Job no:
R-0000003722Position Title:
Discovery OfficerFaculty or Staff:
StaffFull Time or Part Time:
Full timeIn-Person, Hybrid, or Remote:
HybridMinimum Starting Rate of Pay:
$69,637.00Rate of pay commensurate with experience
Start Date:
11/16/2026Job Description:
Mount Holyoke seeks a Discovery Officer, a new and pivotal frontline fundraising position on Mount Holyoke’s Development team. We are seeking a skilled communicator and relationship builder. In this role, you will manage a dynamic portfolio of approximately 500 alums and constituents, with a focus on graduates of the last 25 years. You will leverage email, phone, text, social media, and video to deliver highly personalized outreach that deepens engagement and increases giving. A core function of this role is managing discovery workflows to uncover new prospects and strengthen the College’s major gift pipeline.
Reporting to and working closely with the Director of Discovery, the Discovery Officer must thrive in a fast paced environment, be comfortable soliciting gifts, and demonstrate independence and motivation to meet goals. The ideal candidate will possess outstanding communication skills, passion for Mount Holyoke’s mission, and a steadfast commitment to inclusive fundraising practices.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Actively manage a portfolio of approximately 500 prospects, focusing on alums from the last 25 years, with consistent and personalized outreach.
- Implement customized engagement strategies to increase donor participation, retention, and giving.
- Manage outreach to identify and qualify new major gift prospects supporting pipeline development.
- Execute clearly defined goals with an emphasis on securing virtual meetings with prospective donors and increasing giving.
- Develop an in-depth understanding of Mount Holyoke’s priorities, opportunities, and the MHC Forward Strategic Plan to inform meaningful donor conversations.
- Collaborate across the entire College Relations team to ensure a donor-centered experience.
- Track and monitor data to identify trends and opportunities for program evolution.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree
- 1-2 years experience of managing relationships with donors, clients, or customers
- Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Proven ability to manage a high volume of work in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong customer service orientation with the ability to work diplomatically with a wide range of internal and external partners
- High ethical standards and discretion as this role requires working with confidential and sensitive information.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with a CRM or donor database
- Experience in fundraising, nonprofit organizations, or volunteer management.
Hiring Range: $69,637 - $78,342
Full Job Description
What We Offer:
- 403(b) Retirement Plan (College contributes 9% of salary)
- Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Disability and Leave Benefits
- Life Insurance (College paid coverage 1x salary)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Tuition Benefits (to Mount Holyoke College or others)
- Generous Paid Time Off
- Access to Kendall Sports & Dance Complex
Background Checks:
Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff and those associated with them to successfully carry out the mission of the college. As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.
Special Instructions for Applicants:
Apply online; application materials must include:
A cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications
A complete resume or curriculum vitae
For faculty positions, statements on mentoring, teaching, and research will also be required.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree
- 1-2 years of experience managing relationships with donors, clients, or customers
- Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
- Ability to manage a high volume of work in a fast-paced environment
- Strong customer service orientation and ability to work diplomatically with internal and external partners
- High ethical standards and discretion when handling confidential and sensitive information
- Experience with a CRM or donor database
- Experience in fundraising, nonprofit organizations, or volunteer management
What We Do
Mount Holyoke College is a highly selective, nondenominational, not-for-profit, residential, independent research liberal arts college and a leading gender-diverse women’s college. It provides inclusive, exploratory liberal arts education through rigorous academic programs, a diverse international community, and experiential learning. Its mission is to prepare graduates to engage thoughtfully, effectively, and boldly with the world and contribute to a better future.
