Major Gift Officer - School of Medicine

Major Gift Officer - School Of Medicine Wayne State University is searching for an experienced Major Gift Officer - School Of Medicine at its Detroit campus location. Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society. Essential functions are the primary duties/major job responsibilities that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. The essential functions are listed in order of importance. Job Purpose Support and participate in fundraising efforts, strategies and initiatives for the School of Medicine (SOM). Manage a prospect portfolio to achieve aggressive fundraising and contact goals annually. Cultivate, solicit and steward major gift donors to meet established fundraising goals within the allocated expense budget. This position reports to the Senior Director, Major Gifts School of Medicine. Essential Functions 40% Manage a prospect portfolio to achieve aggressive fundraising and contact goals annually. Establish and implement prospect qualification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies with a particular focus on securing commitments of $25,000+. Engage division leadership and school/college/unit-based colleagues as appropriate to support prospect strategies. 20% Collaborate with Senior Director, Dean, Chairs and Faculty in identifying fundraising needs and priorities for the School of Medicine. Implement major gift fundraising plans and strategies; establish realistic and achievable timelines; remain current with fundraising trends and serve as a resource on successful development activities, techniques and methods. 15% Collaborate with other Development units (e.g. University-wide Philanthropy, Annual & Digital Campaigns, Planned Giving, Donor Experience, Alumni Relations, Data Analytics, and Prospect Development) as well as other university units to ensure operational efficiencies within the unit. 10% Draft and negotiate gift and pledge documentation ranging from simple to moderate complexity. Ensure timely routing of donor contributions to central development for processing. 5% Perform other related duties as assigned. Work Context This grid characterizes the position scope. Qualifications Minimum Qualifications: Education: Bachelor's degree Graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in marketing, public relations, business administration or related field. Reasonable knowledge and understanding of university policies and procedures. Experience: Experienced (minimum 2 years of job-related experience) Minimum two (2) to five (5) years of experience working as a fundraising professional in direct major donor solicitations in excess of $25,000. Direct experience preparing proposals and conducting major gift solicitations required. Higher education development and prior volunteer management experience preferred. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Analytical and Presentation Skills: Ability to evaluate, interpret, and present complex information effectively in professionally prepared documents or presentations. Must possess a demonstrated attention to detail in order to achieve a high degree of accuracy. Collaboration: Exhibits a willingness to partner with units across the university with integrity and high character to reach unified goals. Possesses the ability to navigate difficult situations with grace and understanding. Communications Skills: Ability to communicate clearly, concisely and professionally both orally and in writing. Strong interpersonal skills are a must. Demonstrates the ability to plan and deliver oral and written communications that are impactful and persuasive including presentations to university management and committees. Learning Agility: Independent and innovative self-starter who displays an ability to learn quickly and easily adapts to changing situations. Experience researching topics to gain knowledge and understanding when information gaps exist. Planning and Organization: Ability to manage several projects simultaneously, prioritize and plan work activities while meeting respective deadlines. Strong organizational and time-management skills required. Maturity, sound judgment and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a deadline-oriented environment. Teamwork: Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues within the division and other units to gain full understanding of the project and desired outcome; ability to produce high quality and consistent results with assistance of team members; provide support to teammates when tackling complex projects. Technical Skills: Proficient in the use of complex administrative systems software, preferably in the higher education environment. Proficient with Microsoft Office suite, especially Word, Excel and Teams. Ability to understand and translate complex concepts into lay terms. Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Adhere to confidentiality and data usage policy for the division. This position requires a high level of commitment and enthusiasm. Due to travel requirements, evening meetings and special events, etc., candidate must be willing to work extended hours as needed. Compensation type: Annual Salary Salary minimum: $65000 Salary hire maximum: $74000

Created: 2026-03-04