Career Blazers Nonprofit Search
Major Gift Officer
Chicago, IL Hybrid - Onsite 3 days
Position Overview Join a purpose-driven team working to end hunger and tackle its root causes through community partnerships, advocacy, and direct food distribution. Every role contributes to a powerful mission that helps provide millions of meals annually to individuals and families in need. Be part of a movement creating lasting change by increasing access to nutritious food and building a healthier, more equitable future for all.
As Major Gift Officer, you will manage a portfolio of 125-150 major and planned giving prospects, securing gifts of $10,000 and above to support the Organization's fundraising goals. You will cultivate and steward donor relationships through the full giving cycle, aligning donor interests with mission-critical priorities. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of closing five-figure gifts, strong relationship-building skills, and a commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in fundraising.
Responsibilities Oversee a portfolio of 100-125 major gift prospects, focusing on qualification, discovery, and securing gifts of $10,000 or more Plan and execute outreach and cultivation strategies to identify prospects and advance solicitation and stewardship efforts, including 50-80 in-person or virtual donor visits annually Apply a deep understanding of development practices and organizational priorities to align donor interests with funding opportunities Partner with supervisors and colleagues to identify top prospects using giving history, research, and relationship insights Develop customized relationship action plans for each prospect to support financial and fundraising goals Collaborate with senior leadership to plan and conduct major gift solicitations Ensure meaningful recognition of major donors through events, publications, and program engagement opportunities Work alongside development team members to support ongoing cultivation and stewardship activities Qualifications
Proven track record in fundraising, successfully securing gifts of $5,000-$10,000+ within a nonprofit, educational, or similarly complex organization Strong knowledge of the Chicago philanthropic landscape and donor community Exceptional written and verbal communication skills Highly organized with keen attention to detail Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Experience with development databases, ensuring accurate data entry and management Excellent interpersonal skills, capable of building strong relationships with donors, volunteers, and colleagues Comfortable working in a general office environment with limited exposure to warehouse settings Interacts regularly with staff, financial donors, volunteers, and the general public Willingness to travel locally for events and donor meetings, including occasional evenings and weekends as required Compensation
Salary: $77,000 - $85,000 Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage Employer-paid life and disability insurance Employee Assistance Program 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution Generous paid time off Parental Leave $3,000 annual employer-paid ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness benefit program $250.00 employee Referral bonus
Career Blazers Nonprofit Search maintains a broad focus so that your search can be thorough, and inclusive of all relevant options. We carefully consider your desired outcome, skills, and experience. The professionals at Career Blazers Nonprofit Search maintain your confidentiality and will not send your resume to a client without your approval.
Career Blazers is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
Chicago, IL Hybrid - Onsite 3 days
Position Overview Join a purpose-driven team working to end hunger and tackle its root causes through community partnerships, advocacy, and direct food distribution. Every role contributes to a powerful mission that helps provide millions of meals annually to individuals and families in need. Be part of a movement creating lasting change by increasing access to nutritious food and building a healthier, more equitable future for all.
As Major Gift Officer, you will manage a portfolio of 125-150 major and planned giving prospects, securing gifts of $10,000 and above to support the Organization's fundraising goals. You will cultivate and steward donor relationships through the full giving cycle, aligning donor interests with mission-critical priorities. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of closing five-figure gifts, strong relationship-building skills, and a commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in fundraising.
Responsibilities Oversee a portfolio of 100-125 major gift prospects, focusing on qualification, discovery, and securing gifts of $10,000 or more Plan and execute outreach and cultivation strategies to identify prospects and advance solicitation and stewardship efforts, including 50-80 in-person or virtual donor visits annually Apply a deep understanding of development practices and organizational priorities to align donor interests with funding opportunities Partner with supervisors and colleagues to identify top prospects using giving history, research, and relationship insights Develop customized relationship action plans for each prospect to support financial and fundraising goals Collaborate with senior leadership to plan and conduct major gift solicitations Ensure meaningful recognition of major donors through events, publications, and program engagement opportunities Work alongside development team members to support ongoing cultivation and stewardship activities Qualifications
Proven track record in fundraising, successfully securing gifts of $5,000-$10,000+ within a nonprofit, educational, or similarly complex organization Strong knowledge of the Chicago philanthropic landscape and donor community Exceptional written and verbal communication skills Highly organized with keen attention to detail Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Experience with development databases, ensuring accurate data entry and management Excellent interpersonal skills, capable of building strong relationships with donors, volunteers, and colleagues Comfortable working in a general office environment with limited exposure to warehouse settings Interacts regularly with staff, financial donors, volunteers, and the general public Willingness to travel locally for events and donor meetings, including occasional evenings and weekends as required Compensation
Salary: $77,000 - $85,000 Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage Employer-paid life and disability insurance Employee Assistance Program 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution Generous paid time off Parental Leave $3,000 annual employer-paid ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness benefit program $250.00 employee Referral bonus
Career Blazers Nonprofit Search maintains a broad focus so that your search can be thorough, and inclusive of all relevant options. We carefully consider your desired outcome, skills, and experience. The professionals at Career Blazers Nonprofit Search maintain your confidentiality and will not send your resume to a client without your approval.
Career Blazers is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.