Senior Development Officer, Major Gifts

Thanks for your interest in Success Academy! Running the largest, fastest-growing, and highest-performing network of public charter schools in New York City takes a village - families, children, teachers, staff and faculty, advocates, and supporters alike. We would love to welcome you to our community! We work tirelessly every day to ensure each child in NYC has access to a fun, rigorous, whole-child education regardless of zip code or economic status. When you join SA, you play a part in giving every student who walks through the doors of one of our 57 schools in NYC a fair shot at reaching his or her potential.

Reporting to the Head of Development (“Head”) and serving as a key member of the Development team within the Advancement department, the Senior Development Officer, Major Gifts advances the mission of Success Academy Charter Schools (SA) through the engagement and solicitation of high net worth donors and prospects (individuals, family foundations, and others) with the capacity to make a significant philanthropic gift (i.e., gifts of $100,000 or more). Specifically, this includes managing and coordinating the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of an assigned portfolio with the goal of significantly increasing philanthropic revenues in support of SA’s ambitious goals for operational, programmatic, and capital purposes.  The successful candidate will be a seasoned fundraising professional with a demonstrated track record of managing a portfolio and soliciting/closing significant philanthropic gifts including working in close partnership with the CEO, Chief Advancement Officer, and other executive leaders and volunteers.

The Senior Development Officer Officer, Major Gifts is a high impact, proactive, confident self-starter that thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment that values results. They are persistent and driven to succeed in advancing efforts to grow a robust pipeline of high net worth individual donors and in meeting or exceeding stretch goals. Success in this role will require the following qualities:

• Self-motivated, self-sufficient, and driven to lead and collaborate with others to achieve success.

• Detail-oriented and analytical;

• Strategic, proactive, and forward thinking;

• Persuasive, outgoing, and confident with exceptional communication skills. 

• Possesses the highest standards of personal and professional integrity; and

• Adheres to and promotes SA’s mission, culture, and strategic priorities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Major Gifts Fundraising

• Strategically manages and grows a portfolio of ~100+ Major Gifts donors/prospects to meet or exceed agreed upon monthly, quarterly, and annual goals and related performance metrics with respect to portfolio management, moves management, solicitations, closures, and dollars raised. 

• Develops cultivation and solicitation strategies for the assigned portfolio; builds and manages a network of relationships with prospective donors, strategically involving executives and others as appropriate.

• Identifies, cultivates, solicits, closes, and stewards donors through in-person meetings, written solicitations/proposals, email, and other means tailored as specifically as possible to donor preferences and engagement strategies, often in close collaboration with others.

• Briefs, advises, and staffs executive leadership and other leaders and volunteers involved with donor relationships and solicitations.

• Collaborates with the Head of Development, Head of External Relations, and the CAO to create opportunities for meaningful donor engagement, solicitation, and stewardship.

• As a leader and senior member of the Development team, the Senior Development Officer will work with the Head of Development to mentor and coach other members of the Development team in further developing their fundraising knowledge, skills, and effectiveness, leading by example in modeling best practices.

• Actively participates in the solicitation of gifts in support of marquee special events (e.g., Spring Benefit) to meet/exceed Advancement team goals.

• Works closely with the Head of Development, the Project Manager for Principal Gifts, and the CAO in improving forecasting and tracking of progress against goals.

• Records all significant donor interactions in Raiser’s Edge NXT database and tracks proposals, gifts, and pledge fulfillment within the assigned portfolio. Works closely with Advancement Services to monitor pledge reminders, receipts, and acknowledgement processes for portfolio donors for timeliness and accuracy.

2. Donor Prospecting & Qualification

• Works with Advancement Services team to effectively utilize the constituent database and other available prospect research and analytical tools to identify and qualify a broader and deeper pool of prospective donors. 

• Works closely with the External Relations team to identify event attendees and other prospective donors for deeper engagement opportunities to augment portfolio.

• Collaborates with the Advancement Services team to source and qualify prospects through informed database queries and analysis.

• Continuously monitors philanthropic and other media sources covering high net worth individuals, especially with respect to their business and philanthropic activities and uses this information to inform/refine engagement strategies.

