Associate Director, Major Gifts

The Major Gifts team is dedicated to securing sustained transformational philanthropic support for the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center by engaging with new and existing donors across the United States.  Major Gift officers heavily prospect for new donor opportunities and plan/execute on deeply meaningful cultivation strategies for high net-worth constituents and stakeholders (new and established) for the purpose of soliciting and closing six and seven-figure philanthropic gifts.  Philanthropy carries forth all fundraising efforts with a donor-centric focus and gift officers are empowered to maximize the donor’s engagement experience through meaningful moves along carefully planned strategies that align donor passions with areas in need of philanthropic support. 

In advancement of the institution’s largest philanthropic campaign in history, MD Anderson Cancer Center is seeking an Associate Director, Major Gifts to join the Individual Giving team.  The Associate Director, Major Gifts will heavily prospect for major gift donors in a designated travel territory, conceptualizing highly customized cultivation strategies for individual constituents and stakeholders to personally solicit and secure philanthropic gifts in excess of $100,000 for the institution’s fundraising priorities.  In partnership with Planned Giving colleagues, this gift officer will also qualify for and present opportunities for planned gifts.  This development professional will be highly adept in matching donor interests with institutional fundraising priorities.  This professional will work alongside institution Faculty, volunteers, and leadership as part of cultivating prospective donors and grateful families.  The Associate Director will pursue growth and sustainability of an individual portfolio comprised of approximately 75 constituents, meaningfully engaging all donors in his/her/their accountability and establishing a constituent portfolio that generates a minimum of $3 million in gift revenue annually. 

In addition to personal accountability to donors under assignment, the Associate Director may also serve as a people manager, offering supervision and management to Assistant Directors, Major Gifts and Sr. Administrative Assistants.  Leading by example, this collaborative fundraising partner will model MD Anderson’s Core Values in all aspects of securing funds in support of the institution.  

KEY FUNCTIONS

Stakeholder Engagement (40%)

Display the ability to qualify, cultivate and solicit new donors to the institution. Display social awareness, professional etiquette, and the ability to interact and build rapport with donors, faculty and institutional leaders. Engage with varied constituencies with social fluency and garner their trust as to influence donor behavior. Appropriately align donors to giving opportunities and orchestrate and facilitate meaningful engagements.

•           Effectively grow a portfolio of approximately 75 individual donors and prospects, primarily rated with capacity to support six and seven figure solicitations through continuous donor investigation and qualification activities 

•           Actively pursue grateful patient, annual fund, volunteer leadership referrals and other referral sources for creating opportunities for new donor engagement 

•           Foster and maintain relationships with Board of Visitors, Advance Team members, campaign volunteers, and institutional colleagues to expand MD Anderson’s donor base throughout Houston, the state of Texas, and the nation 

•           Network and connect regularly with donors and prospective donors, building and sustaining their positive relationships with the organization, as well as securing and pursuing related leads

•           Solicit and secure six and seven figure gifts delivering significant, net new gift revenue to the institution annually

Perception and Attentiveness (40%)

Accurately assess interests of prospective donors; organize and present information in thoughtful and engaging ways, constantly shift between multiple activities and sources of information, maintain situational awareness, institutional awareness and adeptly navigate cross functional prospect teams in support of donor engagement, solicitation and stewardship plans.

•           Synthesize institutional opportunities to appropriately advance cultivation, engagement, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift prospects in an assigned geographic territory

•           Develop cultivation and solicitation strategies for all assigned donors; deeply and meaningfully engage all donors under assignment and assuming personal responsibility for executing on donor cultivation strategies that draw donors closer to the institution and maximize opportunities for gift solicitation

•           Collaborate with Planned Giving colleagues on formulating strategies that incorporate opportunities for gifts of complex assets and gifts through trusts and estates.  

•           Provide timely and accurate gift revenue forecasts on annual, quarterly and monthly intervals, striving for both appropriately setting donors sights on opportunities of increasing scope while having a solid comprehension of opportunity and timelines for donors under assignment

Collaboration and Teaming (20%)

Actively partner with donors, peers, faculty, and divisional leadership on donor strategy development, donor strategy execution and other projects. Gift officer will develop networks, engage in cross-functional activities to deliver on stakeholder engagement. Gift officer will be able to work co-operatively with all stakeholders, contribute to the success of collaborative work teams and support completion of initiative or project to achieve stated goals. 

•           Garner the trust and confidence of prospects, academic leaders, senior staff, researchers, faculty, and volunteers through partnering and supporting these stakeholders in the fundraising/engagement process

•           May serve as a people manager, offering supervision and management to Sr. Administrative Assistants, Philanthropy Specialists and/or Assistant Directors, Major Gifts 

•           Leading by example, this collaborative fundraising partner will model MD Anderson’s Core Values in all aspects of his/her/their work