Job Title:  Director of Major Gifts

Department:  Development

Classification: Exempt

Grade: 15

FTE/Working Schedule: 1.0

Position Overview:

The Director of Major Gifts is responsible to develop and sustain the Carleton stewardship tradition by communicating the College's needs and priorities to individual alumni, parents, and friends, and plan and manage the process to solicit major gift prospects.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities:

The Director of Major Gifts will report to the Associate Vice President for Development and will have the following responsibilities:

• Qualify, cultivate donor prospects, solicit and close capital, planned, and annual gifts of $100,000 and up. Staff-manage a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and collaborate with the Associate Vice President for Development, Senior Director of Principal Gifts, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, and President on strategies for $1 million and up donors.

• Provide direct supervision for all major gift development officers with visit to qualify and regional development responsibilities and co-supervise the Administrative Assistant for Development position.

• Lead and develop the team of major gift development officers in goal-setting, pace-setting, mentoring, and supervision.

• Work with campus partners to develop proposals for major donor prospects.

• Work with divisional leadership on campaign planning and execution.

• Complete 75 personal visits per year with donors and donor prospects. (Requires occasional weekend and evening work and traveling, averaging 30% annually.)

• Identify ways to increase engagement of donors and donor prospects in the activities of the College, and collaborate with the Director of Stewardship on the appropriate stewardship for donors.

• Carefully review files prior to donor visits and write and file timely and thorough reports afterward, including acknowledgments and individual gift proposals.

• Maintain regular contact with assigned donors, donor prospects, and volunteers.

• Participate with Development colleagues and others in regular planning meetings that facilitate initiating, developing, and implementing appropriate events, communications, activities, and campaigns.

Education/Experience/Skills (supported by job duties):

Required Qualifications:

Baccalaureate degree required with eight to ten years of experience in development. Candidate must be committed to the values of a liberal arts education, possess excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, have the highest ethical standards, and the ability to directly solicit and close major gifts of $100,000 or more.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in educational fundraising and with capital campaigns, and demonstrated experience closing gifts of $1 million or more.

Must have the ability to understand and follow written and oral work instructions, operations, safety procedures, and hazardous labels. 

Note: This position description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. 

Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the hire is complete. We accept only online applications.

Carleton College is an AA/EEO Employer: We are committed to developing our staff to better reflect the diversity of our student body and American society. Members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Staff Salary and Benefits: The selected finalist’s salary will be based on the candidate’s qualifications, internal pay structure, and our overall compensation package. Carleton offers a generous benefits package, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, 403(b) retirement plans with a 10% employer contribution with immediate vesting, a health savings account with a college contribution, a generous paid time off package, as well as access to many other campus amenities. 

Founded in 1866, Carleton College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college of roughly 2,000 students located in the historic river town of Northfield, Minnesota. Nationally recognized as the nation’s top college for undergraduate teaching, Carleton is known for its academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and sense of humor. Carleton offers 33 majors and 38 minors in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, and social sciences.