About the Mercatus Center at George Mason University
For over 40 years, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University has been the world’s premier university source for market-oriented ideas—bridging the gap between academic ideas and real-world problems. A university-based research center, Mercatus works to advance knowledge about how markets work to improve our lives by training graduate students, conducting research, and applying sound economics to offer solutions to society’s most pressing problems.
About the Opening
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University seeks to hire a Major Gifts Officer as part of our Development Team. The Major Gifts Officer works to help raise an annual budget of $49 million through the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major donors.
The Major Gifts Officer will primarily manage a portfolio of active donors in the following states: AZ, CA, MT, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, WA, and WY. The Major Gifts Officer should expect regular travel (30-40%) within this region.
The Major Gifts Officer reports directly to the Director of Donor Relations and is part of a four-person Major Gifts team. The position is based in Northern Virginia, but highly qualified remote candidates living in the assigned territory (western U.S.) will also be considered.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of approximately 70 active major donors living in the western U.S. giving $5,000 – $100,000
- Procure new major donors through network-building and qualifying direct mail donors
- Build relationships and solicit donors via in-person meetings, virtual meetings, and written communication
- Develop and present major gift proposals in collaboration with Mercatus program teams
- Identify and introduce prospects to planned giving vehicles and their benefits
- Maintain excellent record-keeping of donor interactions (Salesforce)
Minimum Requirements:
- 2+ years of major gifts fundraising with a demonstrated track record of building relationships and closing four and five-figure gifts (six-figure gifts a plus)
- Understand and be able to speak persuasively about the Mercatus Center mission
- Must be willing to travel 30%-40%
- A high level of initiative
- Excellent verbal and written communication
- Familiarity with Salesforce or a similar customer relations management suite a plus
Employee Benefits
Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience. In addition, Mercatus provides excellent benefits to all individual employees, including full health and dental coverage, flexible spending accounts, long-term disability and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement savings program, a parking permit, and free credits at George Mason University.
How to Apply
Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials in one PDF document:
- Cover letter detailing your interest in this role and the mission of Mercatus Center
- Résumé
Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link: talentmarket.org/apply-for-your-dream-job/.
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.
Questions can be directed to Stephanie Keaveney, Outreach Manager of Talent Market, who is assisting with the search: [email protected].
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 entity 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.
