Major Gifts Officer

The Office of Development seeks a dynamic Major Gift Officer to fund the advancement of academics and research at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Reporting directly to the Executive Director of Development, the Major Gift Officer will work to create customized strategies for cultivation and solicitation of five-and six-figure gifts from individual and corporate donors and prospects. The ideal candidate is an enthusiastic self-starter who is capable of building sustainable, long-term philanthropic relationships while meeting annual fundraising goals for an outstanding institution educating the next generation of health care professionals with a focus on quality, equal access, and utilizing inclusiveness in delivering healthcare.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage and develop a portfolio of 125-150 major gift prospects, including strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and the closing of gifts.
• Proactively stay abreast of academic initiatives, clinical, research, and administrative initiatives and needs, and identify prospective donors for those needs.
• Write proposals and work with Development staff, IHP faculty and other IHP colleagues on proposal development and presentations.
• In collaboration with the Development Operations Manager, ensure timely wealth screening of alumni and prospects, identification of wealthy, philanthropic potential prospects, and distribution of regular reports to develop and maintain a steady pipeline of new prospects.
• Ensure that all donor interactions, forecasts, and strategies are recorded in the Atlas (CRM) database as outlined by the Development Systems team.
• Meet defined donor and prospect interaction metrics that will be determined in conjunction with the Executive Director of Development. Such metrics include, but are not limited to, number of prospect visits and number of gift solicitations.
• Participate in MGB Enterprise Development Council related to major gifts
• Staff volunteers and volunteer councils and committees as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree; and three to five years of proven success in major gifts fundraising, preferably in higher education.
• Experience working in a development office environment with a proven track record of achievement in progressively increasing results in soliciting major gifts.
• Familiarity with and commitment to best practices in fundraising programs.
• Exposure to cost effective events and programming for donors and prospects.
• Demonstrated experience managing a complex program preferably in a development environment.
• Familiarity with HIPAA privacy laws; important but not required.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Passion for health care
• Personal integrity necessary to effectively support and steward partnerships with alumni, Deans, faculty, philanthropists, volunteers, donors, and prospects
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to listen and interact effectively with alumni, prospects, donors, and Board members
• Ability to function independently, yet work in a centralized development structure, working well in a team environment
• Experience engaging internal and external stakeholders, ideally for an academic institution leading into a period of substantial growth
• Experience with and willingness to augment portfolio through prospecting and reinvigorating lapsed relationships
• Possessing optimism, tenacity, excellent judgement and an outstanding work ethic
• Superb communication skills, including written, oral and active listening
• Ability to travel both locally and nationally (although most alumni/prospects/donors reside in the New England region) and work occasional evenings and weekends
• Knowledge of Corporate Giving and Foundation Giving a plus
• Knowledge of health care preferred but not required; experience in a graduate academic environment a plus
• Candidates must have excellent computer skills, including competencies in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and a fundraising database

FISCAL/BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY

• Plans and manages major gifts expenditures from the Development department budget. Responsible for Institute revenue related to Major Gifts.

WORKING CONDITIONS 

• Results oriented work environment with interaction with constituents such as donors, trustees, alumni, and friends of the Institute.

About MGH Institute:

MGH Institute of Health Professions is a graduate school in Boston that provides entry-level and post-professional programs in Nursing, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Genetic Counseling, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistant Studies. The PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences and a PhD and Master of Science in Health Professions Education have been added in recent years to meet rising demand for highly educated health care professionals, educators, and researchers. Integrating classroom learning with research and clinical experience, the Institute grants doctoral degrees, master's degrees, awards certificates of advanced study, and offers continuing education to practicing professionals.

The IHP is the only degree-granting affiliate in Mass General Brigham (MGB), the largest private employer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Institute has been recognized multiple times by The Chronicle of Higher Education as a “Great College to Work For.” A leading health sciences educational institution, MGH Institute provides students with outstanding academic programs, many of which are ranked among the best in the nation.

MGH Institute of Health Professions has announced an organization-wide anti-racism initiative to think boldly about race and bring together all members of the IHP community to address systemic racial injustice as well as oppression more broadly. The plan seeks to create a supportive and inclusive campus environment and better support the diverse communities the school serves. We are excited about this new initiative and are hiring employees who are committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and will contribute to our anti-racism and anti-oppression approach.