Penn State Job Catalog

Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Major Gifts

The Major Gift Officer manages the fundraising efforts for donors and prospects in their assigned college or unit, including annual receipt and commitment goals; provides professional guidance and leadership in identifying and executing strategies that are most likely to be achieved through private philanthropy; develops annual goal setting and fundraising plans and direct related activities in support of these goals and objectives; manages a portfolio of major gift prospects; identifies, cultivates and solicits donors and prospects in support of the College or Unit fundraising goals; works collaboratively with the head of the academic unit, development, trained committee volunteers and central University Development staff to maximize fundraising success for the University; works to engage department heads, faculty, and staff in the fundraising enterprise.

• Develop and execute plans for the evaluation, cultivation, and solicitation of major gift prospects
• Identify, cultivate, steward, and solicit contributions through personal calls and visits
• Partner with the Dean, Chancellor, or unit leadership on strategic advancement initiatives and the management of campaign committees
• Analyze the effectiveness of programs and recommend improvements or new creative strategies
• Work with committees and boards to plan and implement development activities
• Develop and produce communication tools, proposals, and reports
• Serve as liaison on behalf of the annual fund; prepare regular progress reports
• Match University strengths with prospective donors
• Identify, cultivate, recruit, and train volunteers for designated projects
• Identify and interpret available research data pertinent to the development of relationships with potential donors
• May hire, supervise, train, and direct the work of assigned staff

Level:

– Principal Professional

Base Description:

– Completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Displays mastery of defined skill areas/applications, principles, theories and practices. Evaluates and enhances existing practices. Recognizes emerging trends in area of expertise. Works independently on complex or strategic assignments. Directs and delegates appropriate tasks to others. Implements strategies to ensure achievement of initiatives. Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and deliver to broad audiences. Identifies and implements innovative solutions to important, highly complex strategic and/or operational issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Indirect supervisor for other full–time employees
– May serve as direct supervisor for part–time, student, and/or temporary workers, volunteers, or a full–time employee

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Validates and pays invoices
– Monitors and tracks budgets and funding
– May plan and forecast budgets

Problem Solving:

– Encounters complex and novel problems
– Applies policies, practices, specialized knowledge, and skills to resolve problems
– Understands benefits, limitations, and impact of potential solutions
– Anticipates potential problems and recommends possible solutions within general guidelines

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on complex or strategic assignments
– Uses existing practices as guidelines as well as working knowledge to determine specific work methods
– Carries out work activities independently, with supervisor available to resolve problems
– Reviews work of others to verify technical soundness

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members and area leads across the University
– Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and delivers to a broad variety of audiences
– Establishes and maintains networks to facilitate successful communication among units

• Comp Grade – 14
• Minimum – $97,100.00
• MidPoint – $121,400.00
• Maximum – $145,700.00