Major Gifts Officer

The minimum starting salary for this position is $76000.

Job Purpose:

The Major Gifts Officer is responsible for growing income through prospective and current donors and maintaining relationships between donors and the Botanic Garden. The Major Gifts Officer will identify cultivate solicit and close gifts to achieve an annual individual goal of $800000 in commitments and pledges. This includes managing the Giving Circle program a vehicle for cultivating relationships with existing major gift prospects and identifying and soliciting new prospects. This person will also support the development team through various projects initiatives and events. The Major Gifts Officer will hit the ground running to increase revenue through increasing major gifts with ongoing enthusiasm and stamina conducting a series of donor touches with a minimum of 80 donors per year and tracking and reporting progress.

Key Responsibilities:

Accountability

1. Consistently adhere to ethical fundraising practices including donor confidentiality.
2. Manage the Gardens planned giving program and the Giving Circle program which provides a bridge between memberships and annual giving support.
3. Maintain accurate and detailed records including donor interactions.
4. Manage budgets and help plan donor and fundraising events and activities.

People Management/Interactions

1. Perform timely interactions with donors prospects and existing planned giving legacy members to include solicitation activities and cultivation of new donors/legacy members.
2. Collaborate with the VP on capital campaigns and participate in major fundraising efforts.
3. Support the development and communications team with special projects such annual fund appeals as needed.
4. Professionally engage with a diverse group of organizational constituents in a variety of settings e.g. donor events public programs at the Garden and professional events.
5. Instill and maintain a culture of philanthropy with colleagues across the campus.
6. Maintain and update a portfolio of annual donors and potential new donors and communicate with donors and prospects via in-person meetings phone calls and emails.

Communication

1. Be proactive in communicating to the VP new ideas or opportunities to grow the Gardens donor and member base.
2. Provide regular accurate reporting to VP on progress towards departmental goals.
3. Clearly and succinctly communicate with all stakeholders via solicitation letters reports internal communications Board and Advancement committee reports.

Competencies: Knowledge and Skills required

• Demonstrated understanding of the principles of fundraising and nonprofit management.
• Proven successful fundraising experience.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with a keen attention to detail including preparing compelling proposals and solicitations for major gifts.
• Strong networking skills to meet new people seek out new contacts make connections and professionally represent FWBG to communicate programs and funding needs to the public.
• A strong team player demonstrated self-starter with excellent interpersonal skills requiring minimal supervision.
• Competent in using Microsoft Office including Outlook Word Excel and Teams.
• Ability to maintain organized accurate and confidential records.
• Knowledge of or ability to learn Altru a nonprofit CRM system (familiarity with Blackbaud products a plus).

Additional Job Requirements:

• Familiarity with Fort Worths philanthropic community a plus.
• Maintain a current Texas Drivers License and auto-related liability insurance.
• Adaptable to flexible scheduling with ability to work occasional evening and weekend events.
• Ability to work outside during public exhibits/events in Texas climate conditions.

Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the job.

To Apply

Thank you for your interest! To learn more about working at FWBG visit our website at and click the link to view current job openings and apply online. To be considered please submit a resume or CV and your cover letter. Review of applications will begin immediately. Qualified candidates whose skills and experience best match the needs of the position will be contacted for interviews. The anticipated start date for this position is October 6 2025.