outreach;
• Gather data, assess prospects, and develop strategies designed to realize the current and life-time giving potential of individual prospects;
• Ensure consistent and appropriate contact, facilitate or make solicitations and ensure effective stewardship;
• Develop material used by Deans, Directors, Vice Chancellors, the Provost and the Chancellor for meetings, visits or individual contacts;
• Coordinate specialized appeals targeted at constituent groups associated with a particular discipline, program or initiative;
  Collaborate with senior administrators, deans, faculty and volunteers to develop ideas that translate the University’s fund- raising priorities into gift proposals and to advance major gift prospects;
• Participate in the planning and execution of special events;
• Submit timely contact reports for each visit with detailed briefing papers;
• Work with planned giving to identify prospects for bequests and other planned gifts to the University;
• Gather, record and properly store information about prospect and donors utilizing Advance the University’s donor and alumni tracking database and use Gravyty for identifying new prospects;
• Work with the Associate Vice Chancellor, Deans Directors, faculty and staff throughout the university to develop funding opportunities, engage in relationship-building activities of many kinds with faculty, volunteers and prospects; and provide general direction for support of university-wide targeted initiatives;
• Plan and implement focused cultivation, solicitation and stewardship for specific gift opportunities; and,
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s preferred and seven-plus years of direct and successful development experience in fundraising, which includes a minimum of five-plus years of special/leadership gift experience, preferably in higher education, with a record of closing major gifts is required. Experience in fundraising at a complex University is preferred. Strong interpersonal skills are required, both written and oral, as well as a high level of sophistication and maturity in social and professional settings.

Comprehensive campaign experience is…