3. Donor Stewardship & Communications

• Works closely with other team members to design and implement creative and impactful stewardship strategies to deepen engagement and sustain/increase giving.

• Authors, reviews, and/or edits strategic communications with donors and prospects, sometimes on behalf of others, including proposals, reports, and emails or other correspondence. Often provides advice and guidance about strategic relationships within the officer’s portfolio in support of CEO and other leadership communications.

• Along with other Development team members, assists with annual donor recognition and stewardship efforts, events, and communications, including the SA Leadership Council.  

4. Special Projects & Administration 

• Assists the Head of Development and CAO with special projects, especially those related to major and principal giving, including but not limited to fundraising events, gift planning, board relations, and other projects. 

• Actively participates in strategic planning, revenue forecasting, and budgeting, as requested, and manages direct expenses within budget.

• Remains abreast of SA programs, activities, accolades, and new initiatives to most effectively engage and/or steward donors to greater levels of support. 

• Participates in and assists with SA/Advancement events, as needed.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND OCCASIONAL DUTIES

• Other duties may be assigned from time to time. Occasional evening and weekend work required to meet critical deadlines. Frequent travel in/around NYC and tri-state area; occasional domestic travel outside of New York.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education (Minimum Needed and Type of Degree Needed):

• Minimum Required: Bachelor’s Degree

• Preferred: Advanced degree. CFRE or other specialized certification/designation is beneficial.

Work Experience (Minimum Needed): 

• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit fundraising, investor relations, or consultative sales with high net worth individuals; experience in K-12 education and/or charter schools beneficial.

• Demonstrated track record of successfully soliciting/closing major gifts of $100,000 and above. Experience with solicitations at higher levels strongly preferred.

Specialized Knowledge Needed for Performance of Job: 

• Demonstrated comfort working with high net worth individuals, family foundations, and/or family offices, as well as successful track record of identifying, cultivating, soliciting, closing, and stewarding significant gifts, as well as building/managing donor/customer relationships. 

• Experience assessing and closing major gift/business opportunities; engaging, cultivating, and stewarding new stakeholders and converting them into strategic partnerships. 

• Capacity for strategic leadership and vision to work with executive leadership and key volunteers on fundraising priorities and to use moves management and metrics to ensure a high level of personal performance and accountability. 

• Deep experience in effectively managing a donor/customer portfolio and consistently moving relationships towards desired outcomes and goals.

• Effectiveness working independently and across teams, with assiduous attention to sharing information with others.

Skills (e.g. Level of Judgment Required, Ability to Direct, Work Independently, Multi-Task, etc.): 

• Proficiency in communicating complex issues with diverse audiences and inspiring their engagement and support.

• Exceptional interpersonal communication skills and high level of emotional intelligence.

• Exceptional writing and presentation skills.

• Highly self-motivated, accountable, and able to make decisions independently.

• Ability to think strategically and contextually and to anticipate the needs and expectations of manager and other executives.

• Ability to manage competing priorities and multiple, concurrent tasks, exhibit flexibility, and meet deadlines.

• Ability to analyze and present data effectively, make decisions, and align efforts with priorities and opportunities.

• Acts with tact and discretion, respecting confidentiality and proprietary information.

Special Skills (Technical or Advanced) 

• Proficiency with RE NXT or similar CRM system is highly desirable, proficiency with MSOffice and/or Google suite required. 

• Knowledge of relevant prospect research and philanthropic analytical tools is beneficial.

Other (Communication Skills, Mechanical Aptitude, Math Skills, Learning Skills, or Other Specific Skills Required): 

• Superb verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Possesses a passion for the mission of SA and engages prospects with the same passion.

• Ability to travel locally and nationally as needed, occasionally work after hours and on weekends.

Success Academy Charter Schools is an equal opportunity employer and actively encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Success Academy offers a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth.

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We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We actively seek applications from people of all backgrounds to strengthen our community and the perspectives needed to flourish in a multicultural world. Success Academy offers a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth. Learn more about our philosophy, benefits, and team at our Working Here page.

Success Academy Charter Schools does not offer employment-based immigration sponsorship.