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Oberlin College

Major Gifts Officer / Associate Major Gifts Officer

🇺🇸 Oberlin, Ohio 🕑 Full-Time 💰 TBD 💻 Communications 🗓️ October 7th, 2026
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Edtech.com's Summary

Oberlin College & Conservatory is hiring a Major Gifts Officer / Associate Major Gifts Officer. The role involves managing donor relationships by planning and executing strategies for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of outright and deferred gifts, focusing on high-end annual giving to major gifts with potential for principal-level opportunities.

Highlights

  • Manage donor relationships and execute fundraising strategies including identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of gifts.

  • Conduct discovery visits and collaborate with colleagues in Major and Planned Giving and Parent & Family Giving for pipeline development.

  • Focus efforts on securing gifts from high-end annual giving to major and principal-level donations.

  • Develop annual work plans guided by metrics such as visits, meetings, dollars raised, and proposals.

  • Work with Advancement staff on strategic plans to strengthen annual giving and major gifts programs.

  • Respond to donor inquiries and coordinate closely with Donor Relations for stewardship.

  • Create detailed contact reports and assist in development and alumni events.

  • Required qualifications include a bachelor’s degree, experience with personal solicitation and marketing, excellent communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to travel nationally.

  • Desired qualifications include 5+ years (Major Gifts Officer) or 2+ years (Associate Major Gifts Officer) of progressive fundraising experience, leadership capability, and strong writing skills.

  • Compensation includes a generous package with excellent benefits, tuition remission for eligible dependents, and 35 days of paid time off.

Major Gifts Officer / Associate Major Gifts Officer Full Description

Jobs at Oberlin

Major Gifts Officer / Associate Major Gifts Officer

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Please see Special Instructions for more details.
A completed application will include a cover letter, a CV and a list of 3 professional references.
Posting Details
Announcement Information
Job Summary
The Office of Advancement at Oberlin College & Conservatory seeks applications for the position of Major Gifts Officer / Associate Major Gifts Officer. This is a full-time, continuing, 12-month, Administrative and Professional Staff position reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Major and Planned Giving.
Responsibilities
The Major Gifts Officer / Associate Major Gifts Officer manages donor relationships by planning and executing strategies for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of outright and deferred gifts. Responsibilities span high-end annual giving to major gifts, with the potential to cultivate principal-level opportunities.
Essential Job Functions
  • Conduct discovery visits and collaborate closely with Major and Planned Giving, Parent & Family Giving, and other colleagues on hand-off strategies and major gift pipeline development.

  • Focuses fundraising efforts on securing gifts ranging from high-end annual giving to major gifts, with potential for principal-level opportunities. Drives individual giving through new donor acquisition, gift upgrades, meaningful engagement, and the development of a robust major gift pipeline.

  • Develop an annual work plan and be guided by a set of metrics set annually including discovery visits, personal meetings, dollars raised, written strategies, and solicitations and proposals.

  • Work closely with Advancement staff to create long-range strategic plans and short-term operational plans to strengthen the leadership annual giving and major gifts programs.

  • Respond to donor inquiries and work closely with Donor Relations to steward donors.

  • Create and submit contact reports in a timely manner detailing donor interactions.

  • Assist the department in staffing various development and alumni events, such as Homecoming, Reunion Weekend, and donor cultivation and recognition events.

  • Attend department-wide meetings and professional development opportunities to stay informed of best practices and strategies to engage, solicit and steward gifts.

  • Perform other duties and special projects as assigned or directed.

Marginal Job Functions
Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree and previous experience with personal solicitation and marketing, preferably within an academic or non-profit environment.

  • Ability and willingness to travel nationally. Ability to transport self to local, off-site events.

  • Superior interpersonal and networking skills with an ability to work productively and congenially with a diverse community and engage alumni and parents in fundraising efforts.

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to persuasively communicate the importance of the liberal arts experience and the need for philanthropic support.

  • Superior organizational and planning skills with an eye for detail. Ability to keep to a plan to achieve success.

  • Strong ability to think both strategically and tactically to develop and execute goals.

  • Proven relationship-building skills and the ability to interact effectively with diverse constituencies.
Desired Qualifications
  • MGO: 5+ years of progressive experience in major gift fundraising, relationship management, or related field, preferably in higher education.

  • Associate MGO: At least 2 years of successful professional fundraising.

  • Demonstrated leadership experience, a track record of one-to-one fundraising, and strong writing skills.
Quick Link for Posting https://jobs.oberlin.edu/postings/17597
Compensation
A generous compensation package will be offered to the successful candidate, including an excellent benefits package, tuition remission for eligible dependents and 35 days of paid PTO.
Special Instructions to Applicants
A completed application will include a cover letter, a CV and a list of 3 professional references.
Documents Needed to Apply
Required Documents
  1. Cover Letter
  2. Resume
  3. List of References

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Office of Human Resources
Oberlin College
173 West Lorain Street
Oberlin OH 44074

http://new.oberlin.edu/office/human-resources/

Phone: (440) 775-8430
Fax: (440) 775-8683
Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

[email protected]

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