Associate Major Gifts Officer

Position Overview Variety St. Louis is seeking a relationship-driven fundraising professional to join its development team as Associate Major Gifts Officer. This is an exciting opportunity for an early-to-mid-career development professional who is ready to deepen their experience in major gifts, assume responsibility for a significant donor portfolio, and grow as a frontline fundraiser. Working closely with the Director of Development and a collaborative development team, the Associate Major Gifts Officer will build meaningful relationships with donors and prospects who have the capacity to make significant philanthropic investments in Variety's mission. The position will help identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors while developing strategies that deepen engagement and increase philanthropic support. The position is intentionally focused on relationship-based fundraising rather than event management. Success will come from curiosity about donors, disciplined follow-through, thoughtful moves management, strong communication, and a genuine desire to connect people with opportunities to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Variety Kids. Key Responsibilities Manage and grow a portfolio of approximately 100–125 current and prospective donors, primarily at the $10,000+ level. Bring knowledge of the St. Louis Philanthropic market as it relates to Variety’s mission. Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies in partnership with the Director of Development. Build authentic relationships with donors through personal meetings, calls, correspondence, mission experiences, events, and other meaningful engagement. Personally solicit philanthropic support and participate with organizational leadership, board members, and volunteers in donor conversations and solicitations. Identify and qualify prospective major donors and help move promising supporters into deeper relationships with Variety. Maintain a disciplined moves-management process, including clear strategies, next steps, contact reports, and timely documentation in the donor database. Prepare donor correspondence, proposals, briefing materials, and other communications that effectively connect donor interests with Variety's mission and priorities. Support planned giving conversations and opportunities in collaboration with the Director of Development and appropriate professional advisors. Work closely with the Director of Development, CEO, development colleagues, board members, and volunteers to advance donor relationships and organizational fundraising priorities. Participate in selected campaigns, donor engagement opportunities, and special initiatives that support Variety's fundraising goals. Contribute to a collaborative, accountable, and mission-focused development culture. What Success Looks Like During the first year, the Associate Major Gifts Officer will: Develop a strong understanding of Variety's mission, programs, funding priorities, and donor community. Potentially manage a small development team. Build productive relationships with assigned donors and prospects. Qualify and prioritize the assigned portfolio and maintain clear strategies and next actions for active prospects. Increase meaningful donor conversations, visits, solicitations, and stewardship activity. Identify new prospective donors and strengthen Variety's major-gift pipeline. Demonstrate increasing independence and confidence in major-gift cultivation and solicitation. Contribute to agreed-upon portfolio and organizational fundraising goals. Required Qualifications: Approximately three or more years of fundraising, development, donor relations, relationship management, or comparable professional experience. Experience building relationships with donors, clients, community leaders, customers, or other external stakeholders. Familiarity with the St. Louis philanthropic and business community. Some demonstrated experience in individual giving, donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, or portfolio management. A strong interest in developing expertise in major-gift fundraising. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to establish trust with people from a wide range of backgrounds. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Excellent organization, follow-through, judgment, and attention to detail. Ability to manage multiple relationships and priorities while maintaining consistent documentation and follow-up. Comfort using donor databases, CRM systems, or comparable relationship-management technology. Self-motivation, curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to initiate conversations and develop new relationships. Genuine enthusiasm for Variety's mission and the children and families it serves. Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience. Helpful, But Not Required Direct experience managing a donor or prospect portfolio. Experience soliciting five- or six-figure charitable gifts. Experience with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or a comparable fundraising database. Exposure to planned giving, capital campaigns, or comprehensive fundraising programs. CFRE certification or interest in pursuing professional fundraising education. Variety recognizes that strong candidates may not meet every preferred qualification. Candidates who are excited about the mission and believe their experience has prepared them to succeed as a relationship-based fundraiser are encouraged to apply. Reports to: Director of Development Location: St. Louis, Missouri Salary Range: $65,000–$75,000 #J-18808-Ljbffr Variety St. Louis