POSITION: Individual Giving & Major Gifts Officer

LOCATION: Portland, OR

SALARY: $75,000 - $83,000

BENEFITS: health, dental, life, short-term and long-term insurance, 401(k) with 6% match, PTO

WORK CONDITIONS: Hybrid office environment with limited travel

APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 30, 2023

About Us

As one of the largest and most successful college access and success programs in the country, since 2000 College Possible has helped more than 80,000 students from under-represented communities get into and through college through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. Its pioneering model matches students with a near-peer coach and an evidence-based curriculum designed to help students overcome the most common barriers to getting into college and completing their degree - all at no cost to students or their families. Nationwide, College Possible students are three times more likely to earn a bachelor's degree within six years than their peers from similar backgrounds.

Your Role as Individual Giving & Major Gifts Officer 

The Individual Giving & Major Gifts Officer provides leadership and oversight for the Oregon site's major gifts and annual campaign strategies to ensure we meet or exceed annual revenue targets for individual giving. The Major Gifts Officer's primary responsibilities are to assess, develop and lead strategy, cultivate, solicit, and steward leadership and major gifts from individuals and family foundations. This position will cultivate and grow a portfolio of 75 - 100  donors and prospects with the capacity to give $2,500+, including developing and implementing an individual engagement plan for each donor. This person is responsible for driving major gift cultivation on the team and will provide portfolio engagement plans for the Executive Director to ensure a successful major gifts program. They will also drive Phase II of our Getting to Graduation campaign (a $2 million major gifts campaign to raise multi-year gifts of $2,500+/year for three or more years to support the growth of our college success program). This person will work closely with the Executive Director, the External Relations Team and leadership volunteers in managing donor relationships to meet annual revenue targets.

Essential Job Functions

• Prospecting and Cultivation: Oversee prospecting and donor research for individuals and identify prospective donors for our Getting to Graduation campaign. Strategize and work with the Executive Director and External Relations Team to implement cultivation techniques to inspire prospective supporters to become major donors and grow the number of new major prospects qualified.
• Relationship Management and Stewardship: This position will successfully steward a robust portfolio of 75 - 100 donors, including developing and implementing an individual engagement plan for each donor. They will develop new relationships and build on existing relationships, improving donor retention through a meaningful stewardship strategy. Leverage Executive Director, and Board Members in these efforts. Use tactics such as site visits, friend-raisers, face-to-face meetings with Executive Director, events, etc., to generate new and increased gifts.
• Strategic Planning and Analysis: Build out Phase II of our Getting to Graduation Campaign. Develop annual campaign strategy to ensure alignment with the major gifts program and successful moves management. Help build the annual strategic development plan. Manage progress toward funding goals with the use of Raiser's Edge fundraising database. Assist the Executive Director with identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospects for our major gifts campaigns.
• Oversee Annual Giving Campaign:  Oversee the strategy and execution of the annual giving campaign, ensuring all pieces work together and are executed successfully, including integration with the story/messaging for the online and paper appeal. Collaborate with the communications coordinator and development associate to ensure all pieces of the plan are executed and meet deadlines. Provide direct support and guidance to the ED with their individual portfolio management.
• Other Duties as Assigned: Work with the Senior Director of Development on projects as assigned.

What You Bring - Required 

• Minimum of five to seven years of experience in fundraising or transferrable related skills (business development, sales, nonprofit management, relationship management, volunteer management)

• Bachelor's degree 

• Proven track record in successfully soliciting and closing gifts

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong interpersonal skills

• Experience organizing fundraising campaigns and/or managing portfolios 

• Past community-centric fundraising practice experience/knowledge

• Passion for advancing education equity

Other Skills and Abilities 

• Self-starter with the ability to prioritize multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously

• Problem solver, flexible and adapt easily to change

• Attention to detail, including proofreading and project follow-through

• Strong computer skills, including demonstrated proficiency in: Microsoft Word, Excel and donor database software; Raiser's Edge and iWave experience preferred

Physical Requirements

• Hybrid office environment (min 2 days in the office) with limited travel

• Ability to stand and/or sit for a minimum of 7 hours a day

 What We Offer

In addition to joining a committed, diverse, values-based organization, we offer:

• $75,000 - $83,000 salary

• Excellent benefits including complete health, dental, life, short-term and long-term insurance

• 401(k) retirement plan with a generous 6% company match

• Encouraged sustainability through a generous paid time off program

• Personalized professional development and growth opportunities

• An opportunity for you to have a tremendous impact both internally and in the broader country

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

College Possible is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and seeks to build a diverse workforce to create impact in partnership with the communities we serve. We welcome a diverse pool of qualified applicants. For each of its positions, College Possible is mindful about what best serves our students, and seeks to hire staff with relevant experience, skills and aptitude, and a commitment to the power of education. To learn more, read our Diversity and Inclusion Plan.

Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible operates: regional sites in Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA; College Forward in Austin, TX; and Catalyze partnerships in California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee. Learn more at CollegePossible.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer

College Possible is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, or status with regard to public assistance. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals and conduct all possible activities in fully accessible settings.

More About College Possible 

College Possible is a proud AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps is a federal agency that brings people together to tackle the country's most pressing challenges through national service. Our AmeriCorps members commit to a year of service as a College Possible coach in communities throughout the country. Many coaches represent the identities of the students they serve, and each brings a commitment to social justice and closing the college equity divide.

Our near-peer coaching model has earned national recognition: the inaugural Evergreen National Education Award recognized our leadership in increasing access to and success in college for students from low-income backgrounds. It also earns top-of-field results: a Harvard study found that the program more than doubles a student's chance of enrolling in a four-year college, and our students are four times more likely to become college graduates than their low-income peers. College Possible has an annual operating budget of $33 million, more than 200 full-time employees and more than 300 AmeriCorps and VISTA service members. During the 2021-2022 school year, we reached an estimated 24,000 students nationwide. During the 2021-2022 school year, we reached an estimated 24,000 students nationwide.

Application Information 

Nonprofit Professionals Now (NPN) is proud to be working with College Possible - Oregon on this key fundraising position. Complete applications must include a letter of interest, a resume, and completed questions. All applications are reviewed and considered. 

Application Deadline: January 30, 2023