The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Florida seeks a Major Gift Officer. The Major Gift Officer works closely with the Development Department to achieve the organization’s goal of protecting the liberties that define our democracy. This position is located either in the organization’s Miami office or as a remote position from a South Florida location outside of the Miami area. The position includes some travel within Florida.
The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Florida is an affiliate of the national ACLU, a national public interest organization devoted to the defense of the Bill of Rights. For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has served as the nation’s primary protector of the liberties that define our democracy. The organization implements its vital civil liberties mission in all 50 states in large part through affiliate entities such as the ACLU of Florida. Operating out of four offices—Miami (main), Tampa, Pensacola, and Jacksonville—the Florida affiliate has a budget of over $8 million and 55 staff members, placing it among the larger ACLU affiliates in the nation.
The ACLU of Florida, the state’s largest civil rights and civil liberties organization, employs litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education to protect and promote a broad range of constitutional values and individual rights, such as freedom of speech, racial justice, right to privacy, religious liberty, criminal justice reform, voting rights, reproductive rights, LGBT rights, disability rights, and immigrants’ rights. The ACLU of Florida litigates a broad range of complex constitutional cases in federal and state courts through direct representation, filing amicus briefs, and submitting administrative complaints to state and federal agencies.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Major Gift Officer is a staff position within the Affiliate’s Development Department. The position reports to the Director of Philanthropy. The position is focused on qualifying new prospects and building a strong relationship between the people in their portfolio and the ACLU in order to prioritize the work of the ACLU for the donor and maximize financial support. In addition to soliciting major gifts to the annual fund, the MGO will explore planned giving opportunities and solicit special campaign gifts.
The Major Gift Officer (MGO) will work to ensure that the ACLU of Florida meets our fundraising goals by increasing philanthropic donations to support the ACLU’s work to defend and expand civil rights and civil liberties while managing portfolios of donors and prospects. The MGO will be responsible for qualifying new prospects and building a strong relationship between the people in their portfolio and the ACLU in order to prioritize the work of the ACLU for the donor and maximize financial support. In addition to soliciting major gifts to the annual fund, the MGO will explore planned giving opportunities and solicit special campaign gifts.
The MGO will work closely with members of the ACLU of Florida’s development department, the Executive Director, and development colleagues at the national ACLU, as well as with staff in every department of the state organization. The MGO will spend a significant amount of time in direct interaction with donors, to ensure that each donor can fulfill their desire to contribute and support our work in a manner that is consistent with their values. The positions will require some travel within Florida and possible travel outside of Florida for training purposes.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 125-150 donors.
• Conduct and analyze publicly available research, consistent with ACLU privacy policy, on donors and prospects in the MGO’s portfolio.
• Create individual goals for each person in the portfolio.
• Create a comprehensive cultivation and solicitation strategy for donors and prospects in the portfolios and execute strategies that fulfill donors’ goals.
• Develop and implement a communications plan to keep in regular contact with donors on the issues they are most passionate about as well as key organizational developments.
• Directly solicit major and planned gifts, and partner with senior and program staff on donor engagement opportunities.
• Provide support to senior staff in preparation for solicitation or stewardship opportunities, including concise briefing materials for meetings with donors and prospects.
• Qualify new prospects for assignment to the major gift portfolio.
• Work with the staff to secure project information to develop materials and communication including highly personalized proposals that are consistent with donor interests and programmatic priorities.
• Track portfolio activity, communication, and progress. Create reports as required by management that accurately reflect portfolio activity and performance.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
• Develop special cultivation and stewardship opportunities, such as small events for select donors/prospects in the portfolio.
• Maintain working knowledge of the ACLU’s programmatic priorities and issues as they occur.
• Work closely with and provide support as needed to all development team members and ACLU of Florida staff.
• Other duties as assigned.
While no one person will have all the qualities enumerated below, the successful candidate will bring many of the following qualifications and attributes:
• A strong commitment to the principles and values of the ACLU and its mission.
• Minimum of three years of experience in nonprofit fundraising with a proven track record of soliciting, closing, and stewarding major gifts, or comparable experience.
• Experience soliciting planned gifts is also preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication and presentation skills. Demonstrated ability to simplify complex themes and activities into a short, compelling presentation or written piece. Familiarity with talking about utilizing public policy advocacy and litigation to promote social justice is helpful.
• Strong people skills. The ability to communicate effectively and respectfully on the phone, via email and text and in person with donors, board members, volunteers, staff, and the general public.
• Persuasiveness and perseverance in attaining goals.
• Strong organizational skills, ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and to meet deadlines. Ability to develop long-term plans, set objectives, and track progress towards achieving goals. Familiarity with moves management preferred.
• Personal initiative and a sense of humor. Friendly, outgoing, and collaborative approach, and a strong team-oriented style.
• Experience with donor database management and systems to track campaigns preferred while required to ensure that sensitive information be kept private and secure.
• Proficiency with office technology and information systems (including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and a donor database (SalesForce, Research Point, Looker) preferred.
• Must be available for travel across the state, as well as limited out-of-state travel.
• A confident and professional work style. Ability to work independently and to exercise good judgment in stressful circumstances. Flexibility and a willingness to take on new tasks as the responsibilities of the position evolve.
• Knowledge of the Florida philanthropic community preferred.
• Ability to work beyond the traditional workday and work week as needed.
• Fluency in Spanish or Creole preferred, but not required.
• Unwavering commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU, including a demonstrated commitment to equity and racial justice.
Compensation will be commensurate with experience, within the range of $52,000 to $70,000. The ACLU of Florida provides excellent benefits, including health and dental insurance with generous vacation, holiday and sick leave policies, as well as a Defined Contribution 401K Retirement Plan.
Please send cover letter, resume, by email to [email protected]. All inquiries should include Major Gift Officer – South Florida in the subject line and all attachments should be in Microsoft Word or PDF format.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please indicate where you learned of this job posting. No phone calls, please.
This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU of Florida reserves the right to change the job description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.
The ACLU of Florida is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU of Florida encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender
identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status. We encourage formerly incarcerated individuals to apply. If selected for an interview, please inquire if financial assistance is needed in order to attend.
The ACLU of Florida undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions. Fluency in Spanish and Creole is preferred but not required.