Senior Advancement Officer Major Gifts

Reports To: VP Institutional Advancement

Department: Institutional Advancement

Status: Full Time, Exempt

Salary Range: $40-$65,000 (Title III Grant funded)

Opening Date: August 28, 2025

Paine College is a private institution steeped in the tenets of Methodism that provides a liberal arts education of the highest quality. The College emphasizes academic excellence, ethical and spiritual values, social responsibility, and personal development to prepare spiritually centered men and women for positions of leadership and service. Under the dynamic leadership of its newly appointment president, Dr. Lester

A. McCorn, the College endeavors to build a technology savvy, data-driven friend-raising and fundraising arm of the general academic areas of the College.

As a part of a successful fundraising team at Paine College, the Senior Advancement Officer will utilize exceptional relationship building skills, strong work ethic, a goals-oriented mentality, and be motivated to be an effective member of this mission driven organization.

• The Senior Advancement Officer is responsible for building relationships with a wide variety of constituents including alumni, donors, volunteers, and campus partners.
• The Senior Advancement Officer will manage a regional portfolio of rated prospects who have the inclination and/or capacity to commit five or six figure gifts with the goal of raising funds to advance the mission of Paine College.

Reporting Relationship:
The Senior Advancement Officer for Major Gifts reports directly to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement.

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, close, and steward donor prospects through personal and virtual engagement (10-15 meetings per month).
• Actively listen to match donor interest with university priorities, develop funding proposals, and negotiate gift commitments.
• Share stories from campus through effective written, verbal, and visual communication.
• Overnight and day travel may be required.
• Use data to meet quarterly and annual performance metrics by generating new contacts and expanding relationships with existing donors.
• Exhibit time management skills that allow for appropriate follow up and adaptation to emerging needs.
• Working a minimum of 90 days in advance, plan and execute a travel strategy based on the assigned portfolio supplemented by strategic prospect discovery work.
• Serve as a liaison to one or more designated areas on campus while maintaining relationships with the Provost, Department Chairs, Program Directors, and faculty across campus.
• Coordinate the travel of senior leadership to assigned events.
• Attend College-sponsored events and make use of these activities to engage with alumni, donors, and prospects.
• Collaborate with divisional colleagues and campus partners to meet the needs of Paine College.
• Must be available to work flexible hours and travel.

The identified candidate must possess at a minimum:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience interacting with a wide range of individuals and position levels.
• Demonstrated success in a metrics-driven environment.
• Experience in client-facing, client-services, or relationship management role.
• A minimum of one year of professional-level, direct solicitation/fundraising experience is required.
• Must be proficient using Microsoft Office software.

• Professional working proficiency in English and Spanish strongly preferred.
• 3 years of full-time professional experience working in a metrics-driven environment, relationship-based roles, or other related professions.
• Understanding of the culture and mechanics of higher education fundraising.
• Familiarity with fundraising industry best practices, CRM software like Blackbaud, Agilon ONE, Thank View, and Linked In.
• Demonstrated appetite for success and making a difference.
• Proven history of conducting successful annual, major, and planned gift solicitations.
• Demonstrated competence in delivering presentations to individuals or groups.
• Solid understanding of finances and budgets.
• Proven record of working with volunteers to coordinate and increase private support.
• Demonstrated success in overcoming barriers and problem solving.
• Exhibit emotional intelligence and a cognitive ability to manage complex situations and environments or other related critical thinking skills.
• Ability to plan, organize, implement, oversee, and coordinate multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Willing to approach roles and tasks with a commitment to the values of Paine College.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and adhere to the highest ethical standards.

Submit the following material to apply for the position: Submit a resumé/curriculum vitae and letter of interest that details the applicant's expertise and outlines the applicant's qualifications for the position; three letters of recommendation, and all unofficial transcripts from…