Job Posting

Minnesota Zoo Foundation | Apple Valley, MN
Salary Range: $75,000-$80,000

How to Apply: Email cover letter and resume to FoundationJobs@mnzoo.org
Applications received by August 1, 2021 will receive first consideration.

PLEASE read the full job description and requirements at https://mnzoo.org/us/job-opportunities/

As a senior member of the Minnesota Zoo Foundation’s growing fundraising team, the Senior Major Gifts Officer plays an essential role in building philanthropic partnerships with individuals in support of the Minnesota Zoo. The Senior Major Gifts Officer is primarily responsible for meeting annual engagement, solicitation, and income targets through frontline work with individual donors in close collaboration senior Minnesota Zoo and Foundation staff. The professional in this role will be a highly visible representative of the Minnesota Zoo/Foundation. The incumbent will manage a portfolio of current, lapsed, and potential supporters, with a priority on those capable of making gifts of $100,000+. With a mature portfolio, this position is expected to raise approximately $1 million annually through personally managed solicitations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Frontline fundraising:
Follows best practices in donor development and moves management. Devotes majority of time to direct frontline activities to engage, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospects; this includes conducting research, visit requests, in-person or virtual meetings, proposal development, donor correspondence, contact reports, and stewardship activities. Makes a minimum of 8-10 substantive face-to-face contacts per month, and submits at least 10-12 major gift proposals per year. This activity directly supports the position’s financial goal of raising $1 million annually.

Program and pipeline management:
Works closely with senior staff from the Zoo and Foundation to identify top institutional priorities for philanthropic partnership. Collaborates in the development of related giving opportunities, collateral, cases for support, recognition opportunities, etc. Becomes a knowledgeable and persuasive advocate for these priorities.

Department initiatives:
As part of the Zoo Foundation team, participates regularly in the strategic and operational business of the organization, including annual planning and goal-setting, training and professional development, DEAI initiatives, staffing of donor and member events, and fundraising for the Zoo’s annual fund-raising event, Beastly Bash.

Financial Planning and reporting:
Works with the Major Gifts team and Data Manager to develop regular reports of major gift KPI’s and revenue projections from managed prospects. Ensures that all solicitation activity is accurately entered in the CRM to facilitate timely reports and financial forecasts.