Major Gifts Officer

Major Gifts Officer

SPCA Cincinnati delivers lifesaving compassionate care and community services, including adoption, humane education, sheltering, investigations, emergency field support, and animal-focused community programs for animals and the people who love them.

SPCA Cincinnati is creating a Major Gifts Officer role to build what comes next. This is a frontline, production-focused fundraising position responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-capacity individual donors.

This role is not maintaining an existing mature major gifts program. It is building and scaling one. The Major Gifts Officer will establish disciplined portfolio management practices, expand leadership-level giving, and accelerate individual philanthropy that strengthens long-term sustainability.

This position reports to the Chief Development Officer and partners closely with executive leadership and members of the Board of Directors on strategic solicitations and donor engagement.

Core Responsibilities

Portfolio Development and Management Build, qualify, and actively manage a portfolio of approximately 100–125 major gift prospects and donors. Develop written strategies for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of assigned prospects. Continuously qualify and re-qualify donors to ensure portfolio health and productivity. Document all activity and strategy in Raiser's Edge with precision and consistency. Leverage analytics, wealth screening, direct mail engagement, and community connections to expand the pipeline.

Donor Engagement and Revenue Generation Conduct a minimum of 12–15 meaningful donor visits per month, prioritizing face-to-face engagement. Develop and present customized proposals aligned with SPCA Cincinnati's strategic priorities. Independently solicit and close five-figure gifts and participate in or lead six-figure solicitations. Advance donors through the giving cycle with measurable pipeline movement. Partner with the Chief Development Officer, CEO, and Board of directors on high-capacity strategies and leadership-level asks.

Stewardship and Long-Term Philanthropic Growth Design individualized stewardship plans that reinforce impact and inspire upgraded giving. Identify planned giving and multi-year commitment opportunities within the portfolio. Ensure donors experience clear, compelling reporting tied to mission outcomes.

Executive and Board Partnership Collaborate with senior leadership and Board members to prepare for and execute strategic solicitations. Provide support in relationship-building efforts and philanthropic engagement. Represent SPCA Cincinnati with credibility and professionalism in high-level donor settings.

Performance Expectations This is a metrics-driven role with clear production expectations. Success will be measured by:

• Managing a qualified portfolio of 100–125 prospects
• Completing 150+ meaningful donor visits annually
• Meeting or exceeding an annual individual major gift revenue goal (established in partnership with the CDO)
• Submitting a defined number of personalized proposals annually
• Demonstrating measurable pipeline growth, donor retention, and gift upgrades

Qualifications Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required. Minimum of 3–5 years of frontline major gift fundraising experience with demonstrated success closing five-figure gifts required. Experience participating in or leading six-figure solicitations strongly preferred.

• Proven track record of managing an active portfolio and meeting defined revenue targets.
• Strong strategic thinking and disciplined follow-through.
• Experience using Raiser's Edge or comparable required.
• Exceptional relationship-building and communication skills.
• Commitment to ethical, donor-centered fundraising practices.
• Passion for animal welfare and SPCA Cincinnati's mission.

Working Conditions Frequent in-person donor meetings required. Some evenings and weekends necessary for donor engagement and events.

SPCA Cincinnati is strengthening its philanthropic infrastructure to support long-term impact. The Major Gifts Officer will help transition the organization from reliance on legacy support and transactional giving toward a robust, relationship-centered major gifts program that fuels transformational investment.

This is an opportunity for a proven frontline fundraiser to build, shape, and scale a program that will directly expand SPCA Cincinnati's capacity to serve animals and the families who love them.