Major Gifts Officer

About the role

• Job Title
• Major Gifts Officer
• Location
• United States of America
• Position Type
• Paid - Regular

About the role

The Major Gifts Officer is responsible for building and managing meaningful relationships with donors to support SIL's mission of making God's Word accessible in the languages people understand best. This role focuses on identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors through relational and purpose-driven engagement.

Working within a Christian ministry context, the Major Gifts Officer helps grow a sustainable donor pipeline and advances global impact through generosity and partnership.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gifts Fundraising and Portfolio Management

• Build and manage a portfolio of major donor prospects through research, referrals, and networking
• Develop and implement individualized engagement strategies for each donor
• Guide donors through the full giving journey, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
• Maintain accurate and timely donor records using CRM systems

Donor Engagement and Stewardship

• Maintain consistent and meaningful communication with donors through meetings, calls, written communication, and events
• Provide timely acknowledgment and appreciation for gifts
• Share impact updates and stories that connect donors to the global and spiritual outcomes of SIL's work

Prospect Development and Networking

• Identify and qualify new donor prospects through internal and external networks
• Build relationships with individuals, churches, foundations, and other aligned partners
• Collaborate with colleagues to expand and strengthen the donor pipeline

Proposal Development and Collaboration

• Partner with program and development staff to develop compelling funding opportunities
• Prepare and present donor proposals and funding requests
• Work collaboratively across teams to ensure clarity and consistency in donor engagement

Faith and Mission Context

This role is grounded in SIL's Christian identity and global mission. The organization views generosity as an expression of discipleship and participation in God's work of making Scripture accessible to every language community.

The Major Gifts Officer engages donors in a relational and values-based approach that recognizes giving as part of spiritual formation and mission partnership. This includes communicating authentically about faith, ministry impact, and the transformative outcomes of generosity, while respecting each donor's individual journey.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Experience in fundraising, relationship management, sales, or a related field
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with attention to detail
• Confidence in donor engagement and funding conversations
• Ability to translate organizational impact into compelling narratives

Personal Attributes

• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Collaborative and team-oriented
• Patient, relational, and long-term oriented
• Alignment with SIL's mission and Christian values

Additional Information

• This role may include travel for donor meetings and events
• Success is built over time through consistent relationship development and stewardship
• This is a mission-driven role within a faith-based organization

• Ideally located within the Central or Eastern Time Zones.
• Weekly Hours
• 40