National Associate Director of Development; Major Gifts Officer

Overview

Reach Out and Read is seeking an experienced Associate Director of Development (Major Gifts Officer) to lead the qualification and cultivation of individual donors who give between $1,000 and $25,000. This frontline role offers the chance to work directly with high-capacity donors, developing personalized engagement strategies to inspire significant support for our mission.

The Major Gifts Officer is responsible for establishing and managing a portfolio of qualified donors and building strong relationships. They apply fundraising best practices to develop donor strategies and provide opportunities for donors to receive recognition and increase future giving. The Major Gifts Officer will travel frequently and work flexible hours as needed.

Reporting to the National Senior Director of Development, Individual and Major Gifts, the successful candidate will bring a proven track record in securing major gifts. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic development professional who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment to help build a major gift program from the ground up while fostering donor relationships with long-term potential that can fuel transformational impact.

Donor Cultivation and Strategic Engagement (75%)

• Qualify and cultivate a pool of ~300 donor prospects, developing a caseload of 100-125 major donors through strategic moves management.
• Build meaningful relationships with donors and prospects, with a focus on those capable of giving $1,000-$25,000, understanding that current gift levels reflect the early stage of the program, not donor capacity.

• Lead the creation of engagement plans for donors and prospects–including revenue projections–to retain, upgrade, and steward their giving.
• Work with National and Affiliate staff to identify funding opportunities and create offers, proposals, and asks that align with donors' capacity and organizational priorities.

Internal Collaboration and Leadership (15%)

• Strategize opportunities for the Chief Advancement and Strategy Officer, Senior Director of Development, Individual and Major Gifts, and key staff members to participate in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.
• Promote a culture of philanthropy across the Reach Out and Read enterprise and among colleagues across the affiliate network.

Data Management and Best Practices (10%)

• Record donor information (interactions, tasks, notes, and opportunities) in the database promptly.
• Assist in developing and supporting fundraising strategies, campaigns, and best practices.

This is a full-time (40 hours/week) exempt position, with flexible remote work options from a home office anywhere in the country. The role requires 25-35% national travel.

Reach Out and Read is committed to building an organization that embraces diversity, pursues equity, and fosters an environment of inclusion. Reach Out and Read sits at the intersection of health and education, uniquely positioned to play a critical role in addressing systemic disparities and inequities in the public health framework. Reach Out and Read strives to be an antiracist organization, using its influence to fight against social injustice by supporting a culture of learning, empowerment, equity, and a deep appreciation for the unique experiences that we each bring to our communities.

And, we believe that changing the world begins with holding ourselves and our workplace to that same standard.

Reach Out and Read gives young children a foundation for success and reaches 4.8 million children across the country – half of whom identify as BIPOC and two thirds of whom come from low-income families.

In deep partnership with a network of clinicians, Reach Out and Read leverages the near-universal reach of the pediatric well-child visit. It uses children’s books and shared reading to support parents and caregivers in strengthening healthy relationships with their infants and young children from birth through 5 years old.

Reach Out and Read works directly with pediatric care providers to share the lifelong benefits of parents…