Major Gifts Donor Advisor (Capital Gifts)

Description

Job Summary

The Major Gifts Donor Advisor is responsible for developing and managing relationships with individual donors and prospects who are capable of making significant contributions to support the organization's mission and strategic priorities. This role will manage a portfolio of donors, cultivate and steward relationships, and secure major gifts through personalized engagement, strategic communication, and meaningful donor experiences. A key aspect of this role is to drive contributions to the Capital Campaign, which will fund transformative investments in our facilities, programs, and long-term sustainability.

As a Major Gifts Donor Advisor, you will:

Champion our integrity by providing customer service while exhibiting excellence through:

• Identify Prospects: Research and identify potential donors who align with Heartspring's mission and have the capacity to contribute to the Capital Campaign. Analyze giving history, wealth indicators, and personal interests to build a strong pipeline of qualified prospects. (Possibility)
• Cultivate Relationships: Build meaningful relationships with prospective and current donors through personalized communication, face-to-face meetings, and donor engagement events. Foster long-term connections built on trust and shared values by listening carefully and aligning donor interests with the Capital Campaign priorities. (Service)
• Secure Major Gifts for the Capital Campaign: Actively identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors to raise funds that support critical facility improvements, program expansions, and long-term organizational sustainability, advancing Heartspring's mission to empower children with neurodevelopmental needs toward greater independence. (Possibility)
• Steward Donors: Maintain engagement after gifts are made by providing timely acknowledgments, sharing impact updates, and sustaining ongoing communication that demonstrates the value of donor support and reinforces their partnership with Heartspring. (Integrity)
• Manage Portfolio: Oversee a portfolio of 70 major donors and prospects, carefully tracking their giving history, interests, and communication preferences. Maximize donor retention and long-term philanthropic growth by ensuring consistent, personalized engagement. (Excellence)
• Steward Strategic Partnerships: Maintain and strengthen relationships with key strategic partners, including businesses, foundations, and philanthropic organizations. Ensure ongoing alignment with Heartspring's Capital Campaign priorities and long-term goals, leveraging these partnerships to support fundraising efforts, secure sponsorships, and enhance the organization's mission impact. (Leadership)
• Professional Responsibility: Adhere to code of conduct and company policies, review published communications, escalate concerns through chain of command, and ensure confidentiality. Other duties as assigned. (Integrity)

Requirements

You are a great fit for this role if you have knowledge and abilities in:

• Strong relationship-building, interpersonal, and communication skills with proven success in engaging individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling donor proposals and presentations.
• A demonstrated track record of securing gifts of $10,000+ from individuals.
• Working independently while collaborating effectively with a team.
• Bringing creativity and developing innovative solutions to fundraising challenges.
• Managing multiple priorities, events, and stakeholder groups simultaneously with professionalism and efficiency.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and donor/volunteer management databases.
• Willingness to travel locally/regionally and work occasional evenings or weekends.
• Demonstrating commitment to Heartspring's values: excellence, celebration, leadership, service, possibility, and integrity.

Education And Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, public relations, communications, or related field. An additional four years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.
• 5+ years of experience in fundraising or a related field, with a proven track record of successfully soliciting major gifts, preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Sitting/Standing/Walking: sit constantly, stand and walk occasionally
• Climbing/Bending/Twisting/Kneeling/Reaching: climb seldom; bend, twist, kneel and reach occasionally
• Dexterity: constant hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity
• Vision/Hearing: constant ability to see clearly and hear instructions
• Mind-Body Connection: occasional awareness of body positioning and task execution

Work Environment:

• Environment: Primarily indoor office environment, with rare exposure to outdoor settings
• Safety Compliance: Adherence to safety protocols. Use of protective gear when required occasionally
• Physical Interactions & Exposure Risks: Rare exposure to physical interactions from clients, including slapping, hitting, punching, kicking, head-butting, and biting. Potential exposure to infectious diseases, parasites, bodily fluids, and blood-borne pathogens in a school and residential care setting.