Major Gifts Officer

About FamilyAid

Founded in 1916, FamilyAid is the leading provider of solutions to family homelessness in the Greater Boston region. Its mission is to empower parents and caregivers facing homelessness to secure and sustain housing and build strong foundations for their children’s futures.

FamilyAid prevents homelessness whenever possible by carrying out a nationally ranked eviction-prevention program; reducing harm through effective emergency shelter if homelessness cannot be avoided; getting families stably housed as quickly as possible when they are in shelter; mitigating trauma, especially for children; and providing wraparound supports for children and parents that foster long-term stability. This approach works: families in their care make significant progress towards self-sufficiency within months; with a 99% retention rate for those placed in housing – far outperforming national averages. Most importantly, parents report that they and their children move from in-crisis to empowerment across measures including economic stability, health, and education during their time at FamilyAid.

Over the last five years, the century-old agency has quadrupled in size (now with 132 staff members) and experienced significant growth in fundraising revenue. Increased major donor support has allowed FamilyAid to launch bold new strategies to reduce two-generation homelessness by deepening prevention programs, increase housing placement, and provide impactful supportive services for children and parents.

Last year, in response to the current family homelessness crisis and realization of the agency’s strategic vision, FamilyAid opened a new, innovative Family Navigation Center (FNC) to provide education, training and services along with temporary housing all under one roof for 42 homeless families. It also attracted $4M in support, additional to the annual fund in a one-year capital fundraising campaign.

Significant new funding powers FamilyAid’s ambitious goal to continue to serve more families through a deepened two-generation approach that reduces homelessness’ causes, scope, and impact.

About Philanthropy at FamilyAid

Philanthropy is a critical, integral, and increasing facet of the organization’s operations and success. With a strong donor base, robust relationships with organizational funders, and a growing list of promising new prospects to engage and cultivate, FamilyAid is committed to expanding its private philanthropy program and has made significant investments to expand fundraising resources, with support from the 22-member Board and executive leadership.

FamilyAid is committed to and proud of its strong relationships with donors and funders and is supported by numerous leading foundations and a core group of dedicated individual and corporate donors. Over the last five years, the agency has tripled its fundraising revenue, completed a successful capital funding initiative, and just received a multi-million-dollar endowment gift. The Major Gifts Officer position is an opportunity to grow a high-performing fundraising program, introduce new funders to the organization, and benefit from a vibrant culture of philanthropy where fundraising is highly valued and supported by the Board, executive team, and program staff.

About the Position

Reporting to the Director of Major Gifts, the Major Gift Officer (MGO) will be a high-caliber, motivated, goal-oriented fundraising professional with the skills, experience, leadership, and commitment to FamilyAid’s mission. This newly created role will drive increased fundraising revenue from individual donors through systematic development of a portfolio of high-net-worth individuals drawn from FamilyAid’s current donor base and by proactively seeking new funding opportunities.

A knowledgeable development professional with a proven track record, the MGO will join a highly effective team and partner regularly with the Director of Major Giving and the Chief Advancement Officer on prospect review and donor engagement. The right candidate will have experience partnering with organizational leadership and demonstrated success in managing their own donor portfolio and closing gifts of five-figures or more.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Always exhibit and model strong core ethics, integrity, and accountability consistent with FamilyAid’s mission, vision, and values.
• Align and lead self toward achieving FamilyAid’s mission, vision, values, strategic plan, and annual operational and financial plans.
• Work with the Director of Major Gifts, the Chief Advancement Officer, President, Board members, and staff to identify, cultivate, and steward new and existing individual donors and prospects.
• Engage leadership in key donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.
• Represent the organization externally at donor meetings, events, and community functions to build visibility and relationships.

Donor Management

• Conduct regular prospect research and analysis to expand the donor pipeline and deepen existing relationships.
• Track and document donor interactions in DonorPerfect, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Follow a formal moves management program.
• Report regular progress against strategic and operational goals, including donor engagement and stewardship metrics, revenue targets, and pipeline management details.
• Leverage current stewardship activities to deepen relationships with donors.

Giving

• Prepare compelling proposals, presentations, and impact reports tailored to prospective and current donors.
• Manage a portfolio of 150-200 individual donors and prospect pipeline.
• Develop prospect strategies and identify and execute on appropriate engagement strategies.
• Stay current on philanthropic trends and best practices, incorporating innovative approaches to enhance major gift fundraising.
• Institute and execute on the best practices of a major gift program.

Key Qualifications

• 5 years of progressive development experience with 3 years of major gift experience.
• Strong working knowledge of the principles and best practices of major gift fundraising and experience in developing comprehensive prospect strategies.
• Experience working and partnering with senior leadership, President/CEO, and Board members.
• Strong administrative and organizational skills.
• Superb written and communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work collaboratively and successfully as a member of a diverse community with the CEO, Board leadership, colleagues, prospects/donors, and volunteers to achieve common goals.
• Poise, maturity, flexibility, and the ability to work as a collaborative team player are essential.
• Ability to work in office and field-based settings with a diverse, homeless population.
• Willingness to work some evenings and weekends as events and meetings require.
• Flexibility and compassion are essential.

FamilyAid Boston is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or age.

The salary for this position is $125,000 , commensurate with experience.

To express interest, please submit your cover letter and resume in confidence below.

Tracy Marshall, Development Guild