Principal Gift Officer

Position Focus :

Yale University seeks an experienced principal gift officer to join the university’s Alumni Affairs & Development division.

Reporting to the university director, principal gifts and collaborating with partners across Yale, the principal gift officer is responsible for building relationships with and securing gifts from the university’s highest-level prospects, capable of making gifts of $10 million or more.

The principal gift officer is a senior fundraiser in the Office of Development, expected to work in close coordination with the vice president for alumni affairs & development, president, provost, deans, and other academic and administrative partners to maximize donor support for priorities across the university.

The principal gift officer manages a portfolio of approximately 40-50 of the university’s highest capacity prospects in the New York City region and potentially other cities on the East Coast.

The principal gift officer serves as a member of a dynamic and well-resourced 13-person principal gifts team that is advancing the comprehensive, university-wide For Humanity Campaign.

The principal gift officer : Develops and executes cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for a portfolio of prospects.

Builds personal relationships with prospects and facilitates a network of relationships between prospects and university leaders.

Coordinates all communication between campus leaders and prospects. Works closely with internal contacts, university leaders, and academic partners to develop and implement prospect strategies, conceptualize gift opportunities, draft gift proposals, and produce timely and meaningful stewardship.

Travels independently to meet with prospects, advisors, and volunteers in an effort to advance gift strategies. Also travels alongside university leaders to accompany them in meetings with prospects.

Essential Duties

1. Develops cultivation and solicitation strategies for a portfolio of prospects and donors. Builds and manages network of relationships with prospective donors involving University administrators and faculty.

Facilitates and coordinates all communication with these prospects and among the prospect’s campus relationships. Promotes positive relations with these prospects and donors.

2. Evaluates various gift opportunities and giving vehicles and recommends the most suitable for a particular donor. 3. Interacts with internal contacts such as Deans, Directors, Faculty, Officers, and other Development staff to consult on University needs, to formulate strategies to promote prospect engagement with the University and to identify potential donors.

4. Assist with the strategy for and creation of written communications from various University administrators appropriate to a donor’s interests.

5. Typically participates (often in concert with others) in gift solicitations to fund University programs and to enhance the development efforts of the Schools and departments.

6. May travel (possibly extensively) commensurate with Yale’s standard expectations for fundraising activity, contact and travel.

May involve international travel depending upon prospect assignments. 7. Performs additional development-related activities / efforts at the request of manager.

8. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field and a minimum of four years of experience in fundraising or a related field, preferably in higher education or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience working with sensitive information and ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

Required Skill / Ability 1 :

Professional credibility, intellectual depth, maturity, and collaborative skills to lead others by influence. Creative and entrepreneurial outlook with a strong intellectual curiosity.

Required Skill / Ability 2 :

Ability to adapt to changing circumstances in a complex environment.

Required Skill / Ability 3 :

Ability and willingness to travel.

Required Skill / Ability 4 :

Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and the proven ability to develop and negotiate complex relationships and proposals in person and in writing.

Required Skill / Ability 5 :

Commitment to an inclusive workplace. Ability to engage with diverse audiences (age, gender, nationality, race / ethnicity, profession, sexual orientation, etc.).

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills :

Experience engaging high net worth prospects. Success cultivating, soliciting and stewarding donors at the 8- and 9-figure levels at a research university, or similarly complex not-for-profit organization.

Experience working closely with an institution’s president or CEO, faculty, deans, senior officers. At least 8 years’ experience raising major capital gifts.

Weekend Hours Required?

Occasional

Evening Hours Required?

Occasional

Drug Screen

Health Screening

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements.

All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement

The University maintains policies pertaining to COVID-19. All faculty, staff, students, and trainees are required to comply with these policies, which may be found here :

Additional Background or Health Screening Requirements

Selected incumbent must have successful completion of a DMV check, a valid driver’s license and a car available.

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position.

Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.