Primary Purpose:

With the leadership and direction of the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, the individual gift officer raises financial support critical to meeting Ave Maria University’s mission priorities, including leadership annual, major, planned, and endowment gifts. In this capacity s/he develops and executes plans to qualify, cultivate, ask and close on gift opportunities with assigned prospects. The Individual Gift Officer facilitates the development of the relationship between the prospect/donor and Ave Maria University (AMU) including stewardship, ensuring that other University stakeholders are involved as appropriate.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• (50%) Cultivates, solicits, and stewards a portfolio of approximately 150 prospects/donors. Establishes ongoing relationships with individual donors and prospects through personal visits, phone calls, correspondence, and meaningful contacts. Achieves annual goals for fundraising from assigned portfolio as well as developing the long-term potential of the prospects/donors. Develops relationships leading to gifts up to $1,000,000 and above.
• (10%) Writes/edits proposals for presentation to major donors that compellingly tell the story of AMU as aligned with the donor’s specific interests, and that effectively convey the impact the gift from the donor will make on AMU and her students.
• (10%) Completes contact reports and other important information in a timely manner for reporting and database purposes.
• (10%) Develops and designs systems to track solicitation assignments and progress. Prioritizes prospects and solicitations based on appropriate research and assessment.
• (10%) Confers with appropriate administrative personnel to ensure proper planning for proposals and to secure closure of gifts. Collaborates with other stakeholders at AMU to identify and develop proposals and identify possible donors for key funding priorities of the University.
• (10%) Leads a wide range of fundraising activities, including providing stewardship, identifying new prospective donors and volunteers, maintaining an active level of contacts, coordinating volunteer fundraising efforts, and facilitating relationships between potential and current donors and volunteers. Attends major University fundraising events and represents the University in a positive light to donors, prospects, and other constituent groups.

*Other duties may also be assigned

Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Experience: Minimum of three to five years of progressive experience in development or a related field with demonstrated strengths in solicitations, relationship development, leadership, organization, and communication.

Certification: Valid Driver’s License

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent interpersonal and telephone communication skills, writing, speaking, and organizational skills;
• Ability to establish an organized system of donor and prospect identification and evaluation involving potential leadership donors;
• Ability to be self-motivated and self-directed while also being able to work as a team-member to get work done efficiently and effectively;
• Ability to balance multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced office environment;
• Ability to work with short and long-term goals of Institutional Advancement and establish strategies for reaching those goals;
• Maintain sensitivity, discretion, and tact in working with confidential information;
• Ability to be effective in the use of resources including time, talent, finances, etc.;
• Ability to interpret, analyze, and disseminate results/outcomes in working independently and as a team member;
• Must be able to travel up to 50% of the time and work flexible hours including weekends for events as required;
• Commitment to the mission and values of Ave Maria University and Catholic higher education.

Physical Skills and Abilities: Depending on the assignment, may require ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations; or ability to stand, walk, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of 10 – 50 pounds. Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand, and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment, and read technical information.

Working Conditions: Work is performed indoors with some potential for exposure to safety and health hazards related to electronics work. Requires travel.