Senior Major Gifts Officer

Senior Major Gifts Officer

Arcadia University is entering an exciting and ambitious era of philanthropy- one defined by bold ideas of preparing our students to be world-ready while setting records for our success in attaining philanthropic support. As the University advances its vision for the future in Arcadia 2030, the Senior Major Gifts Officer will play a central role in demonstrating what fundraising can accomplish for Arcadia and the students, programs, and communities it serves.

The Senior Major Gifts Officer is a strategic, entrepreneurial, and relationship-driven fundraising professional responsible for inspiring philanthropy and securing transformational investments of $25,000 and above. This individual will have the opportunity to think creatively about how Arcadia engages alumni, families, friends, partners, and other supporters; develops compelling philanthropic opportunities; and connects donors' passions with the University's boldest priorities.

Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Senior Major Gifts Officer will be a vital member of Arcadia's fundraising team and will be responsible for the full spectrum of the major gift cycle, including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, closure, stewardship, and long-term relationship building.

Location:

Glenside

Responsibilities:

Portfolio Management and Major Gift Fundraising

• Independently manage a strategic portfolio of approximately 150 current and prospective donors, with responsibility for the full donor engagement cycle, including identification, qualification, discovery, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and ongoing relationship management.
• Develop and execute individualized engagement and solicitation strategies for assigned prospects
• Secure major gifts of $25,000 and above, including both current-use and multi-year commitments.
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of qualified major gift prospects, continuously identifying new individuals with the capacity, affinity, and philanthropic interest to support Arcadia University.
• Conduct donor and prospective donor meetings annually, including discovery visits designed to identify and qualify new philanthropic prospects and deepen relationships with existing donors.
• Develop and present major gift proposals at the $25,000 level or above, advancing opportunities for both unrestricted and restricted support aligned with institutional priorities.
• Personally solicit and close philanthropic commitments from assigned prospects and maintain clear strategies for moving donors through the pipeline toward increasingly significant levels of investment.
• Pursue opportunities to maximize philanthropic impact through creative and blended giving strategies, including current-use gifts, multi-year commitments, and other giving structures that enhance outcomes for both the donor and the University
• Build and actively manage a qualified portfolio; establish a strong pipeline of $25K+ opportunities; develop a meaningful athletics fundraising strategy/portfolio; close priority gifts; and become a strong partner to the President, Advancement leadership, and colleagues.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and comprehensive documentation of donor interactions, strategies, proposals, and next steps in the University's constituent relationship management system.

Donor Strategy and Collaboration

• Build authentic, long-term relationships with alumni, parents, friends, and other supporters by understanding their interests, philanthropic motivations, and connections to Arcadia.
• Develop and execute creative cultivation and engagement strategies that strengthen donor relationships and create meaningful opportunities for involvement with the University.
• Identify opportunities to increase donor retention and encourage donors to deepen or expand their philanthropic support over time.
• Collaborate with colleagues across University Advancement to coordinate outreach and engagement strategies for shared prospects and ensure a cohesive and exceptional donor experience.
• Collaborate with annual giving colleagues to strengthen the University's unrestricted giving strategy and identify opportunities to transition annual donors into the major gift pipeline.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner within University Advancement by contributing ideas, market intelligence, donor insights, and innovative approaches that strengthen the University's overall fundraising strategy.

Athletics Philanthropy

• Lead strategic fundraising efforts for assigned priorities within Arcadia Athletics, with responsibility for building and expanding a philanthropic pipeline among alumni, former student-athletes, families, and other supporters.
• Develop innovative and compelling approaches to athletics philanthropy
• Partner closely with Athletics leadership, coaches, and University Advancement colleagues to identify philanthropic priorities and develop coordinated cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Build a portfolio of athletics-focused prospects and create…