Job Details

SENIOR MAJOR GIFT OFFICER, NORTHEAST, Development & Alumni Relations, Major Gifts

Position Number: 6124567
Location: Boston, MA
Position Type: Development and Fund Raising

SENIOR MAJOR GIFT OFFICER, NORTHEAST, Development & Alumni Relations, Major Gifts

Job Description
SENIOR MAJOR GIFT OFFICER, NORTHEAST, Development & Alumni Relations, Major Gifts

Category
Charles River Campus --> Professional
Job Location
BOSTON, MA, United States
Tracking Code
25500004030402
Posted Date
4/3/2025
Salary Grade
Grade 50
Position Type
Full-Time/Regular

Boston University (BU), a private research university founded in 1839, seeks a collaborative, energetic, and entrepreneurial Senior Major Gift Officer, Northeast (Sr. MGO) to join its Major Gifts team at an exciting time of growth and momentum. As BU prepares to embark on its next multi-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign, the Sr. MGO will play a pivotal role in driving philanthropy in the dynamic Northeast region, home to the largest concentration of the University's alumni and a valued network of generous and enthusiastic donors, parents, and friends.

The BU community has been alive with excitement since President Melissa Gilliam, a medical doctor, MacArthur-grant winning researcher, and adolescent health advocate, assumed the University presidency on July 1, 2024. BU has always been a hub for innovation and inclusivity. It was the first university to open all divisions to female students in 1872 and one of the first to establish a study abroad program. Today, BU is one of the largest nonprofit universities in the country and its diverse community includes more than 37,557 students-a third of whom come from countries outside the United States. This inclusivity is one of the greatest institutional strengths of the University, underpinned by its commitment to making BU accessible and affordable for all qualified students through initiatives like the Century Challenge. This unique philanthropic tool greatly increases scholarship support and provides access to the best and brightest students around the world. By participating in the Century Challenge, a donor establishes an endowed scholarship fund of $100,000 or more, and the University matches the income distributed from that fund for scholarship purposes for 100
years. Under the leadership of President Gilliam, BU's traditions of intellectual courage, academic rigor, service, openness, creativity, and the arts will serve as tools to drive the University's next era of transformation.

The Sr. MGO will report to the Senior Director, Major Gifts, Northeast and collaborate with colleagues across the University to ensure a coordinated and thoughtful approach to all activities meant to engage prospects and donors in the region, helping to inspire higher levels of philanthropic support. The Sr. MGO will utilize data and research to identify prospects, develop meaningful cultivation plans, and formulate effective solicitation strategies to engage prospects capable of making gifts of $100,000 or more. Working closely with colleagues across Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) and partners in BU's schools and colleges, the Sr. MGO will ensure an exceptional donor giving journey-from identification and solicitation to gift closure and stewardship.

The ideal candidate will be a values-driven, goal-oriented professional with at least eight years of development or commensurate experience, including three to five years of major gift solicitation, ideally at the six-figure level. A record of accomplishment in closing major gifts and developing successful fundraising strategies in a complex organization is required. The incumbent should have a strong understanding of advancement, knowledge of university culture, and the ability to build trust and collaboration among diverse stakeholders. The successful candidate must have exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills and a collegial, team building style with a demonstrated ability to cultivate productive, collaborative relationships. The next Sr. MGO will contribute to a professional work environment that rewards individual and collective success, builds confidence, and promotes diversity in all its forms. In accordance with its core values and mission, BU is especially interested in recruiting members of diverse communities and individuals who will promote and uphold the values embodied within the University's Diversity Statement.

Boston University

Boston University is an international, comprehensive, private research university, committed to educating students to be reflective, resourceful individuals ready to live, adapt, and lead in an interconnected world. Boston University is committed to generating new knowledge to benefit society.

BU remains dedicated to its founding principles: that higher education should be accessible to all, and that research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice should be conducted in the service of the wider community-local and international. These principles endure in the University's insistence on the value of diversity, in its tradition and standards of excellence, and in its dynamic engagement with the City of Boston and the world.

Boston University comprises a remarkable range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs built on a strong foundation of the liberal arts and sciences. With the support and oversight of the Board of Trustees, the University, through its faculty, continually innovates in education and research to ensure that it meets the needs of students and an ever-changing world.

Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam
President, Boston University

BU's President, Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam, is a national leader in faculty recruitment and student success and a champion of diversity and inclusion. Dr. Gilliam is a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatrics; her scholarship focuses on developing interventions to promote adolescent health and well-being. Dr. Gilliam graduated from Harvard Medical School and earned a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois Chicago. In addition to her deep background in the sciences and medicine, she studied English literature at Yale University and earned her Master of Arts in philosophy and politics from the University of Oxford.

Before her appointment as BU President, Dr. Gilliam served as the executive vice president and provost of The Ohio State University, overseeing 15 colleges and six campuses and the Office of Academic Affairs, including undergraduate education, graduate education, international affairs, diversity and inclusion, external
engagement, online learning, and information technology.

Riane Metcalfe
Senior Director, Major Gifts, Northeast

Riane Metcalfe leads a team of fundraisers and manages a portfolio of prospects and donors as a senior leader on the Major Gifts team, setting the regional strategy to engage BU's leading prospects and donors in the Northeast.

Prior to joining BU, Metcalfe was Director of Development at the University of New Hampshire, where she served as the lead fundraiser for the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, the Sustainability Institute, and the Carsey School of Public Policy. Metcalfe led fundraising initiatives during the university's comprehensive campaign, while managing board-related activities. Before stepping into the role of Director of Development, she was Associate Director of Development for the University of New Hampshire Paul College of Business and Economics. Previously, Metcalfe worked at The Trust for Public Land as Institutional Giving Manager, where she worked on a regional scale along the Atlantic seaboard. Metcalfe began her fundraising career at the Family Equality Council. Metcalfe earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Writing from Plymouth State University.

Development & Alumni Relations at BU

With an endowment valued at approximately $3.5 billion, BU has a legacy of endowment giving in support of faculty chairs and student scholarships. In FY2024, the University raised $349 million in annual philanthropic support. There are approximately 350,000 known prospects and more than 455,000 living alumni; the alumni
giving rate is approximately 10 percent.

BU's Board of Trustees and the University's executive leadership team are invested in the future of BU and are mobilizing for a comprehensive fundraising campaign, which is currently in the quiet phase. The last campaign for BU, Choose to Be Great, closed in 2019 and raised $1.85 billion for the University.

Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) comprises a team of more than 270 professionals in principle, international, and major gifts, foundation relations, annual giving, alumni engagement, stewardship, talent management, and advancement information systems, including database management and prospect research. As BU prepares for another campaign, DAR is reinvigorating its approach to prospect management and analytics. DAR has added a Prospect Information Strategies team that is incorporating prospect analytics and predictive modeling, which includes information and process flows around prospect, portfolio, and pipeline development. They have also added resources to the leadership annual giving and donor experience teams, underpinning the major gifts pipeline with growth in the breadth and depth of the donor base. These are just a few of the exciting areas of investment in staff and resources aimed at supporting the ramp up into the next campaign as BU welcomes its new Senior Vice President for Advancement, Michele Schiele, in July 2025.

DAR harnesses the power of philanthropy to make an excellent education accessible and welcoming to all, and to advance BU's global leadership in research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice. To support their work, DAR has built-and is continuing to build-an outstanding team of dynamic, mission-driven advancement professionals who constantly strive to create an environment where everyone belongs. It's not just a job, but a career and a community.

DAR values:

Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect, because we value every member's contribution and know that leadership can come from anywhere.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.
Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.
Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.
Continuous growth and improvement, both as individuals and as a team.
Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter

To learn more about the DAR team please visit www.bu.edu/dar-talent.

Senior Major Gift Officer, Northeast

The Senior Major Gift Officer, Northeast is a member of the Major Gifts team, a cohort of fundraisers focused on securing gifts of $100,000+ from Boston University alumni, parents, and other individuals. In addition to fundraising across six regions nationally, the Major Gifts team comprises colleagues leading the University's Athletics and Parent & Family Philanthropy programs. The Major Gifts team plays a key role in fundraising for university initiatives such as the Newbury Center for first-generation student success, the BU Arts Initiative, the Student Wellbeing initiative, and Innovate@BU, among other priorities.

The Sr. MGO plays a critical role in expanding Boston University's philanthropic reach across the Northeast region. Reporting to the Senior Director of Major Gifts, Northeast, this position is part of a small, collaborative, and growing team responsible for building and deepening relationships with high-capacity alumni, parents, and friends in New England and the New York City Metro area.

