Major Gifts Officer

This is a fully remote role for candidates with work authorization in the United States.

BACKGROUND

Orbis International is an international non-profit that brings people together to fight avoidable blindness. With our network of partners we mentor, train, and inspire local eye care teams to fight blindness in their communities. We believe that no one should live a life of unnecessary blindness, simply because of where they were born. A staggering 90% of all vision loss is treatable or preventable. That equates to 1 billion people on this planet, living with vision loss from avoidable causes. 90% of these people live in low- and middle-income countries, and 55% are women and girls. With donors, volunteers, staff, and partners, we aim to leave a long-term eye care legacy that will restore vision for generations to come. It’s an exciting time to join Orbis. Our US Development team is growing, and we want to expand the way we engage our generous and large community of supporters.

JOB SUMMARY

Officer, Major Gifts is responsible for creating, implementing, and managing cultivation and stewardship activities for Orbis International the Major Donor team and is also responsible for the growth of a portfolio of major donors in support of Orbis International’s mission. The ideal candidate will be donor centric and able to build relationships with major donor individuals throughout the United States. They will be able to create and implement stewardship strategies and consistently deliver on expectations.

The primary functions of the role include donor management, prospect development, tracking and reporting, and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. The Officer, Major Gifts is an integral part of a growing Philanthropy team working to achieve revenue goals in line with the larger Development Team.

LOCATION

This is a remote position based in the United States. For those who prefer to work in an office setting, our NYC office has temporary and permanent desk solutions for employees in the area and can accommodate those preferences. Orbis’s current policy requires that all staff visiting the NYC office must be vaccinated against COVID-19. 

REPORTING & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The Officer, Major Gifts reports to the Senior Manager, Major Gifts, and collaborates closely with the VP of Philanthropy as well as Mid-Level, Planned Giving, Events, Integrated Channel Marketing, and Communications Teams. Additionally, they will have the chance to liaise with our Flying Eye Hospital and Global Programs teams in New York and at Orbis offices around the world.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS / KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Donor Cultivation and Stewardship:

• Formalize and manage a stewardship, cultivation, and retention program for major donors, including through the documentation and further development of an effective donor journey.
• Identify and create opportunities to approach new donors and renew and upgrade current donors in collaboration with the Senior Manager, Major Gifts.
• Maintain a calendar of regular donor engagement activities, providing updates on programmatic achievements and impact, engaging and inspiring donors.
• Develop donor appeals, assist on donor proposals, reports, and other materials.
• Drive development of impact and gift reports through collaboration with internal teams.
• Draft personalized donor acknowledgments and other ways to express gratitude.
• Collaborate with prospect research unit to develop prospect background research and materials, as needed.

Portfolio Management:

• Manage and grow a portfolio of major donors, including the coordination and supervision of all donor-related activities, identifying creative opportunities to show impact and gratitude, recognizing, informing, and inspiring donors.
• Build relationships and regularly engage with donors to understand their motivations, interests, needs and alignment with Orbis.

Performance Tracking and Reporting:

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records including tracking of interactions in the organization's donor management system, Raiser’s Edge.
• Support with performance reporting, KPI tracking and review of past donor activities in order to continuously grow and improve the Major Gift program.

Collaboration and Cross-Functional Coordination:

• Support communication and coordination between major donors and internal stakeholders such as global program teams and communications leads as needed.
• Support the team in achieving fundraising targets and contribute to the overall success of the organization's development efforts.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree
• Demonstrated experience engaging, cultivating, and retaining donors at different contribution levels.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in development, Major Gifts department preferred.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Understanding of philanthropy, major gifts, and motivations of individual donors.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling stewardship materials and impact reports.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to work with a high degree of autonomy and prioritize and manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• The ability to work effectively, remotely, with cross-functional teams in a global context.
• Proficient with MS Office Suite and CRM systems (Raiser’s Edge preferred) and other software as needed.

APPLICATION

If interested in being considered for the role, please apply with your resume and cover letter.

Orbis is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

As a global organization, we welcome qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and marginalized communities who are underrepresented in the international NGO sector who reflect the five Orbis values of Accountability, Commitment, Innovation, Integrity, and Equity.