Leadership Giving Officer - Point Foundation

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:

Founded in 2001, Point Foundation is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBTQ students pursuing their dreams and goals through a post-secondary education. In addition to financial assistance, Point offers mentoring and leadership training to these students, empowering them to achieve their full academic and leadership potential despite the obstacles often put before them and go on to make a significant impact on society.

Point Foundation has a staff of 22 full-time employees. Its current operating budget is more than $8 million annually with total assets of around $20 million. A bit more than half of Point’s revenue comes from individuals, another 45% from corporate partners, and the rest from foundation support and special events.

REPORTING:

Reports to the Senior Director of Development. Works collaboratively with Chief Advancement Officer, Chief Executive Officer, a 10-person Development & Marketing team (based in New York and Los Angeles), and the Development & Marketing Committee of the Board of Directors.

THE POSITION:

The Leadership Giving Officer is responsible for managing and expanding a portfolio of individual major donors who are giving or have the capacity to give at the $10,000+ level. This person will cultivate and solicit individual gifts through strategic research and relationship building and by overseeing donor pipelines, moves management, and personal touchpoints. They will also engage in Planned Giving and Donor Advised Fund outreach.

As a front-line fundraiser, the Leadership Giving Officer will meet with key donors through one-on-one calls, in-person meetings, and by representing Point Foundation at events. This role involves all facets of individual giving, including prospect identification, cultivation, direct solicitation, and appeals aimed at supporting operations, programs, and achieving annual fundraising goals.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBLITIES:

Personal

• Serve as a front-line fundraiser and ambassador for Point Foundation by actively soliciting high-level gifts from individuals.
• Develop and implement cultivation strategies; identify new leads for support of initiatives, programs, and general operations; meet with high-level donors and prospects, as necessary.
• Oversee the creation of materials for transformational giving opportunities and the Named Scholarship program.
• Track and manage data on individual giving activities for Leadership Gifts of $10,000 and above.
• Collaborate with the Development Department to create and execute a moves management plan for Leadership Gift ($10K and up) donors and prospects.
• Conduct research and outreach for The Legacy Circle, Point Foundation’s Planned Giving Program.
• Conduct research and outreach to optimize Donor Advised Fund giving.
• Acknowledge gifts made by donors in your portfolio on a weekly basis.
• Notify the Individual Giving Team of major gifts and other significant donor updates.
• Maintain donor records and answer donor inquiries promptly.

With the CEO, Chief Advancement Officer, and/or Sr. Director of Development

• Develop and implement strategies to support prospecting campaigns and enhance donor engagement.
• Collaborate regularly on high-level strategies for the Individual Giving portfolio, including identifying Board prospects, new major donors, and possible large-scale initiatives.
• Assist with the general needs of the Development Department as identified by the Chief Advancement Officer and Senior Director of Development.

With the Individual Giving Team

• Support outreach activities including one-on-one meetings, phone calls, and attendance at networking events to attract donors at all levels.
• Collaborate weekly with all development staff to strategize development activities.

CANDIDATE PROFILE:

The successful candidate will be an energetic and ambitious nonprofit development professional with a proven track record of successfully stewarding high level individual donors and closing gifts of $10,000 and above. They should bring a collaborative, proactive, and positive approach to work and team building, combined with strong emotional intelligence and professional maturity.

This person will have a demonstrated passion for LGBTQ equality and for Point Foundation’s mission of supporting and advancing the higher education aspirations of LGBTQ students. They will possess the ability to work effectively across diverse ages, races, socio-economic statuses, sexual orientations, and gender identities/expressions, both inside and outside of the organization.

Required Experience/Knowledge (Should Have)

• Minimum of 5 years of frontline fundraising experience in major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, and/or donor relations in the non-profit sector.
• Demonstrated understanding of moves management and ability to steward individual major donors and leadership gifts.
• Ability to develop and implement strategies for engaging and stewarding high-net-worth individuals.
• Strong personal and professional knowledge of/connection to the LGBTQ+ community and related social issues.
• Exceptional verbal and written communications abilities, including public speaking and presentation skills.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, administrative, and project management skills.
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge or similar CRM systems.
• Ability to travel within the United States, in particular the West Coast (30% estimated).
• Flexibility of work schedule – events and opportunities to meet current and prospective donors often take place in the evening and/or on weekends.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required. An advanced degree (i.e., JD, MBA, MPA, etc.) and/or relevant certification is a plus.

Desired Experience/Knowledge (Nice to Have)

• Previous experience working closely with nonprofit Boards or similar volunteer leadership groups.
• Previous fundraising experience in LGBTQ and/or related organizations or movements.
• Experience in education/higher education, scholarship programs, or student/youth development with a focus on LGBTQ and/or BIPOC communities.
• Proficiency with MS Windows OS and Office 365 applications.

Personal Characteristics

• Strong personal connection to the mission of Point Foundation and alignment with its core values of: Accountability, Authenticity, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Empowerment, Innovation, and Integrity & Trust
• Cultural competence and understanding of the diverse needs, experiences, and contributions of the individuals and communities Point Foundation supports.
• Passion for networking and for building lasting relationships with individuals that support the mission of Point Foundation.
• High level of professional maturity, emotional intelligence, empathy, and self-awareness.
• Determination, focus, and ability to consistently deliver excellent quality work.
• Detailed oriented and highly organized.
• Self-starter with initiative and a strong desire to achieve; able to work independently as well as within a team.
• Good judgement and ability to maintain confidentiality, a positive attitude, and a sense of humor.