Number of Openings 1
Description JOB DESCRIPTIONPosition: Major Gifts Officer
Division: Development
Reports To: President & CEO
Classification: Full-Time - Exempt
Pay: $75,000- $90,000 (Commensurate with Experience)
Position Summary WXXI Public Media is advancing a WXXI Studios strategy that brings together trusted journalism, arts and culture, independent film, music, education, live experiences, and community storytelling across WXXI, The Little Theatre, and CITY Magazine.
The Major Gifts Officer is a frontline fundraiser responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors capable of making leadership and major gifts. This position connects donors to mission-driven opportunities across the organization, including unrestricted annual support, restricted project funding, campaign priorities, planned giving conversations, and special initiatives that advance WXXI Studios.
The role works closely with the President & CEO, Vice President of Development, Director of Leadership Giving, content leaders, board members, volunteers, and community stakeholders to build a stronger culture of philanthropy and deepen donor investment in WXXI's future.
Key Responsibilities - Portfolio Management and Fundraising - Manage a portfolio of approximately 125-175 leadership and major gift prospects
- Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for assigned donors and prospects
- Conduct regular meaningful donor contacts, including in-person meetings, virtual meetings, phone calls, events, and strategic touchpoints
- Solicit and close annual, multi-year, restricted, campaign, and project-based gifts.
- Maintain a strong pipeline of qualified prospects and move donors through the giving cycle.
- Meet or exceed annual goals for donor visits, solicitations, commitments, revenue, and pipeline development.
- Document all activity, next steps, proposals, and donor interests in REV CRM.
WXXI Studios Philanthropic Strategy - Translate WXXI Studios priorities into compelling donor opportunities.
- Partner with leaders across WXXI News, Classical 91.5, The Route, Education, Video, Podcasts, The Little Theatre, and CITY Magazine to understand funding needs and impact stories.
- Develop donor offers, case statements, proposal language, budgets, and impact reports.
- Identify opportunities for naming gifts, challenge gifts, matching gifts, and transformational investments.
- Help build donor pathways from membership to mid-level, leadership, major, and principal giving.
Donor Discovery and Prospect Development - Use wealth screening, donor analytics, research, and board referrals to identify prospective major donors.
- Collaborate with Membership, Development Operations, and CDP/MSB analytics resources to identify donors with capacity and affinity.
- Qualify new prospects through discovery calls, meetings, events, and donor engagement activity.
- Develop strategies to move loyal members and audience supporters into deeper philanthropic relationships.
Stewardship and Donor Engagement - Ensure donors receive timely, personal, and meaningful stewardship
- Coordinate donor briefings, studio tours, newsroom visits, screenings, live event experiences, and leadership conversations.
- Partner with the stewardship lane to produce personalized impact reports and donor communications.
- Represent WXXI, The Little Theatre, and CITY Magazine at donor and community events
Campaigns, Board, and Volunteer - Support annual Campaign, capital endowment, and special fundraising initiatives
- Prepare briefing materials and donor strategies for executive leadership, trustees, and volunteers.
- Work with board members and advisory leaders to identify and cultivate prospective donors.
- Participate in prospect review meetings and campaign strategy sessions
Position Requirements Required Qualifications - Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
- Five or more years of successful fundraising, sales, business development, relationship management, or comparable experience
- Demonstrated ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward leadership-level or major gifts
- Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and written communication skills.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across departments
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
Preferred Qualifications - Experience in public media, arts and culture, journalism, higher education, or nonprofit fundraising
- Knowledge of Rochester and Finger Lakes philanthropic communities
- Experience with campaign fundraising and planned giving conversations
- Experience with REV CRM, DonorSearch, or comparable donor database and research tools
- Passion for journalism, arts, education, independent film, and public service media
Performance Expectations - Annual fundraising revenue and commitments secured
- Number and quality of donor visits, solicitations, and meaningful contacts
- Donor retention, upgrades, and movement through the pipeline
- Accuracy and timeliness of moves management documentation
- Collaboration with leadership, content teams, board members, and stewardship staff
This position is currently accepting applications. 
