Major Gifts Officer

Le Jardin Academy is looking for a Major Gifts Officer (Full-time). This position is a front line fundraiser responsible for building and managing relationships with current and prospective donors capable of making significant philanthropic investments in Le Jardin Academy. Through strategic qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, the Major Gifts Officer advances support for the school’s highest funding priorities, including annual, capital, endowment, scholarship, and programmatic initiatives. Bachelor’s degree required. 3–5 years of progressive frontline fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in major gifts, leadership giving, or related development work, preferably in an independent school, higher education, or nonprofit environment. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. No phone calls, please. Please submit a resume and cover letter. Salary range starting at $80,000.

Major Gifts Officer

Job Description 

Le Jardin Academy, located in Kailua, HI is Hawai‘i’s only International Baccalaureate World School offering students a world-class IB education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. Founded in 1961, Le Jardin Academy unites 910 students and nearly 200 faculty and staff and their families around its mission to cultivate a community of learners who embrace hana pono to positively impact the world. Its graduates attend the best universities across the world and are equipped to serve in whatever community they reside. As a community, we value individual pathways, excellence, innovation, peace, and relationships.  

Primary Responsibility: 
Under the direction of the Director of Development and in close collaboration with the Advancement team, the Major Gifts Officer is a front line fundraiser responsible for building and managing relationships with current and prospective donors capable of making significant philanthropic investments in Le Jardin Academy. Through strategic qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, the Major Gifts Officer advances support for the school’s highest funding priorities, including annual, capital, endowment, scholarship, and programmatic initiatives.

The Major Gifts Officer manages a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, develops and implements individualized engagement strategies, and partners closely with the Executive Director of Advancement, Director of Development, Head of School, school leadership, and volunteers to secure philanthropic support. This role plays a vital role in strengthening Le Jardin Academy’s culture of philanthropy and expanding the pipeline of major donors to support the school’s evolving priorities and long-term sustainability.

• Build and manage a portfolio of 75-100 prospective major donors with the goal of closing $200,000 by June 2027 and demonstrating an ROI of 5-10% by 2030.

• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts prospects/donors to ensure a healthy major gifts donor pipeline.

• Conduct regular face-to-face, virtual, and other meaningful donor interactions to advance relationships and move prospects through the donor continuum. 

• Work closely with the Executive Director of Advancement and Director of Development to build the major gifts program through regular prospect identification, engagement, and creative strategies that lift LJA’s strategic and operational goals and potential for future legacy gifts.

• Partner with the Annual Giving Manager to identify highly engaged constituents with major gift potential and to ensure coordinated donor engagement and stewardship

• Help donors align their philanthropic interests with Le Jardin Academy’s mission, strategic priorities, and funding opportunities to create meaningful impact for both the donor and institution. 

• Maintain accurate and timely donor records in Raiser’s Edge NXT, documenting all substantive donor interactions via Reports of Contact (ROCs), moves management activity, cultivation strategies, and next-step actions to support effective portfolio management and fundraising outcomes. 

• Partner with Advancement leadership to strategically engage the Head of School, Trustees, and other key stakeholders in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship as appropriate.

• Prepare compelling proposals, gift agreements, impact reports, and other donor-facing materials that communicate opportunities for investment and philanthropic impact. 

• Ensure timely and meaningful stewardship and recognition of major donors through personalized communication, reporting, and engagement opportunities. 

• Conduct prospect research and analysis to identify new major gift opportunities and inform engagement strategies. 

• Serves ad-hoc on the Advancement Committee of the Board of Trustees.

• Monitor and report weekly on portfolio activity, donor engagement, and fundraising

• Support capital, endowment, and special fundraising initiatives as they arise.

• Participate in school events and activities as a means of connecting with prospects and advancing fundraising objectives.

• Ensure continuous refinement and expansion of LJA’s major gifts program.

• Other duties as assigned. 

Education:

•  Bachelor’s degree required

Experience

• 3–5 years of progressive frontline fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in major gifts, leadership giving, or related development work, preferably in an independent school, higher education, or nonprofit environment.

• Proven track record of successfully identifying, cultivating, and closing major gifts from individual donors.

• Demonstrated success working collaboratively as part of a dynamic, creative, and supportive team in the pursuit of shared goals. 

• Experience partnering with volunteers, trustees, senior leaders, or other stakeholders to advance donor relationships and philanthropic outcomes. 

• Capital campaign experience preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong ability to build authentic, trust-based relationships with donors and internal partners.

• Exceptional storytelling ability, emotional intelligence to read donor cues, and discretion to handle sensitive information

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling donor communications and presentations. Applicants may be asked to provide writing and presentation samples.

• Demonstrated organizational and portfolio management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

• High level of self-motivation with the ability to work independently while contributing effectively in a collaborative team environment.

• Strong interpersonal skills with a commitment to relationship-building and donor-centered engagement.

• Proficiency in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and donor database/CRM systems.

• Ability to prepare visually clear and compelling presentations and proposals using standard design and formatting tools.

Personal and Professional Attributes

• Deep commitment to the vision, mission, values, and educational philosophy of LJA.

• Demonstrated cultural competence and intercultural sensitivity, with the ability to engage effectively with a diverse community of stakeholders.

• Strategic thinker who is also execution-oriented, with a balance of relationship focus and results orientation.

• Creative problem solver with sound judgment and attention to detail.

• Demonstrated professionalism, integrity, and discretion in handling confidential donor information.

• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends and travel as needed to support donor engagement.

Physical Requirements:  
The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is: 

• Frequently required to stand, walk, use hands to manipulate, handle, grip and feel objects, utensils, tools or controls 

• Frequently required to reach with hands and arms 

•  Occasionally required to lift, push, pull and/or carry items and objects up to 5o pounds, with a minimum of 25 pounds lifted and carried 

• Occasionally required to lift, push, pull and/or carry items and objects up to 6o pounds 

• Specific vision ability required by this job is 20/20 vision (corrected or uncorrected) 

• Specific hearing ability required by this job is the ability to pass a hearing test (corrected or uncorrected) 

Details: 
Department: Advancement Status: Full-time FLSA Status: Exempt Work year: Twelve month Work hours: Must be able to work flexible hours, with standard hours being 7:30 am -4:30 pm, including some Saturdays, holidays and evenings