Major Gifts Officer

The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) is seeking a dynamic and experienced Major Gift Officer to build a new major donor program from the ground up. Reporting directly to the Chief Development Officer, the Major Gift Officer will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of ASYMCA’s fundraising initiatives. As part of a collaborative development team, this individual will lead efforts to identify, cultivate, and steward relationships with major donors, while designing strategic approaches to maximize philanthropic support for essential programs. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing a diverse portfolio, preparing compelling proposals, and ensuring donors receive meaningful engagement and recognition, all while maintaining accurate records and tracking progress toward ambitious revenue goals. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on military families by driving growth and innovation as part of a fun and supportive team.

The ideal candidate for this role is not only passionate about serving military families but also thrives in environments that require equal parts organization and creativity. This position is perfect for someone who enjoys building systems and processes from the ground up, and who is comfortable navigating ambiguity and adapting to change. A self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit, the successful candidate will excel in developing innovative solutions and forging new paths in a dynamic, evolving organization. The successful candidate won’t be intimidated by a blank slate and thrives in a collaborative environment where the end goal is defined but the path to it is not.

Key Responsibilities

• Donor Cultivation and Stewardship: Develop and manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, including individuals, corporations, and foundations. Build strong, lasting relationships through personalized engagement, stewardship activities, and strategic communications.

• Fundraising Strategy: Collaborate with the Chief Development Officer and other team members to design and implement strategies for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts ($10,000+).

• Solicitation of Gifts: Prepare compelling proposals, presentations, and correspondence to solicit major gifts for ASYMCA programs, capital campaigns, and special initiatives.

• Donor Recognition: Coordinate appropriate recognition and acknowledgment of major donors, ensuring personalized attention and meaningful engagement.

• Event Participation: Participate in and help organize donor engagement events, program tours, and other activities designed to deepen donor involvement and showcase ASYMCA’s impact.

• Data Management: Maintain accurate records of donor interactions, gifts, and prospect information using ASYMCA’s donor database .

• Reporting: Track and report on fundraising progress, donor activity, and revenue goals to the development team and leadership on a monthly basis.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, or related field AND a minimum of 5 years’ experience in major gift fundraising or similar nonprofit development role OR equivalent combination of education and experience required.

• Demonstrated success in securing major gifts and managing donor relationships required.

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills required.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail required.

• Knowledge of military communities and commitment to the ASYMCA mission highly preferred.

• Proficiency with donor management software and Microsoft Office Suite required.

Work Environment & Compensation

This is a full-time, exempt position based at the Armed Services YMCA headquarters or a designated location. Some travel (up to 50%) may be required to meet with donors and attend events. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience, and includes benefits such as health insurance, retirement plan, and paid time off.

Military spouses, veterans and military affiliated job seekers encouraged to apply.

Armed Services YMCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. ASYMCA is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. ASYMCA encourages applicants of all ages.

Armed Services YMCA acknowledges the minimal use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in our initial recruitment stages. All AI use is coupled with human review and is designed to assist our team in building efficiencies and excelling at focusing on timeliness and communication in our hiring process. Our hiring teams thoroughly evaluate skills and qualifications and make all final hiring decisions.