Major Gift Officer

Major Gift Officer

Posting Number: 493993

Type of Position: Full-time

Location: Poughkeepsie, NY

Categories: Administration

Position Title:

Major Gift Officer

Department/School:

Advancement Services

Salary/Pay Rate:

$75,000 - $90,000

Job Summary:

The Major Gift Officer is responsible for identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major gifts ($50k+) from prospective donors to meet fundraising goals. They build relationships with high-net-worth alumni, parents, individuals, and other key stakeholders, engaging them in Marist's mission and strategic priorities. This role collaborates with other Development team members to tailor proposals and stewardship plans, ensuring donors feel valued and connected to the impact of their contributions.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• 3 - 5 years of related experience
• A strong history of closing major gifts; and consistently reaching fundraising objectives.
• Successful experience making cold calls and developing personalized strategies that move prospects through the donor process from discovery to solicitation and stewardship.
• Strong written, oral, and presentation communication skills and demonstrated experience in developing clear and concise funding proposals.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with all levels of staff, volunteers, donors, and prospective donors.
• Ability to work independently while also working as a member of the Advancement team.

Essential Functions:

• Manage a personal portfolio of 100-150 major gift donors to move them appropriately through the complete giving life cycle: qualification, engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship by conducting emails, calls, and meetings with prospective donors to cultivate relationships.
• Promptly maintain database contact information and interactions for all donors in their portfolio.
• Support academic leadership via meetings with Deans, Faculty, other Academic leaders and programs in fostering philanthropic support, volunteer engagement, and campaign content development by ensuring they are well-informed about University initiatives to allow them to identify prospects who might be interested in supporting these areas.
• Support Advancement, Alumni Relations, and Special events and activities throughout the year by attending events and serving as a philanthropic advisor.
• Other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree

Required Application Documents:

Resume, Cover Letter, & Contact Information of 3 Professional References


Benefits:

The position includes a comprehensive benefit package*. Benefits for this position include but are not limited to the following:

• 3 weeks of paid vacation. 4 weeks of paid vacation beginning in the 6th year of employment.
• Unlimited paid sick time.
• 14+ paid holidays per year.
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance programs at a 15% employee / 85% employer contribution rate. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Dependent Care (FSD).
• Life insurance.
• Generous short-term and long-term disability programs and workers compensation.
• 403(b) defined contribution plan:
  • First 6 years University contributes 7.5%, Employee contributes a mandatory 4%.
  • University contribution increases to 10.5% in year 7, and 12% after 15 years.
  • Employee contribution decreases to 1% in year 7. Remains 1% thereafter.
  • Typical eligibility requirements: 1 year of service and 1,000 hours with Marist University.
• 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity - Roth option available. Voluntary, up to IRS maximum contribution.
• Tuition Benefits:
  • Up to 16 undergraduate credits per semester. Up to 18 graduate credit per academic calendar. Eligibility extends to employee, spouse, and dependent children under age 26.
  • University pays 100% tuition only.
  • Eligible dependents may be Reimbursed up to $2,000 per semester towards tuition at another accredited institution.

*Eligibility requirements including waiting periods and/or employee probationary periods may apply at the discretion of the University.

About the Department/School:

The Advancement Office promotes a culture of philanthropy that attracts vital resources to support the goals and objectives of the University's strategic plan and core educational mission.

The Advancement team accomplishes this by nurturing life-long relationships with and among alumni, parents, trustees, friends, students, faculty, staff, and other constituencies. It also communicates regularly with them through meaningful personal contacts, targeted print and web-based publications, and high-impact special events.

About Marist University:

Founded in 1929, Marist is a comprehensive, independent four-year institution whose signature educational approach blends the liberal arts with pre-professional studies and emphasizes experiential learning to enrich classroom instruction. With campuses in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Florence, Italy, plus over 70 programs offering a variety of international study, Marist is a portal to the world and is devoted to nurturing a welcoming, inclusive community. Through six schools offering almost 50 majors, Marist cultivates the intellectual growth and well-being of its more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students and encourages them to color outside traditional academic lines as they pursue coursework and personal experiences that provide valuable occupational expertise and reflect their individual passions. Marist has been acclaimed a top institution in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse, Princeton Review, and others. To learn more, please visit


Type of Position:

Full-Time

Classification:

Administrative (Exempt)

Months per Year:

12

Work Schedule:

When not traveling, Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm

Requires some evening and weekend hours, as needed. Extensive travel is also required.

Hours per Week:

37.5

Location:

Marist University Main Campus

Number of Position Openings:

1

Equal Employment Statement:

Marist University is committed to creating an inclusive workforce on our campus by ensuring that barriers to equal employment opportunity and upward mobility do not exist here. To this end, the University will strive to achieve the full and fair participation of all members of the Marist community.

Equal opportunity means employment, development, and promotion of individuals without consideration of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, or veteran status unless there is a bona fide occupational requirement which excludes persons in one of these protected groups. The University will review its employment policies and procedures to ensure that barriers which may unnecessarily exclude protected groups are identified and eliminated. The University will also explore alternative approaches if any policy or practice is found to have a negative impact on protected groups.

Marist's policy of non-discrimination includes not only employment practices but also extends to all services and programs provided by the University. It shall be considered a violation of University policy for any member of the community to discriminate against any individual or group with respect to employment or attendance at Marist University on the basis of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other condition established by law.

Advertised: April 14, 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

Applications close:


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