The Sr. MGO will work alongside an existing Major Gift Officer focused on rated and actively managed prospects, while also helping to identify and qualify new donors from the university's large pool of unrated or unassigned alumni and parent prospects. With more than 43,000 rated but currently unmanaged prospects across the Northeast, this region offers substantial opportunity to expand BU's philanthropic footprint and donor pipeline.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic, adaptable, and team-oriented fundraiser with a track record of securing six-figure gifts and collaborating across complex organizations. As the team grows, geographic territories and responsibilities may shift-requiring a flexible, cooperative mindset and a shared commitment to regional
success. The Sr. MGO will partner closely with central and school-based development officers, as well as with teams across Leadership Annual Giving, Alumni Engagement, and Donor Relations, to ensure coordinated outreach and maximize donor impact.

Essential Duties
Prospect Qualification, Cultivation, and Solicitation

Build and manage an individual portfolio of major gift prospects ($100,000+), with an emphasis on
donor qualification during the first 12-18 months.
Lead efforts to identify and qualify alumni, parents, and friends across the Northeast region, with a
focus on supporting key institutional priorities, including scholarships, research, academic programs,
and Presidential initiatives.
In the first 18 months, the Sr. MGO will be expected to:
- Conduct a minimum of 180 donor meetings.
- Conduct at least 5+ six-figure solicitations; and
- Work toward a revenue goal (TBD) based on portfolio development and regional potential.
Collaborate with deans, school- and college-based development officers, and central colleagues to develop and execute tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies.
Work closely with the Senior Director to create actionable plans and timelines that guide major gift activity, including the use of planned giving vehicles when appropriate.

Strategic Engagement and Volunteer Management

Assist in managing the New England and New York Regional Leadership Councils-recruit new members, cultivate existing ones, and support strategic engagement through regular meetings and events.
Plan and execute regional donor dinners, small-group gatherings, neighborhood socials, and community-building events to engage and qualify new major gift prospects and deepen relationships with existing supporters.
Represent Boston University at donor events and University gatherings across the Northeast.

Collaboration and Internal Coordination

Work closely with the existing Major Gift Officer in the Northeast region to ensure alignment and coordination of strategy, outreach, and portfolio development.
Contribute to a collaborative, mission-driven culture by bringing a team-first mindset and prioritizing transparency and communication.
Partner with colleagues in Central Development-including Principal Gifts, Planned To Give, Leadership Annual Giving, and Foundation Relations-as well as with Alumni Engagement and Donor Relations teams.
Contribute to regional strategy discussions and help evaluate and refine approaches based on real time feedback and donor response.

Stewardship and Donor Communications

Partner with Donor Relations to ensure high-quality, personalized stewardship communications and impact reporting.
Maintain timely and accurate records of donor activity, proposals, and outcomes in the CRM system.
Ensure donors receive meaningful recognition and engagement that encourage continued and increased support over time.

Required Skills

Experience and Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will bring many of the following professional qualities and experiences:

Bachelor's degree required.
Minimum of eight years of directly related experience in fundraising or a related field, with three to five years of major gift solicitation experience, ideally at the six-figure level.
Proven track record of securing five- and six-figure gifts.
Experience in building and managing a major gift portfolio.
Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
Excellent judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize competing tasks.
Exceptional interpersonal, analytical, and project management skills.
Strength in a collaborative approach to the work.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively.
Ability to travel monthly, including nights and weekends.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and CRM database management

Location and Schedule

BU's campus is located in Boston's Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood. Nestled between the beautiful Charles River and historic Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox), BU's location is ideal for a healthy contemporary lifestyle. Boston is a vibrant city steeped in history with diverse neighborhoods, a rich arts and culture scene, and a legacy of education, innovation, and ideas.

DAR provides a hybrid work schedule, offering employees the opportunity to work two days per week from home, if circumstances allow. More information about the University's remote work policy is available here.

Compensation
Compensation is highly competitive and budgeted in the range of $125,000 - $135,000 annually, depending on experience. Boston University offers a comprehensive benefits package, which adds significantly to the employee's total compensation package.

Interested in Learning More?
Boston University has partnered with Talent Citizen to assist in this recruitment. Please contact President Tracy D. Welsh, Managing Associate Rachel K. Partin, and Associate Jose Cisneros to share your resume and cover letter via email at: bu-smgon@talentcitizen.com.

Boston University is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. Boston University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

Required Skills

Job Location: BOSTON, MA
Position Type: Full-Time/Regular
Salary Grade: Grade 50

To apply, visit https://jobs.silkroad.com/BU/External/jobs/315349