Major Gifts Officer

Job title

Major Gifts Officer

Reports to

Senior Director of Individual Giving

FLSA Status

Exempt

About Alliance for Justice (AFJ)

Alliance for Justice (AFJ) is a national association of more than 135 organizations, representing a broad array of groups committed to progressive values and the creation of an equitable, just, and free society. For more than 45 years we have been leaders in the fight for a more equitable society on behalf of a broad constituency based on the belief that all Americans have the right to secure justice in the courts and to have their voices heard when government makes decisions that affect their lives.

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Senior Director of Individual Giving, the Major Gifts Officer serves as the strategic architect of the donor journey. This role is best suited for a seasoned gift officer who works collaboratively, approaches challenges with a problem-solving mindset, and brings a strong can‑do attitude. Prior management experience is helpful. The ideal candidate is adaptable and able to pivot as needed, as the development function requires agile thinking and a flexible workflow.

About Alliance for Justice (AFJ)

Alliance for Justice (AFJ) is a national association of more than 135 organizations, representing a broad array of groups committed to progressive values and the creation of an equitable, just, and free society. For more than 45 years we have been leaders in the fight for a more equitable society on behalf of a broad constituency based on the belief that all Americans have the right to secure justice in the courts and to have their voices heard when government makes decisions that affect their lives.

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Senior Director of Individual Giving, the Major Gifts Officer serves as the strategic architect of the donor journey. This role is best suited for a seasoned gift officer who works collaboratively, approaches challenges with a problem-solving mindset, and brings a strong can‑do attitude. Prior management experience is helpful. The ideal candidate is adaptable and able to pivot as needed, as the development function requires agile thinking and a flexible workflow.

Duties and Responsibilities

30% | Mid-Level Program & Portfolio Stewardship

• Targeted Cultivation: Focuses on donors who have moved beyond entry-level giving to maximize their long-term lifetime value.
• Concierge Stewardship: Provides a high-touch experience for mid-tier donors through personal phone calls, custom impact updates, and exclusive event invitations, raising annual growth of this portfolio by 25%
• Pipeline Movement: Systematically prepares and transitions top-tier donors to the Senior Director of Individual Giving once they reach the organization’s highest capacity thresholds. Raising annual growth of this portfolio by 25%
• Engagement Tracking: Monitors interactions from email open rates to event attendance within EveryAction to prioritize outreach.

30% | Pipeline Management & Prospecting

• DonorSearch Integration: Leverages DonorSearch to perform real-time wealth screening and philanthropic propensity modeling on the current database.
• Predictive Prospecting: Utilizes wealth markers and behavioral data to identify “hidden” high-capacity donors. Resourceful and creative in identifying leads.
• Qualification Cycles: Conducts “discovery” outreach to determine if a donor has the inclination and capacity for a significant gift upgrade.
• Portfolio Hand-off: Serves as the primary filter for the Major Gifts team, ensuring only “warm,” qualified leads are moved into high-touch portfolios.

30% | Recurring (Sustainer) Program Growth

• Conversion Strategy: Launches automated email journeys in EveryAction that trigger recurring giving asks based on specific donor behavior.
• Churn Mitigation: Proactively manages payment failures and expired cards to protect the organization's predictable cash flow.
• Sustainer Upgrades: Executes data-driven campaigns to encourage monthly donors to increase their commitment or transition to an annual leadership gift.
• Community Building: Manages the identity and “perks” of the monthly sustainers to foster loyalty.

10% | Annual Fund & Data Optimization

• Direct Response: Leads the creative direction for high-volume appeals (Year-End, Giving Tuesday) across mail, email, and SMS.
• CRM Hygiene: Maintains meticulous data entry in EveryAction to ensure no prospect falls through the cracks.

Measurable Growth Benchmarks

• Portfolio Movement: Number of donors successfully “graduated” to the Major Gifts pipeline.