Posting Details

Position Information

Position Title
Senior Major Gifts Officer

Department
Advancement - 130

Position Summary

The Advancement department is seeking a full-time Senior Major Gifts Officer to secure five- and six-figure gifts from individual donors and prospects to support the broad scope of the institution's work in science and education. The Senior Major Gifts Officer identifies, qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards their own portfolio of donors and prospects, implementing targeted strategies they develop, resulting in gift closures at maximum levels of support. The Senior Major Gifts Officer also supervises two Gift Officers, managing their own large portfolios of 250-300 mid-level gift donors and prospects. In this supervisory capacity, the Senior Major Gifts Officer supervises the Museum's individual mid-level frontline fundraising effort with the ultimate goal of building the major gifts pipeline.

Job duties include, but are not limited to:

• Build and manage a portfolio of 125-150 major gift donors and prospects to deepen their engagement and relationships with the Museum and increase their giving, aligned with the Museum's fundraising priorities.
• Create customized short-, intermediate-, and long-term strategies for the existing donor/prospect portfolio.
• Conceptualize and implement strategies to engage new prospects, including identifying and researching prospective donors where appropriate.
• Proactively maintain awareness of the Museum's needs within areas of responsibility and identify prospective donors for those needs.
• Craft effective proposals, reports, acknowledgments, and other related communications, in partnership with the Donor Relations and Donor Communications teams.
• Plan, manage, and host various cultivation and stewardship activities, including one-on-one and volunteer council meetings, tours, and other small gatherings.
• Coordinate and collaborate with Museum colleagues, including Museum leadership, fellow Advancement staff, scientists, educators, and exhibition specialists.
• Maintain current and accurate records in the Raiser's Edge database.
• Manage and motivate two Gift Officers, providing guidance and coaching to ensure individual targets are met. Partner with them to develop customized portfolio strategies to deepen ties to the Museum and grow year-over-year revenue, focusing primarily on unrestricted support and restricted support that is directly responsive to the Museum's needs/priorities. Foster a results-oriented "out-the-door" fundraising approach that effectively moves prospects through the development cycle, identifies new prospects, and re-engages lapsed prospects to advance and grow fundraising opportunity and results. Support the Gifts Officers' career growth paths and professional development opportunities.
• Manage a schedule that includes local travel and occasional evening and weekend work.

The expected salary range for the Senior Major Gifts Officer is $135,000/annual - $150,000/annual. The AMNH offers an extensive benefits package designed to meet the needs of our dedicated and diverse community.

Pay will be determined based on several factors. The hiring range for the position at commencement is based on the type of work and the scope of responsibilities. The salary and placement offered is based on a number of individualized factors, including, but not limited to, skills, knowledge, training, education, credentials, areas of specialization, and depth and scope of experience.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, business, finance, marketing, science, museum studies, liberal arts, or another related field that supports the ability to accomplish the above job duties.
• Seven years of professional experience, with at least four in a donor-facing role in a nonprofit development context.
• Demonstrated success in soliciting and closing gifts at the major gift level (five- and six-figure gifts).
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite, internet applications, and fundraising databases.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, presentation, and decision-making skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Supervisory experience and demonstrated success managing others.
• Volunteer management skills and experience.
• Knowledge of and experience with Raiser's Edge.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for prolonged periods.
• Must be able to move about the Museum campus.

Category
Full-Time

Total Number of Scheduled Hours Per Pay Period
70

Union Status
Non-Union

FLSA
Exempt

Expected Salary Minimum
$135,000/annual

Expected Salary Maximum
$150,000/annual

Quick Link
https://careers.amnh.org/postings/4789

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number
GS1008P

Open Date
05/07/2026

Close Date

Open Until Filled
Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants