Major Gift Officer

Who We Are

At Children’s Law Center, everything we do is focused on one thing – delivering better client outcomes for kids and families in DC. Our staff are empowered to open minds, shape decisions, and offer solutions. We encourage intellectual curiosity, innovation, diversity, and mutual respect.

Our greatest assets are our people. We strive to attract and cultivate a vibrant, creative, and diverse community.  We recognize that people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives fuel our ability to provide the best outcomes for our clients. Our staff drive Children’s Law Center’s mission with their leadership, result-orientated mindset, and commitment to cultural humility and centering the needs of our clients.   We are looking for an individual who enjoys working in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment, likes to be challenged, and values the opportunity to make a difference.

Children Law Center’s success depends on recruiting and retaining individuals who possess and value these attributes.

*Children’s Law Center is currently operating remotely. This position will work from home until the organization returns to the office.

At Children’s Law Center, we prioritize the health and wellbeing of our clients, employees and their families and friends. All employees must be fully vaccinated and provide proof thereof as a condition of employment, unless the employee is approved for an exemption as an accommodation due to a disability or a sincerely-held religious belief.

Job Summary

The Major Gift Officer is charged with expanding and scaling the major gift program of Children’s Law Center with a focus on gifts in the $10,000 to $500,000 range. The position reports to the Chief Development Officer. All Children’s Law Center staff are expected to participate in organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities.

Duties/Responsibilities

The Major Gift Officer (MGO) works with leadership to identify annual donors at the Kite Club level ($1,500 and above) who are viable prospects to move upwards on the development continuum. The MGO will grow and build a vibrant prospect pool, which includes identifying and leading research of individuals/family foundations who are interested in the work of Children’s Law Center. The MGO will manage an annual portfolio of approximately 150+ prospects. The MGO has a key role in guiding and expanding the Kite Club to 300 members by 2022 through strategic stewardship and planning.  In particular, the MGO will be successful through the execution of the following:

• Plan, draft and assist overseeing and advising on major proposals for individuals and family foundations for general support or for some restricted programmatic needs that seek funding in the major gift range of $10,000 to $500,000+.

• Develop and oversee a pipeline of 150+ major gift prospects and donors, hitting key annual or quarterly targets to identify, qualify, and move new prospects upwards on the development continuum. 
• Advise and support a small development team where prospect assignments intersect with the scaling of the major gift program among individuals.
• Support the senior leadership in advancing the tenets of the Children Can’t Wait Fund and assist in both cultivation and solicitation sessions for this new special major gift fund.  Assist in advising around strategy for the top tier prospects of the fund.  Support the Executive Director and the Chief Development Officer around special needs and strategies to advance the fund in 2021 and beyond.
• Lead team in launching, executing, and stewarding a multi-year major gift campaign to grow the Children Can’t Wait Fund through major gift strategies and tactics, including creating branded collateral and messaging, overseeing a campaign committee, producing cultivation events, meetings and more. 
• Advance Children's Law Center’s planned giving program through marketing and prospect tracking.
• Lead the planning of high-end cultivation events for major donors and planned gift prospects, coordinating with development team staff who produce and execute the events.

Skills/Abilities

• Previous fundraising experience required soliciting gifts from individuals.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong writing skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Excellent professional judgment and ability to maintain confidential information.
• Excellent project and volunteer management skills.
• Experience with databases preferred.
• Good analytic capacity.
• Ability to manage up to support senior staff in executing key strategies. 
• Proficient at managing multiple assignments through clear and direct communication.
• Adept at working independently and as a team member.
• Ability to work efficiently and problem-solve.
• Strong capability to work well under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness and availability to work nights and weekends, as necessary, for events and time-sensitive projects.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 or 2016, especially Word and Excel.

Education and Experience

• 3-5 years prior experience with fundraising and individual solicitation.
• Prior experience working in a nonprofit setting preferred.
• Donor-Perfect experience would be a plus.

Salary and Benefits

The salary for this position ranges from $56,600 to $75,700 annually for applicants with 3 to 5 years of relevant experience.   Children’s Law Center offers a generous benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and short- and long-term disability insurance; employer-provided retirement contributions; flexible spending plans; and vacation, sick, holiday, family and medical leave. Children’s Law Center is a 501(c)(3) organization.  Employees with federal student loan debt can apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.  For more information, go to https://myfedloan.org/borrowers/special-programs/pslf.  

Application Instructions: 

To apply, please submit the following materials in one PDF file: cover letter, resume, writing sample and 3 professional references.  Apply at our website: https://childrenslawcenter.org/get-involved/careers/.

Children’s Law Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and existing employees.   We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation. We invite you to visit us here to learn more about our organization and our career opportunities (https://childrenslawcenter.org/get-involved/careers/).

Children’s Law Center is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. If you believe that you need accommodation to search for, or apply for, one of our positions please send an email to Jobs@ChildrensLawCenter.org. In your email, please include the accommodation you are requesting and the job title you are applying for. It may take up to three business days to receive a response to your request.