About The Heartland Institute

The Heartland Institute is one of the world’s leading free-market think tanks. It is a national nonprofit research and education organization based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Its mission since its founding in 1984 is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems.

We are an “action tank” as well as a “think tank,” and we measure our success by the impact we have in the real world. The Heartland Institute plays an essential role in the national (and increasingly in the international) movement for personal liberty and limited government. We are the pipeline between the freedom movement’s leading writers and thinkers and the nation’s 8,400 national and state elected officials.

About the Role

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) is responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding a portfolio of 75–100 major donors and prospects across the country. This position plays a critical role in securing philanthropic revenue to advance The Heartland Institute’s mission by developing long-term relationships built on trust, impact, and shared values. This is a full-time, exempt position.

The Major Gifts Officer will report to the Director of Development. This is a virtual role, but preference will be given to applicants based in Chicago, IL or Washington, DC.

Key Responsibilities

  • Manage a portfolio of 80–100 current and prospective donors giving $5,000+ annually.
  • Conduct regular travel (approximately 40–50%) to meet with donors and prospects nationwide.
  • Develop customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for each assigned donor.
  • Partner with the President and Director of Development on joint solicitations and stewardship efforts.
  • Track all donor activity, interactions, and projections in Salesforce CRM.
  • Prepare personalized proposals, briefing materials, and follow-up correspondence.
  • Meet or exceed annual fundraising goals and activity benchmarks.
  • Participate in organizational events and donor stewardship activities.

Qualifications

  • 3–5+ years of experience in major gifts, fundraising, business development, or other relevant experience.
  • Experience working with a libertarian/conservative think tank.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills; confident and polished in one-on-one settings.
  • Excellent writing, presentation, and organizational abilities.
  • Experience with Salesforce or similar CRM systems.
  • Ability to travel independently and manage multiple priorities.
  • Understanding of and alignment with Heartland’s free-market mission, particularly regarding climate and energy.
  • CFP or CFRE certification preferred.
  • Demonstrated success closing five- and six-figure gifts.

Benefits & Workplace Matters

Benefits
Health insurance is available to full-time employees. The Heartland Institute pays 60 percent of premiums and offers a choice of two plans: a low-deductible plan and high-deductible plan with health savings accounts (HSAs). Employees who choose the high-deductible plan also receive annual cash deposits into their HSAs of $125 per month for individuals and $250 per month for families. The Heartland Institute also pays for life and disability insurance and fees for a 401(k) plan. (The employer does not currently match employee contributions to 401(k) plans.)

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $80,000-90,000 with eligibility for a performance-based bonus.

Paid Time Off (PTO)
The Heartland Institute appreciates how hard employees work and recognizes the importance of providing time for rest and relaxation. Full-time employees accrue paid time off each pay period and are encouraged to use this time to recharge.

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials (in order) in one PDF document:

  • Cover letter including:
    • An introductory paragraph describing three distinct reasons you are drawn to The Heartland Institute’s mission
    • Salary requirements
  • Resume

Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link: talentmarket.org/apply-for-your-dream-job/

Questions can be directed to Bailey Drouant, Project Manager at Talent Market, who is managing the search process: [email protected].

There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.

While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

Talent Market is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting liberty by helping free-market nonprofits identify talent for critical roles. We provide consulting and recruiting services at no cost to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law and limited regulation.