Job Abstract

The Leadership Giving Officer will serve as a key member of Yale SOM’s Development and Alumni Relations team. Reporting to the Director of Leadership Giving, the Leadership Giving Officer is responsible for qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding leadership level donors for capital and Alumni Fund gifts. The Leadership Giving Officer will develop and implement strategies to secure increasing levels of financial support from a portfolio of approximately 150 alumni and qualify prospects for major gift potential. This frontline fundraising role will facilitate and coordinate communications and positive interactions with prospects and donors, as well as among various faculty members and administrators on campus. Travel (possibly extensively) to meet donors, prospects, and volunteers. The Leadership Gift officer will also collaborate with the Reunion Giving team to identify and recruit reunion volunteers and secure leadership reunion gifts from an assigned pool of prospects.

1. Meet activity and revenue goals by planning, managing, and maintaining an aggressive travel schedule in specified regions annually. Raises capital and unrestricted leadership gifts to fund core SOM priorities.
2. Individually solicits leadership annual and capital gifts up to approximately $250,000 by working directly with donors and coordinating with department colleagues and volunteers.
3. Develops and implements strategies to move assigned prospects through the gift cycle, with a particular emphasis on prospect qualification, retention, renewal, and upgrades. Recognizes disinterested donors and devises strategies to redirect their interests.
4. Participates in the execution of events and programs in support of development activities. Engages key volunteers and effectively utilizes events and other activities to move solicitations forward.
5. Conducts appropriate stewardship activities to further enhance the relationship between assigned donors and Yale. Initiates and maintains contact to promote positive donor relations.
6. Qualifies prospects for potential major gift capacity and interest. Provides appropriate background on prospects to be assigned to Major Gift portfolios.
7. Effectively communicates progress of cultivation efforts and results of visits to appropriate personnel and use Yale’s alumni and donor database effectively.
8. Acts as liaison between various SOM departments and donors.
9. Exercises good judgment in discussing alumni, issues, and results. Maintains composure and calm demeanor in difficult situations.
10. May perform other duties as assigned.

Job title and salary will be commensurate with experience.

The Essential Duties below are generic in nature; the information contained in this Position Focus is most relevant to this position. Advanced user skills of MS Office software including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. 1. Manages special projects ranging from academic to financial from inception to completion, which requires quantitative analysis, independent research, and the proposal of resolutions or conclusions. Creates and envisions programmatic initiatives and communication strategies. 2. Designs and develops communications strategies for special projects. Develops and exercises a keen understanding of the multiple audiences and contributing University offices involved in a given project to ensure that individual communications are rolled out within a structure planned in advance and with appropriate communication among key stakeholders. 3. Envisions, creates and authors a wide variety of sensitive and high-level written materials. Serves as coordinator and executor for a range of internal and external committees. May participate in decisions regarding committee work. Advises panelists on precedents and prior actions. 4. Serves as Secretary for committee(s), manages informal and formal resolution processes and voluminous correspondence. 5. May supervise the work of project coordinator and administrative staff. 6. Serves as liaison to other departments on all communications. 7. Contributes to design, organization, and maintenance of department website. 8. May perform other duties as assigned. Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and four years of related and demonstrated work experience or an equivalent combination of education and demonstrated experience.