Major Gifts Officer

Description

About the Northside Achievement Zone

The Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) is building a culture of achievement in North Minneapolis so that all children graduate from high school prepared for college, career, and life. Through deep partnership with families, schools, nonprofits, and community organizations, NAZ is transforming outcomes for children and reimagining what is possible for an entire community.

NAZ envisions a prosperous North Minneapolis- where all children of color are healthy, secure and academically successful, ultimately realizing their unlimited potential. 

Position Summary

The Major Gifts Officer is a frontline fundraiser responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding a portfolio of individual donors and prospects capable of making significant philanthropic investments in NAZ.

The Major Gifts Officer builds authentic, donor-centered relationships; develops individualized engagement strategies; conducts meaningful donor meetings; and secures five- and six-figure gifts and multi-year commitments. The role maintains a strong portfolio and pipeline, connects donor interests with NAZ’s mission and priorities, and helps expand the organization’s community of major donors and future principal donors.

Working closely with the Senior Director of Principal & Major Gifts and colleagues across Development, Communications, Finance, and Program, this position contributes to NAZ’s comprehensive campaign and broader fundraising goals.

 Key Responsibilities 

• Manage an active portfolio of major gift donors and prospects through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develop individualized strategies based on donor interests, capacity, giving history, relationships, and readiness.
• Conduct consistent, meaningful donor engagement through meetings, calls, events, correspondence, and other personalized outreach.
• Personally solicit and secure significant five- and six-figure gifts, multi-year commitments, and other philanthropic investments.
• Maintain a healthy pipeline by qualifying prospects and advancing relationships through the donor lifecycle.
• Develop compelling proposals, presentations, solicitation materials, and personalized communications.
• Build strong knowledge of NAZ’s programs, outcomes, strategic priorities, and campaign opportunities and communicate them effectively to donors.
• Partner with the Senior Director on donors with significant or transformational giving potential and ensure timely follow-through and stewardship.

• Identify and qualify prospective major donors through prospect research, annual fund activity, referrals, events, Board relationships, community connections, and campaign activity.
• Partner with the Director of Annual Fund to identify donors with potential for deeper engagement and major giving.
• Assess prospects’ interest, capacity, affinity, and readiness and develop strategies to move qualified donors into the major gift portfolio.
• Identify opportunities to reengaged lapsed or under-engaged donors and build relationships with new supporters.
• Help develop a sustainable pipeline of major and future principal donors.

• Develop personalized stewardship strategies that demonstrate donor impact and strengthen long-term relationships.
• Ensure timely acknowledgment, recognition, impact reporting, and follow-up.
• Coordinate donor meetings, site visits, program experiences, cultivation gatherings, and other meaningful engagement opportunities.
• Partner with Communications and Program colleagues to develop compelling donor stories and impact updates.
• Identify opportunities for renewal, increased giving, multi-year commitments, campaign participation, and deeper engagement.
• Engage donors strategically through SOARNORTH and other organizational events, with intentional follow-up integrated into portfolio strategies.
• Support planned and legacy giving conversations in partnership with the Senior Director when appropriate.

• Maintain accurate and timely donor records, contact reports, prospect stages, next actions, proposals, projections, and other activity in NAZ’s CRM.
• Use fundraising data, prospect research, and portfolio analytics to prioritize activity and inform donor strategies.
• Participate in regular portfolio reviews with the Senior Director to evaluate progress, identify opportunities, and establish next steps.
• Track performance against fundraising, qualification, engagement, pipeline, and revenue goals.
• Maintain accurate projections and ensure gift agreements, restrictions, commitments, and stewardship expectations are documented appropriately.

• Collaborate across Development, Communications, Finance, Program, and organizational leadership to advance donor and campaign strategies.
• Prepare the President & CEO, Chief Development Officer, Board members, and other leaders for donor meetings and engagement opportunities as assigned.
• Partner with colleagues on donor engagement related to the comprehensive campaign, SOARNORTH, and other organizational initiatives.
• Serve as an ambassador for NAZ and its mission within the North Minneapolis community and broader philanthropic community.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, donor relations, sales, business development, relationship management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success cultivating and stewarding individual donor or client relationships.
• Experience personally soliciting significant charitable gifts strongly preferred.
• Experience managing a relationship portfolio and moving relationships toward measurable outcomes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience developing proposals and presentations.
• Experience using CRM systems to manage relationships, document activity, and track pipelines and performance.
• Nonprofit fundraising experience and knowledge of major gift principles strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong commitment to NAZ’s mission, vision, and values and a passion for advancing educational achievement and economic mobility for North Minneapolis families.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills and ability to develop authentic, lasting donor relationships.
• Donor-centered approach with strong listening skills and an ability to understand and respond to donor motivations.
• Confidence initiating conversations, building relationships, and making philanthropic solicitations.
• Excellent writing, storytelling, presentation, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Initiative, persistence, sound judgment, and comfort working toward ambitious goals.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining consistent portfolio activity and follow-through.
• Discretion and integrity in managing confidential donor information.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Supervision

This position does not directly supervise staff.

Working Conditions

• This is an onsite role, with work performed five days per week at the NAZ Main Office and/or partner sites located in Minneapolis, MN.
• Work includes walking up and down stairs, lifting and bending; and frequent movement around the community to partner sites.
• Regular operation of normal office machines (computer, copier, and fax) is required.
• There are occasional evenings and weekends required.
• Local travel throughout the Northside Zone area is required; employees must have a valid driver’s license and reliable access to a vehicle for work-related travel. 

Why Join NAZ?

Join a passionate, mission-driven team committed to creating generational change in North Minneapolis. As a Major Gifts Officer, you will build meaningful relationships with people who believe deeply in NAZ’s mission and help turn that belief into philanthropic investment. Your work will expand NAZ’s community of major donors, advance an ambitious comprehensive campaign, and help secure the resources needed to create lasting opportunities for Northside children and families.

Your work will directly contribute to expanding opportunities, strengthening community impact, and helping build pathways toward generational wealth and long-term success for North Minneapolis families.

Benefits: We offer a comprehensive Benefits Package, including Health, Dental, Vision, Disability & Life Insurance; Health or Flexible Spending Accounts; Lifestyle Spending Account; Retirement Plan; generous Paid Time Off; Support for Professional Development, and more! 

NAZ is a qualified employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Note: When applying, you must include a COVER LETTER & RESUME

NAZ is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.