Major Gift Officer

Menlo College Major Gifts Officer (1.0 FTE) | $143,000 - $150,000

MENLO COLLEGE OVERVIEW

Menlo College is a diverse and tight-knit community of exceptional individuals. As a small, private, 501(c)3 educational institution, our mission is to ignite potential and educate students to make meaningful contributions in the innovation economy. We attract students from all over the world who are committed to learning , starting and leading organizations, making an impact in their communities and playing intercollegiate sports.

The Menlo campus is located 30 miles south of San Francisco, in Silicon Valley– one of the world’s most entrepreneurial and innovative regions. Silicon Valley is renowned as an innovation incubator with exceptional opportunities for experience-based learning.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Menlo College is in the quiet phase of an ambitious comprehensive campaign in celebration of its 100th year. The Major Gifts Officer will be responsible for securing campaign gifts and for leading intentional conversations with prospective donors to obtain major gift support for Menlo College beyond the campaign.

This is an opportunity for an experienced and tenacious major gifts leader to collaborate with a high-functioning Advancement team and visionary College leadership. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Major Gifts Officer will work collaboratively to steward, renew, and upgrade support from the College’s most loyal and generous donors while steadily identifying, cultivating, and soliciting a new base of meaningful support from alumni and community members with the capacity to give five- to seven-figure gifts.

WHY YOU SHOULD APPLY

• Be a part of a college community that was ranked as one of the “2021 Best Colleges” by Princeton Review
• Menlo College is designated as both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). Only 1% of all colleges and universities in the U.S. achieve this dual recognition
• The Centennial Campaign is an opportunity for you to leave a legacy that will have lasting impact at Menlo College for the next one hundred years
• The opportunity to work with a visionary, humble, and innovative Chief Advancement Officer
• You will be offered autonomy and space to be creative and demonstrate your acumen

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Take over and grow an active portfolio of approximately 110-130 donors and prospects capable of annual gifts in the $5,000 - $50,000 range then once onboarded and engaged, the MGO will be tasked with creating strategies for growth in partnership with the Chief Advancement Officer to secure gifts in the range of $50,000 - $750,000.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit a new base of meaningful support from prospective donors with major gift capacity.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit a new base of meaningful support from prospective donors with planned giving capacity.
• Collaborate with the Chief Advancement Officer and President to steward and renew leadership gifts (6-figure or higher annual giving).
• Prepare principal gifts (7-figure plus) for hand off to the Chief Advancement Officer and President.
• Work collaboratively with Marketing and Communications staff to create a culture of giving throughout the Menlo College community

FUNDRAISING CULTURE

• Steward, cultivate and solicit donors through high-touch personalized communications and visits
• Provide concierge-level, seamless customer service and accountability to donors and prospects
• Dedicate 20-30 hours per week to substantive interactions with portfolio donors and major donor/planned giving prospects, with a goal of 175-225 meaningful donor interactions per quarter
• Utilize the moves management strategy to frame and prioritize donor interactions
• Leverage boutique fundraisers and alumni events as opportunities to meet revenue goals
• Conduct prospect research in concert with the Development Operations team
• Document individual donor interactions and communications with precision in the Salesforce database
• Cultivate symbiotic working relationships with key internal stakeholders
• Partner with the Chief Advancement Officer to maintain and share key performance indicators with College leadership, a board-level Advancement Committee, and the Centennial Campaign Committee

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree preferred
• Experience as a student or staff in the U.S. undergraduate education system
• Demonstrated experience securing five to seven-figure gifts
• Readiness to onboard quickly and understand the nuances of the Menlo College donor base and how best to engage
• Advanced written, oral and interpersonal communication skills
• High emotional intelligence, empathy, and integrity especially while incorporating feedback from all stakeholders and adapting to the expectations and styles of colleagues and donors alike
• Be an expert at effectively preserving healthy internal and external relationships while having to set boundaries and even say ‘no’ at times
• Ability to think strategically, creatively, and analytically and work well under pressure
• Advanced project management and execution skills – being able to deliver and ‘get things done’ is critical to being successful at Menlo College
• Excels at being both a team player seeking team input while also being able to execute as an individual contributor.
• Readiness to travel within the San Francisco Bay Area to meet donors
• Ability to maintain integrity, discretion, and professionalism

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This full-time, exempt position has a generous and negotiable salary and includes a generous benefits package. Menlo College is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring, and dedicated to diversity in its work and staff. We strongly encourage people of color, veterans, and LGBTQIA persons to apply.

HOW TO APPLY

Menlo College has partnered with The Arora Collective to recruit the right leader for this pivotal position. We will begin reviewing resumes on a rolling basis beginning 7/21/2023. If you are interested in applying, please send your current resume to apply@thearoracollective.com.

All of interest will be held in the strictest confidence. The Arora Collective offers honoraria to applicants that are invited to interview with Menlo College. More information about honoraria will be provided during the initial phone screening, should you qualify. About The Arora Collective: We are a full suite consulting firm, composed of a team of nonprofit pros led by our partners, Dr. Candice Arora and Vinney Arora. We work with social impact organizations to increase donor and leadership retention. To learn more, visit: www.thearoracollective.com.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $143,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Weekends as needed

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Atherton, CA: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience:

• Fundraising: 1 year (Preferred)
• Microsoft Office: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $143,000 - $150,000