Major Gifts Officer
: Job Details :

Position: Major Gifts Officer Position Overview: At African Mission Healthcare (AMH), we envision an African continent filled with enduring and improving health systems where everyone has access to quality, compassionate healthcare... It's what drives us. With our vision in mind, AMH seeks a skilled major gifts officer to lead our major gift fundraising activities. As a critical member of our AMH Team, the major gifts officer must understand and share our passion for our Mission To strengthen African mission hospitals to aid people in greatest need . The major gifts officer will be responsible for starting and leading our major gifts program building out the primary components for the program and identifying and cultivating relationships with prospective major donors. This position is focused on discovering, identifying, pursuing, and winning new donors who are likely to become major supporters of AMH. We seek someone highly motivated with the energy, skill, and persistence to build this vital function. The major gifts officer must be hands-on and goal-oriented, willing to delve into important details, handle rejection, and exhibit our core distinctives (see the attached summary of our Vision, Mission, and Core Distinctives). The responsibilities (outlined in more detail below) involve prospect research, developing effective solicitation strategies, and stewarding prospects and donors throughout the major giving process. This role will work closely with AMH senior leadership and Mark Gerson, AMH's Co-founder and Board Chair. Mark is a Jewish entrepreneur in NY City with close ties to the City's business community. He and his wife, Rabbi Erica Gerson, are among the most significant individual supporters of Christian Medical Missions, resulting in a unique Jewish/Christian partnership for the sustained development of quality, compassionate health systems in Africa. Mark and Erica are very active in promoting the work of and support for AMH and are committed to expanding that support. The Major Gifts Officer role will identify, plan, and coordinate new opportunities for AMH's senior leaders, Mark and Erica Gerson, and other selected board members to actively solicit major gifts. The candidate will have an undergraduate degree (or greater) and proven, relevant major gifts, sales, or fundraising experience. Knowledge of healthcare and Christian fundraising efforts is a plus. AMH currently has 45 employees, with 37 team members living and working in Africa. Our budget for 2024 totals $14 million, having grown from approximately $7.5 million in expenditures during 2019. Reports to: The AMH president and to work closely with the Chief Executive and Board Chair Coordinates with: The Chief Executive, other board members, development consultants and contractors, and EVP Operations. The Major Gifts Officer will be responsible for starting and leading our major giving program, building out the necessary components, including:

Researching to identify potential major giving prospects (individuals, foundations, corporations, and other organizations), qualifying and prioritizing potential opportunities. These efforts should lead to:

At least two monthly meetings with newly qualified potential major donors (individuals, foundations, or other organizations).

A minimum of 4 prospect and 14 donor visits per month [Tom to advise about the reasonableness of this expectation]

Leading (with the support of AMH board members and senior leaders) and directly executing activities to develop relationships with prioritized, potential major gift donors, foundations, and other organizations.

Developing and executing effective moves management plans for major gift prospects, including leveraging the right members of AMH the Gersons, Jon Fielder, Scott Marcello, and other senior AMH leaders, board members, and missionary and African physicians.

Identifying and gaining opportunities for the Gersons and other appropriate members of AMH to speak on podcasts and at high-impact forums and events that pose the most significant opportunities for fundraising and advancing our mission. Obtain interviews or presentations on at least six such events annually.

Effectively engaging with carefully selected existing major donors (as agreed with the AMH President and Chief Executive) to develop relationships leading to warm referrals and introductions to potential major and mid-level gift donors.

Regularly visiting, calling, emailing, and otherwise communicating with major donor prospects and leveraging AMH leadership to do the same.

Work closely with the Chief Executive, President, and others to ensure the development of effective major gift proposal documents and other assets and tools needed (proposals, stories, photos, public relations, research tools, etc.) to generate new major and mid-level gifts.

Helping to identify existing donors to serve as Relationship Champions to expand our donor base.

Providing input to the overall AMH development planning and related budgets.

Requirements:

Seasoned fundraising professional with a proven track record of soliciting and closing five-figure and six-figure gifts (or sales) and annually bringing in over $1M amount from major donors (or sales equivalent)

Work closely with Erica and Mark Gerson, AMH Co-Founder and Board Chair, Jon Fielder, Scott Marcello, and visiting African and missionary physicians;

Experience selecting and developing channels leading to new sales or donors;

Experience researching, identifying, and qualifying prospects and for evaluating the giving potential of existing and prospective donors;

Commitment to the Vision, Mission, and Distinctives of AMH;

Strong interpersonal, networking, and presentation skills;

Strong networker with an entrepreneurial spirit, effective in attracting and converting new relationships and causing them to take action;

Ability to develop relationships, explain AMH, and solicit funds across a broad range of potential donors, including secular, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, and other Christian organizations and individuals;

Bachelor's degree or greater;

Ability to work cross-culturally with patience, sensitivity, and understanding;

A willingness to travel: depending on the candidate's location, we expect the MGO to travel between 35% and 50% of their time.

Relevant sales or fundraising experience;

Relevant experience with donor database/CRM software and other technology tools to effectively self-manage, track donors and prospects, and report on fundraising efforts ;

Experience with Microsoft Excel and Word; and

Interest in and respect for Christian medical missions and African culture.