Wingate University is a teaching-focused institution serving more
than 3,600 students across two campuses. Located on a beautiful
500+ acre main campus, Wingate offers a close-knit, supportive
community where employees can grow, contribute, and thrive. As an
Equal Employment Opportunity employer, Wingate is committed to
fostering an inclusive environment and welcomes applicants who are
excited to join our mission and make an impact. Learn more at
University in Charlotte, NC | Quick Facts About
Wingate . The mission of Wingate University is to develop
educated, ethical and productive global citizens. Following its
Judeo-Christian heritage, the university seeks to cultivate the
following in its students: Faith, Knowledge and Service. The
University’s Mission statement can be found
here.
Wingate University seeks a dynamic, relationship-driven fundraising
professional to join its Advancement Team as a Leadership Annual
Giving Officer (LAGO). This front-line fundraising position is
responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and
stewarding a portfolio of 200 or more leadership annual giving
prospects capable of making gifts in the $1,000–$10,000 range
through the University’s annual giving program.
The LAGO serves as a bridge between the annual fund and major gifts
pipelines, engaging donors whose capacity and affinity position
them for deeper investment in Wingate’s mission. With a minimum
expectation of 200 face-to-face visits annually, this officer will
travel regionally to build authentic, lasting relationships that
result in increased donor retention, upgrade, and pipeline
development.
The Leadership Annual Giving Officer reports directly to the
Assistant Vice President for Development and works in close
collaboration with the broader Advancement team, including annual
giving, major gifts, alumni engagement, and advancement
services.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities-
Portfolio Management and Frontline Fundraising:
- Manage an active, assigned portfolio of 200 or more leadership
annual giving prospects and donors, with a primary focus on those
capable of making gifts of $1,000 or more.
Conduct a minimum of 200 meaningful, face-to-face visits
annually with prospects and donors, including discovery,
cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings.
Develop and execute individualized engagement strategies for
each portfolio constituent, moving donors through a structured
donor pipeline aligned with institutional priorities.
Solicit leadership annual gifts through personal visits,
proposals, and strategic asks, meeting or exceeding established
annual revenue goals and visit metrics.
Partner with the Assistant Vice President for Development on
portfolio reviews, strategy sessions, and pipeline development on a
regular basis.
Pipeline Development and Discovery:
- Proactively identify, qualify, and engage new prospects through
discovery visits, referrals, screening initiatives, and alumni
events.
- Collaborate with the major gifts team to transfer high-capacity
donors into the major gifts pipeline, ensuring smooth and
relationship-centered handoffs.
- Participate in prospect management processes including Moves
Management, portfolio review meetings, and regular reporting
through the University’s CRM.
Stewardship and Donor Engagement:
- Design and implement meaningful stewardship touchpoints for
portfolio donors, reinforcing the impact of their gifts and
deepening their connection to Wingate.
- Represent Wingate University at alumni events, athletic events,
regional gatherings, and campus programs as an ambassador for the
Division of University Advancement.
- Collaborate with the alumni engagement and annual giving teams
to convert annual fund donors into leadership annual giving donors
and long-term major gift prospects.
Data, Reporting and Administrative Responsibilities:
- Maintain accurate, timely, and detailed contact reports, donor
strategies, and gift documentation in the University’s constituent
relationship management (CRM) system.
- Provide regular progress reports to the AVP for Development on
portfolio metrics, visit activity, pipeline status, and gift
revenue.
- Adhere to institutional gift acceptance policies,
confidentiality standards, and CASE/AFP ethical fundraising
guidelines in all aspects of the role.
- Assist in the development of case statements, gift proposals,
and other fundraising materials as needed.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- Minimum of two (2) to three (3) years of experience in
frontline fundraising, donor relations, advancement, sales, or a
related field with demonstrated success in relationship management
and goal attainment.
- Demonstrated ability to engage, inspire, and solicit gifts from
a diverse group of donors and prospects.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills
with the ability to represent Wingate University with
professionalism and authenticity.
- Proven ability to manage a high volume of activity — including
200 or more face-to-face visits annually — with strong
organizational skills and personal accountability.
- Ability and willingness to travel regionally on a frequent
basis, including occasional evenings and weekends for donor
events.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience working
with a CRM or prospect management database (experience with
Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, or similar platform preferred).
- Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
required.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in higher education fundraising or alumni
engagement.
- Familiarity with annual giving principles, donor upgrade and
retention strategies, and moves management.
- Demonstrated ability to build and navigate complex
institutional relationships across advancement, academic, and
athletics contexts.
- Passion for the mission of private higher education and an
affinity for Wingate University.
- Experience with planned giving awareness, leadership giving
societies, or recognition programs.
Core Competencies:
- Relationship Builder — Able to develop authentic, lasting
connections with donors, colleagues, and campus partners across
diverse backgrounds and constituencies.
- Self-Motivated & Accountable — Driven to meet and exceed
performance expectations with minimal supervision; takes ownership
of portfolio results.
- Strategic Thinker — Approaches donor engagement with
intentionality and creativity, tailoring strategies to individual
interests and capacity.
- Collaborative Team Member — Partners effectively across
Advancement and with university leadership, athletics, and academic
units to advance shared fundraising goals.
- Confident Solicitor — Comfortable making direct, meaningful
asks and navigating donor conversations with confidence, empathy,
and tact.
- Detail-Oriented — Maintains thorough documentation and manages
a high volume of activity with discipline and precision.
Performance Expectations:
Success in this role will be evaluated against the following annual
benchmarks:
- Complete a minimum of 200 face-to-face visits per fiscal
year.
- Manage a portfolio of 200 or more qualified leadership annual
giving prospects.
- Meet or exceed established revenue goals for the leadership
annual giving portfolio.
- Retain and upgrade existing leadership annual fund donors year
over year.
- Qualify and transfer a defined number of high-capacity
prospects to the major gifts pipeline annually.
- Maintain complete and current CRM records for all portfolio
activity and donor interactions.
Benefits and Employee Experience:
Wingate University is committed to supporting employees both
personally and professionally through a comprehensive benefits
package and a collaborative campus community. Full-time employees
are eligible for medical, dental, and vision coverage; retirement
plan with institutional contribution; paid time off and holidays;
tuition benefits for employees and eligible dependents; and access
to campus facilities, wellness resources, and professional
development opportunities.
Application Instructions:
Thank you for your interest in joining the Wingate University
community. Please complete all sections of the application and
upload all required documents. A résumé is required for all
positions, and a curriculum vitae (CV) is requested for faculty
roles or other positions where applicable.
Special Instructions:
If a previous school, employer, or organization does not appear in
the dropdown menu, please remove that section using the trash can
icon and upload the relevant information in your application
materials instead. This will insure your application moves forward
without delay.
In compliance with applicable law and University policies,
Wingate University prohibits discrimination in its employment
practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin,
sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical
conditions, sexual orientation or gender identity), age, genetic
information, disability and veteran status and encourages qualified
candidates across all group demographics to apply. At this time, we
are currently seeking candidates with legal authorization to work
in the U.S.
