Major Gifts Officer

JOB OPPORTUNITY Applications received by March 8, 2021 at 5pm Pacific time will be given full consideration, but candidates will be considered as they apply. Early applications are strongly encouraged!

AN OPPORTUNITY TO POWER OUR WORK

WTA is seeking a relationship- and community-oriented Major Gifts Officer to accelerate our successful fundraising and individual donor engagement program. The Major Gifts Officer will be able to hit the ground running, building relationships with current and new high net worth individual donors who will invest in WTA’s mission. This person will always have their eye on donor engagement activities, from identifying fundraising opportunities to providing meaningful experiences for current and prospective donors, making a funding pitch, closing gifts and stewarding supporters. This is also an exciting opportunity to serve as a strategic thought partner for the Development Director and Chief Executive Officer to grow WTA’s operating budget from $6 million in 2021 to $8 million annually over the next 5 years. The successful candidate will think strategically, be accountable, take initiative and be committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our fundraising work. This person will be passionate about helping WTA develop the resources needed to support a high performing organization where people and programs thrive. This is a full-time exempt position, reporting to the Development Director. The position will start remotely due to COVID-19 and will transition to the Seattle headquarters when it is safe to return.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Relationship Management

  • Meet fundraising goals through stewarding and soliciting a community of current major individual donors ($5,000 and above) and an evolving pool of prospective donors.
  • Build engagement strategies tailored to individual donors.
  • Support broader community among donors, including but not limited to event planning, proposal drafting and oneon-one solicitation.
  • Conduct research on prospective donors and proactively build new relationships.
  • Encourage existing donors to make larger and/or longerterm investments to meet the organization’s priorities and support their own philanthropic goals.
  • Work with Development Director, CEO and other WTA staff to manage relationships and create strategies for emerging opportunities to strengthen our approach to donors (e.g. portfolio management).
  • Advise the CEO, board and other staff on major donor engagement and solicitation.
  • Track activities in WTA’s Salesforce database.

Donor Communications

  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of WTA programs and organizational priorities.
  • Help donors understand WTA’s mission, programs and impact.
  • Create personalized materials for stewardship and solicitation.
  • Proactively seek out and attend external events or other opportunities with an eye towards networking when inperson work resumes.
  • Engage WTA Board of Directors, long-standing champions and emerging allies in donor cultivation.
  • In consultation with the CEO and Development Director, set stretch annual major gifts fundraising goals and expectations for growth.
  • Inform protocols for tracking and reporting donor performance metrics.
  • Actively participate in departmental and organization-wide planning.
  • Manage the “Legacy Circle” engagement program for donors who leave lasting investments in WTA.

HOW TO APPLY

Email a resume and a brief cover letter describing how your experience and qualifications translate to the requirements of the role by March 8 to jobs@wta.org. Please reference the job title “Major Gifts Officer” in the subject line.

Applications received by March 8, 2021 at 5pm Pacific time will be given full consideration, but candidates will be considered as they apply. Early applications are strongly encouraged!

Full Job Announcement: https://www.wta.org/our-work/about/job-opportunities/wta_majorgiftsofficer.pdf (PDF)