At Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, we refer to our donors as Benefactors because we believe those who invest in the university receive immeasurable fulfillment as our partners.

As a Major Gift Officer, your role goes beyond fundraising; it's about forging lasting relationships and making a profound impact on our educational mission. By aligning Benefactor passions with institutional needs, you will not only drive philanthropic support but also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our university. Your efforts in securing major gifts will directly contribute to the enrichment of our academic programs, support for our faculty and students, and the expansion of our transformative educational experiences. In this role, you will see first-hand how your dedication and passion help turn our university's aspirations into realities, making a lasting difference in the lives of our students and the broader community. The selected candidate will be based out of the Twin Cities, Rochester, Winona, or the Chicago area and will be responsible for managing a portfolio of qualified major gift prospects, leading to meaningful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of philanthropic investments of $50,000 and above.

Responsibilities:

• Complete 175 visits per year, of meaningful, strategic, personal interactions with assigned prospects.
• Achieve or exceed dollar goals determined on an annual basis in collaboration with the Senior Director of Major and Planned Giving.
• Manage a major gift portfolio of prospects including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major outright and planned gifts.
• Coordinate cultivation activities and solicitations with other University representatives, as appropriate, including the president, senior staff, advancement professionals, key faculty, and volunteers.
• Maintain strategic cultivation plans for a focus group of assigned prospects who are scheduled for solicitation within the coming 12-18-month period. Plans will project gift amount, area of benefactor passion to support, as well as a step by step plan for cultivation with a cultivation schedule.
• Provide timely, written reports regarding the outcome of cultivation and solicitation actions in the form of contact reports, stage updates, and strategy statement updates and revisions within Raiser's Edge NXT.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Experience deemed equivalent and relevant will also be considered.
• Proficiency with computer and development software (Raiser's Edge NXT) preferred.
• A career history of commitment to the highest professional and ethical standards including confidentiality.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in fundraising, with a proven track record of raising major and principal gifts, outright and planned gifts, and/or complex gifts.

Skills and Functions:

• Support, respect, and advance the mission of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and its Lasallian charism.
• A career history of commitment to the highest professional and ethical standards including confidentiality.
• Proficient in managing multiple tasks simultaneously with attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently, with a team, and volunteers.
• Travel required, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Ability to take advice and guidance in a positive and productive manner.
• Excellent communication skills, including diplomacy, among all constituencies.
• Demonstrated ability and initiative to gain knowledge of the job and the institution.
• Capacity to develop prospect strategy, portfolio management, and tracking processes.
• Knowledge of best practices and ethical standards in the field.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work with sensitive information.
• Ability to meet performance goals while working in a remote environment.
• Demonstrate competency and promote inclusion and human dignity.

• Up to 100% tuition remission for employees, spouses, and dependents upon eligibility
• Employer contribution of 6.9% of annual salary to retirement plan
• Paid vacation, sick time, parental leave, and 13 paid holidays per year
• Medical, dental, and vision options
• Employer-paid disability, life, and AD&D benefits