Institute for Humane Studies
Major Gifts Officer
About this role
Disclaimer: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. Position Summary Primary Duty The Major Gifts Officer (internally titled Development Advisor) is a front-line fundraiser responsible for qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding a portfolio of major-gift donors and prospects capable of five- and six-figure commitments. Reporting to the Managing Director of Development and Communications, this role leads the full gift cycle for a defined portfolio within the Intellectual Builders donor community and the corporate giving segment, balancing sustained management of active relationships with active qualification and development of new prospects. Core areas of ownership include portfolio and moves management, major-gift solicitation and closing, corporate relationship development, and accurate maintenance of the portfolio's pipeline data. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Portfolio Management & Donor Engagement
- Manages a portfolio of 100–150 major-gift prospects and donors, with primary accountability for qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship across the full gift cycle for five- and six-figure commitments.
- Develops and implements individualized cultivation and solicitation plans for each relationship, aligned with donor interests and IHS programmatic priorities.
- Builds and manages a personal solicitation calendar, conducting donor visits, presenting funding opportunities, and closing five- and six-figure gifts and multi-year commitments.
- Participates in the moves management program and portfolio review cadence maintained across the development team. Prospect Development
- Identifies and qualifies new prospects and initiates relationships from first contact, including a substantial volume of direct, cold outreach to prospects not yet active in the portfolio.
- Owns relationship development within the Intellectual Builders donor community and establishes sustained staff ownership of the corporate giving segment as a dedicated internal portfolio. Cross-Functional Coordination & Executive Engagement
- Coordinates with Development Operations on pipeline data, projections, gift processing, and acknowledgments; with Portfolio Management on moves strategy and executive engagement requests; and with the Foundations team where individual or corporate relationships intersect institutional funders. Partners with Communications & Marketing on donor-facing proposals and cases for support.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in corporate or institutional giving, including developing an under-built giving segment.
- Knowledge of and appreciation for the classical liberal tradition.
- Experience fundraising within a think tank, university, or policy-oriented nonprofit. To apply, qualified candidates must submit the following materials:
- Resume
- Cover letter detailing your interest in this position and why the IHS mission resonates with you. EEO Statement: We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. About IHS: The Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) is a think network advancing the principles and practices of freedom in the academy, public policy, and civil society. Founded in 1961, IHS believes that the liberal tradition has yielded unprecedented freedom and human flourishing. And in this moment, when the forces of illiberalism on both the left and right are gaining ground at an alarming pace, our vision is to spark a new spirit of liberal freedom. Our Work:
- Cultivating a pool of intellectual talent for partners in policy, civil society, philanthropy, and the academy through $1.5 million in fellowship and career development programs.
- Catalyzing scholarship and academic networks to strengthen the fields of foundational and applied research that matter most to a free society.