Major Gifts Officer

Job Description

MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER

Reports To: Director of Development
Department: Development
Location: Catholic Answers - Remote temporarily; relocation to Columbus, Ohio, is required for an in-office position within two years
Status: Full-time, Exempt

POSITION SUMMARY
Catholic Answers is seeking a Major Gifts Officer to join our Development team. The Major Gifts Officer will cultivate, steward, and solicit a portfolio of 100-150 major donors and prospects, building strong, mission-driven relationships that inspire transformative philanthropy.

This position will focus on high-capacity and highly engaged donors within the assigned portfolio. The Major Gifts Officer will work closely with the Director of Development, CEO, and colleagues in Mid-Level Giving, Direct Response, and Marketing to provide thoughtful stewardship, strategic donor engagement, and effective pipeline movement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Donor Portfolio Management

• Manage a carefully selected portfolio of 100-150 donors and prospects.
• Develop and execute individualized moves management plans.
• Document all donor activity in Salesforce/Momentum.
• Conduct 12-15 quality touches per donor each year, including calls, emails, personal notes, meetings, and visits.
• Provide one to two meaningful touchpoints per donor each month, such as thank-you notes, impact updates, spiritual reflections, or holiday cards.
• Make at least one personal ask per donor each year, excluding mass solicitations.
• Complete at least three personal calls per donor annually.
• Thank donors for every gift of $250 or more and thank recurring donors at least quarterly.

Donor Meetings and Visits

• Complete a minimum of 75 one-on-one donor visits annually.
• Invite every donor in the portfolio to a personal meeting, either in person or virtually, at least once each year unless the donor has opted out.
• Conduct at least 300 donor calls annually.
• Document all meetings and calls in the CRM with appropriate notes.
• Event-based donor interactions, including Catholic Answers Conferences, Vineyard Partner gatherings, pilgrimages, and cruises, may qualify as visits when development-focused. These interactions should not exceed 25 percent of annual visit goals unless approved by the Director of Development.

Stewardship and Cultivation

• Provide timely follow-up on donor commitments and promised actions.
• Share impact updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and stories about the work of Catholic Answers.
• Engage donors through Catholic Answers events, private webinars, apologist office hours, and spiritual outreach opportunities.
• Partner with Mid-Level Gift Officers to identify and transition qualified donors into major gift portfolios.

Data Management and Reporting

• Record all donor activity and relevant insights in the CRM.
• Keep Donor Engagement Plans current.
• Track and report donor movement across programs and the value represented.
• Ensure that transitions between donor levels are properly documented.

Collaboration and Events

• Participate in team meetings and collaborate with Development colleagues on events, campaigns, and strategic planning.
• Contribute to the continued development and refinement of Catholic Answers' Mid-Level and Major Gifts programs.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in fundraising, communications, sales, relationship management, or a related field.
• At least five years of fundraising, sales, or relationship management experience, with a demonstrated record of closing major gifts of $5,000 or more.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust and engage donors on a personal and spiritual level.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage a large portfolio effectively.
• Willingness to travel approximately 40-50 percent of the time.
• Proficiency with CRM systems, preferably Salesforce, as well as Microsoft Office and donor research tools.
• Practicing Catholic in full communion with the Church.
• Passion for the mission of Catholic Answers and comfort discussing the Catholic faith.

KEY ATTRIBUTES

• Relationship builder with a donor-first mindset.
• Attentive to detail and deadlines.
• Adaptable, self-motivated, and proactive.
• Strong sense of discretion and professionalism.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit a cover letter and resume in Word or PDF format to development-jobs@catholic.com.

About the Employer

Our Mission
Catholic Answers is a media ministry that serves Christ by explaining and defending the Catholic faith. We help Catholics grow in their faith, we bring former Catholics home, and we lead non-Catholics into the fullness of the truth.

Our Vision
Our goal is to be the most trusted and accessible source for sharing, explaining, and defending the Catholic faith through as many media as possible: from personal contact to the most innovative means of mass communication.