MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER
LOCATION: Miami, Orlando, or Tampa
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Florida seeks an experienced Major Gifts Officer (MGO). This position will be located in Miami (preferred), Orlando (preferred), or Tampa.
The ACLU 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 over 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, D.C., and Puerto Rico in large part through affiliate entities such as the ACLU of Florida. The Florida affiliate currently has a budget of over $8 million and 49 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, organizing, 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, LGBTQ rights, disability rights, and immigrants’ rights. The ACLU of Florida has a main office in Miami and regional offices in Jacksonville, Orlando, Pensacola, Tallahassee, and Tampa.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Major Gifts Officer is a staff position within the affiliate’s development department, reporting to the Deputy Director of Philanthropy.
The MGO is a front-line fundraiser who will work to ensure that the ACLU of Florida meets its fundraising goals by qualifying new individual giving prospects and building strong, authentic donor relationships to maximize financial support in a manner that is consistent with the donors’ values. The MGO will also explore planned giving opportunities with donors.
The MGO will work closely with members of the ACLU of Florida’s development department and development colleagues at the national ACLU, as well as with staff in every department of the state organization. The position requires travel within Florida and possible travel outside of Florida for training purposes.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Manage the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of a portfolio of approximately 125 individual donors and prospects that have the capacity to make $10,000+ gifts
- Create individual goals for each person in the portfolio based on the donor’s history of giving and the organization’s knowledge of their potential and interests
- Create comprehensive plans for each donor/prospect in the portfolio and execute those plans so individual donors are retained and upgraded
- Qualify donors via basic research tools, reports, and outreach
- Create strategy memos and directly solicit major and planned gifts through individual, in-person, and virtual solicitation meetings
- Develop and implement a communications plan to keep in regular contact with donors/prospects on programmatic issues and key organizational developments
- Work with appropriate staff to gather program information and develop materials directed at individual donors/prospects, including cultivation pieces, stewardship reports and highly personalized proposals
- Partner with senior and program staff and provide material support in preparation of donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship opportunities
- Track portfolio activity, communication, and progress in a Salesforce database
- Create reports as required that accurately reflect portfolio activity and performance
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
- Create and maximize targeted cultivation and stewardship opportunities through small virtual or in person events, special mailings, and communications for select donors/prospects in the portfolio
- Maintain working knowledge of national and state ACLU programmatic priorities, current issues, and events as they occur
- Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
- Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, and demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
While no one person will have all the qualities enumerated below, the successful candidate will bring many of the following qualifications and attributes:
- Unwavering commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU, including commitment to equity and racial justice
- A minimum of three years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with progressive responsibility and a proven track record of soliciting and closing $10,000+ gifts
- Experience soliciting planned gifts preferred
- Demonstrated ability to achieve overall revenue goal based on individual donor goals
- Proven retention and upgrading of donors through the use of moves management
- Strong experience communicating effectively and respectfully on the phone and in-person with donors, volunteers, staff, and the general public
- Experience leveraging database management systems to ensure complete, secure, and private donor records. Experience with Salesforce is a plus
- Demonstrated ability to simplify complex themes and myriad details—especially those related to public policy, advocacy, and litigation—into a short, compelling presentation or written piece
- Persuasiveness and perseverance in attaining goals, and the ability to develop long-term plans, set objectives, and track progress towards achieving goals
- Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines
- Personal initiative and ability to work independently and exercise good judgment in stressful circumstances, as well as ability to work collaboratively in a strong team-oriented environment
- A driver’s license and availability to travel throughout the state required. Some limited out of state travel is also possible
- Ability to accommodate work during evenings and weekends when warranted
- Knowledge of the Florida philanthropic community preferred
- Fluency in Spanish or Kreyol is a plus
Compensation will be commensurate with experience, within the range of $60,000 to $81,000. 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 a cover letter, resume, and one writing sample by email to [email protected]. All inquiries should include Major Gifts Officer in the subject line and all attachments should be in Microsoft Word or PDF format. Please indicate where you learned of this job posting.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. 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, LGBTQIA+, 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 to attend.
At the ACLU of Florida, we value diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion and embrace the uniqueness of everyone. We seek to create a place of belonging where candidates of diverse backgrounds will be included, represented, and heard.
The ACLU of Florida makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment efforts provide persons with disabilities with full opportunities for employment in all positions.