Major Gifts Officer

Overview

The Major Gifts Officer plays a key frontline fundraising role within the Development team, helping to grow and sustain a pipeline of individual donors in support of the Downtown Women's Center (DWC). This position focuses on relationship-building, prospect research, and donor engagement strategies, while also supporting the planning and execution of a forthcoming comprehensive campaign. The ideal candidate is a strong communicator, detail-oriented, and eager to learn and grow in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. The candidate is a motivated self-starter who thrives when working independently, yet also values collaboration and contributes positively to a team-oriented culture.

Fundraising & Donor Engagement

• Manage a portfolio of current and prospective individual donors.
• Develop and implement strategic approaches to engage both new and existing donors, with a focus on deepening relationships and increasing philanthropic support.
• Conduct at least 10 meaningful donor touchpoints per month (including calls, emails, tours, meetings, and events).
• Support the Director of Individual Giving in identifying, cultivating, and stewarding major and planned giving prospects.
• Assist in preparing donor briefings, proposals, and stewardship materials for the CEO, Chief Development Officer, and other senior staff.
• Track donor interactions and moves management activity in the donor database (Bloomerang).
• This role requires on-site and field-based work, as directed by Director of Individual Giving, to cultivate and steward donor relationships and to support events and external engagements.

Donor Stewardship & Communications

• Draft and coordinate personalized donor communications including thank-you notes, emails, proposals, and reports.
• Help maintain timely and consistent stewardship efforts, including supporting updates to donor acknowledgment letters.
• Coordinate logistics for donor meetings and campaign-related activities.
• Ensure all donor interactions and touchpoints are recorded accurately in the CRM system.

Campaign Support & Project Management

• Provide administrative and project coordination support for the development and launch of a comprehensive fundraising campaign.
• Help track campaign milestones, donor and prospect lists, outreach efforts, and fundraising progress.
• Assist in producing materials and preparing meeting agendas and follow-ups for campaign leadership and volunteer committees.

Events & Prospecting

• Conduct and synthesize prospect research to identify and qualify potential major donors.
• Support event-related outreach, including developing invitation lists and coordinating follow-up.
• Assist with donor cultivation and stewardship events, including pre-event prep and post-event outreach.
• Collaborate with other members of the development team to maximize donor engagement opportunities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both written and verbal)
• Highly organized, with strong attention to detail
• Self-starter with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Comfort with data entry and CRM tools
• Ability to build rapport with a variety of stakeholders and donors
• Adaptability and a growth mindset

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have any supervisory responsibilities but serves as a coach and mentor to other team members.

Work Environment

This role primarily operates in an office setting, utilizing standard office equipment such as computers, desks, and chairs. However, it also requires up to 30% field engagement, which may involve walking, standing, and sitting for extended periods throughout Los Angeles County. Must be comfortable presenting in front of large groups and public-facing environments.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool, as necessary. The employee must be able to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time, exempt position. Days and hours of work are M-F from 9am-5:30pm, with some weekend and evening hours required.

Travel

This position requires local travel, as well as occasional travel within Los Angeles County and the United States for conferences and trainings.

Ability to Work Remotely

This role requires a minimum of 2-3 full days on-site each week.

Required Education, Experience, and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 2-4 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, donor engagement, or related work
• Experience with CRM software (Salesforce preferred) and donor databases
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team-oriented environment
• Commitment to the mission and values of the Downtown Women's Center
• Compassion and understanding of DWC's unique approach to homeless services and permanent supportive housing
• Cultural humility
• Must be a CA resident and live no more than 80 miles from DWC; must be available for in-person meetings at DWC
• Must provide documentation of a negative TB test result within the last twelve months, on first day of hire
• You will be required to be up to date on your vaccinations against COVID-19 and provide documentation. If you are fully vaccinated and not yet eligible to receive a booster dose, then you must receive the booster dose within 30 days of becoming eligible and eligibility begins 5 months after receiving the final primary dose. If you are fully vaccinated and have received a booster dose, you are considered up to date with your vaccinations. Unvaccinated individuals must receive their 1st dose before their first day of hire. Partially vaccinated (for 2-dose series) individuals must receive their 2nd dose within 30 days of being hired. The second dose of a two-dose vaccine series is due 4 weeks after the primary dose.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance

Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. DWC does not sponsor employment visas, such as H-1B.

Fair Chance Act Statement

Downtown Women's Center will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Downtown Women's Center is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage.

Downtown Women's Center provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants and actively seeks candidates who reflect the rich diversity of the communities that we serve. We are committed to a work environment that embraces and promotes individuality and inclusion. We believe that diversity and inclusion of varied perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences are essential to our organization's effectiveness, and allow us to serve our clients in the respectful, responsive, and understanding way that they deserve. We define diversity in broad terms to include race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, mental or physical disability, marital status, pregnancy, military and veteran status, medical condition, geography, socio-economic status, and other unique attributes that make us who we are.

Downtown Women's Center complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice