Major Gifts Officer/Senior Major Gifts Officer, Wharton External Affairs

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Major Gifts Officer/Senior Major Gifts Officer, Wharton External Affairs

Job Profile Title

Major Gifts Officer Senior

Job Description Summary

Wharton School Overview
Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With campuses in both Philadelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, a faculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. Wharton is home to a dynamic community of staff, bringing a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

As part of a team of experienced fundraisers, the Major Gifts Officer or Senior Major Gifts Officer reports to the Director of Regional Development, with position level determined based on requisite experience. This position manages the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of assigned prospects with the giving ability of $100,000 and above, or $250,000 and above for the Senior Major Gifts Officer level. The position will focus primarily on assigned Tier 1 domestic region(s) and is responsible for designing, planning, and implementing a major gifts plan that proactively extends the reach of Wharton domestically to expand Wharton’s prospect base and build the donor pipeline.

At the Senior Major Gifts Officer level, the role carries a higher degree of independence in developing and executing fundraising strategies, managing more complex prospect relationships, and advancing high-level cultivation and solicitation efforts that may require greater engagement with School and Development leadership. Across both levels, the role requires strong collaboration, sound judgment, and a commitment to team-based strategy. At the Major Gifts Officer level, the role manages a meaningful portfolio of major gift prospects and works closely with colleagues and leadership to develop effective strategies, particularly for more complex opportunities.

This position requires the willingness and ability to travel frequently domestically, as well as availability to work some weekends and evenings.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Maintain a top-tier portfolio of approximately 150 donors and prospects, with an active schedule of moves-management interactions including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develop strategies for and conduct identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship visits with donors and prospects with giving capacity ratings of $100,000 or more, or $250,000 or more for the Senior Major Gifts Officer level.
• Meet mutually agreed-upon annual goals for core role responsibilities, including donor and prospect visits, solicitations, and philanthropic commitments secured.
• Ensure pertinent prospect information and contacts are accurately recorded in the institutional database in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with fundraisers across the department and University on overall relationship-building with alumni and other constituents of the School.
• Coordinate cultivation events and programs hosted by the School or assigned prospects, and staff programs in the designated geographic region.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts is required.
• 3-5 years (5-7 years for Senior Major Gifts Officer) of progressive experience in institutional development with emphasis on major gifts from individuals and organizations, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to function with a high degree of independence with assigned group of prospects, yet interact collaboratively with colleagues in a centralized framework of fundraising, participating in and contributing to total team effort.
• Experience interacting comfortably with faculty, School leadership, and CEO-level contacts. 
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.
• Travel and evening/weekend work required, including blocks of time for major events such as Reunion Weekends. Also required is the ability to attend, participate, facilitate, or lead on-campus and off-campus events/activities outside of normal business hours, both on the Philadelphia campus and in regional markets.
• Entrepreneurial inclination and capacity for hard work within intensely goal-oriented environment.
• Familiarity with database manipulation and other computer software, preferably Microsoft Office and Salesforce.
• Knowledge of university environment and academic mission preferred. 

Targeted Pay Ranges

Major Gifts Officer: $100,000 - $110,000

Senior Major Gifts Officer: $112,000 - $125,000

Applicants must submit a cover letter.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$92,592.00 - $125,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay