Gift Officer

A unique educational, performance, and retreat environment focused on building creative capital to inspire individuals to contribute positively to the world around them.

Job Summary

The new Gift Officer will be responsible for building relationships with donors through identifying, cultivating, soliciting, closing, and stewarding gifts and will be responsible for managing an individual and corporate donor portfolio. A creative problem solver, he or she will assist the Chief Development Officer in carrying out the designated duties and responsibilities of the Center’s strategic development plan, including relationship management, monitoring and reporting progress toward goals, helping build a planned giving program, and coordinating personal prospect research.

Responsibilities

The Gift Officer will be responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and closing gifts in this young, not-for-profit organization. The Gift Officer will work as part of the Development team and will assist the Chief Development Officer in carrying out the designated duties and responsibilities of the Center’s strategic development plan. The Gift Officer will be responsible for managing a portfolio of prospects, conducting face-to-face meetings with prospects, and scheduling a designated number of qualified visits monthly for the purpose of field research, cultivations, solicitation, and stewardship.

The Gift Officer will work closely with the Chief Development Officer to develop and implement strategies for individual and/or corporate gift cultivation and solicitation. This includes: relationship management (cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors), monitoring and reporting progress toward goals, helping build a planned giving program, and coordinating personal prospect research (identifying and quantifying donors). The Gift Officer will approach donors for contributions on an annual basis in support of the educational, community outreach, and museum programs associated with Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. In addition, the Gift Officer will work closely with the Director of Development to support the annual appeal, special campaigns, and the donor recognition program.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree required
• 3-5 years of fundraising experience
• The successful candidate must possess the ability to articulate the role of a not-for-profit cultural arts organization
• Proven success in major gift cultivation and solicitation, working with volunteers, and building donor relations
• Experience in prospect research
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal skills capable of establishing relationships with donors and potential donors to Bethel Woods
• Must be self-motivated and have the ability to work as a member of a team, as well as work independently, to accomplish goals to reach and exceed established benchmarks
• Other duties as assigned by the Chief Development Officer

To apply:

Email or mail resume, cover letter, a list of three references, and three examples of successful grant writing proposals to:

Mailing Address: Dr. John Farkas, Chief Development Officer, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, P.O. 222, Liberty, NY, 12754.

Email address: jfarkas@bethelwoodscenter.org.