"Major Gift Officer, SEAS"

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director of Development, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) Major Gift Officer identifies, cultivates and solicits alumni, parents and friends of Columbia Engineering with the capacity to make gifts in the range of $250,000 to $2,500,000. The Major Gift Officer is responsible for a portfolio of approximately 150 individuals in their portfolio. They will also design and develop solicitation strategies, personally solicit and close gifts, and continually steward and cultivate donors. The incumbent is a collaborative team player who will work closely with the Dean, the Dean’s Senior Leadership, the Vice Dean for Advancement, the Columbia Engineering Development and Alumni Relations (EDAR) team, and others at Columbia University Office of Alumni and Development (OAD) to identify priorities and execute our fundraising goals. The incumbent must have effective writing and presentation skills and be a persuasive advocate for Engineering priorities. They are a member of the Engineering Development and Alumni Relations team and help raise money for School priorities.

Responsibilities

1. Prospect Cultivation, Solicitation & Stewardship – 45%
   • Conduct 150 personal visits annually to cultivate, solicit, and close major gifts.
   • Manage an active portfolio of prospects, ensuring consistent follow-up and relationship building to enhance continued and increased support.
   • Complete a minimum of 15 major gift solicitations per year.
   • Prepare written solicitation materials, proposals, talking points, and briefings tailored to individual donors and prospects.
   • Travel as required (with significant West Coast travel anticipated) to advance relationships and meet portfolio goals.
2. Strategic Planning, Portfolio & Research Management – 25%
   • Conduct ongoing prospect research to identify and qualify new potential donors.
   • Develop and implement strategic cultivation and solicitation plans for each assigned prospect.
   • Maintain accurate, timely, and comprehensive contact reports and activity records in the Advance database.
   • Regularly review and refine the portfolio to align with institutional priorities and maximize philanthropic potential.
3. Collaboration with Faculty, Leadership & Development Teams – 20%
   • Partner with SEAS administrators and faculty to understand funding priorities and translate them into donor engagement opportunities.
   • Coordinate with Office of Alumni and Development (OAD) and Engineering Development and Alumni Relations (EDAR) colleagues to ensure a unified, strategic approach to donor engagement.
   • Participate in regular team meetings to evaluate progress and adjust strategies as needed.
4. Events, Donor Engagement & Other Duties – 10%
   • Attend and support events that facilitate prospect and donor contact.
   • Plan and execute small development events to engage key donors and prospects.
   • Prepare event briefings, correspondence, and follow-up communications.
   • Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required. Advanced degree desirable.
• A minimum of five years of related experience is required. Excellent writing and communication skills, tact, sensitivity and mature judgment are required.
• Must be professional, organized, creative and efficient, able to work successfully, both individually and as part of a team. This position requires evening and weekend work and travel as necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five to seven years in fundraising or related transferable experience preferred, with demonstrated success in annual or capital giving or applicable ability.
• Experience with higher education preferred.
• Having an intellectual interest in engineering and technology would be helpful.

About Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.