Major Gifts Officer

Who We Are

Lambda Legal is a national advocacy organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Since 1973, Lambda Legal has used impact litigation and other advocacy tools to decriminalize same-sex relationships; challenge discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV in the workplace, in the home, in schools, in health care, and in the military;

and protect LGBTQ+ families, including by winning and defending marriage equality. Our clients are not charged for legal representation or advocacy and Lambda Legal receives no government funding. Headquartered in New York City, Lambda Legal also has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, DC.

Position:
Major Gifts Officer
Department:
Development
Office

Location:

New York, NY
Work Type Designation:
Hybrid

Reports to:

Regional Director
Union Status: D4
Annual Salary Range: $90,494 – $140,375 annually (salary determined by years of relevant experience and geographic region)
Travel:
Up to 30% within the region (including evenings, weekends, and events)
FLSA Status:
Full-Time / Exempt

Supervisory Responsibilities:

None

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) reports to the Regional Director and is primarily responsible for acquiring, cultivating, and soliciting assigned individual donors and prospects with potential to give $1,500 or more annually, with a heightened focus on individual giving and upgrading donors to Major Donor levels ($5,000+). The MGO will work to expand Lambda Legal’s Liberty Circle ($1,500+) Donor Program and volunteer activities in the assigned area/market and will also be responsible for managing relationships, communications, and individual giving plans with leadership donors and managing volunteer leadership committees in the assigned markets.

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors ($1,500+), focusing on upgrading Major Donor levels ($5,000+).
• Develop and implement customized cultivation and solicitation strategies for each donor, including personalized outreach and in-person meetings.
• Acknowledge contributions and coordinate annual report recognition for gifts received from donors in the assigned portfolio, and work with national staff to coordinate input into grant proposals for local foundations and prospective foundation grantors.
• Meet or exceed annual revenue goals for major gifts fundraising and meet key metrics for donor engagement and prospect development in service of these goals.
• Handle administrative management of portfolios in the database (pull reports, donor and pledge entry, etc).
• Identify via local networks and Lambda’s database major donor prospects, steward and solicit said prospects.

• Attend events regularly to engage with donors and prospects.
• Create personalized stewardship plans for major donors, with an eye on their annual giving, event giving, planned giving, and corporate connections.
• Develop deep knowledge of donors’ interests, motivations, and giving capacity.
• Serve as primary relationship manager for major donors and volunteer fundraising committees in the assigned markets.
• Support and manage annual solicitation of donors in the assigned portfolio by the Chief Executive Officer, Board, NLC members, other key volunteers, and other Lambda Legal staff. This includes identifying and securing major donor prospect meetings for senior staff and organizational leadership.

• Work with Lambda Legal staff, Board, National Leadership Council (NLC) members and other volunteers to execute fundraising and cultivation events in assigned markets and additional ones, as determined, including leading fundraising efforts for major fundraising events in their markets.
• Manage volunteer leadership committees and Leadership Donor fundraising plans, including identifying and securing event sponsor ships (individual and firm/corporate), in assigned markets and others, as determined.
• Provide support for regional events by coordinating and…