Our Mission

We in Boston University Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) harness the power of philanthropy to make an excellent education accessible and welcoming to all, and to advance BU’s global leadership in research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice. To support our work, we have built—and are continuing to build—an outstanding team of dynamic, mission-driven advancement professionals who constantly strive to create an environment where everyone belongs. Where it’s not just about a job, but a career and a community.

Now, our Schools-based development team is looking for a Major Gift Officer who will advance a wide range of fund-raising priorities for the Questrom School of Business.

Development & Alumni Relations at Questrom School of Business, Boston University

The Boston University Questrom School of Business Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) Office is committed to keeping our alumni, parents and friends informed and engaged with the School, each other, the University, and current students. The Questrom School of Business DAR team works to secure financial resources for the people, places, and programs at Questrom.

Major Gift Officer

The Major Gift Officer will manage a portfolio of Major Gifts ($100,000+) prospects consisting of alumni, parents, and friends of the Questrom School of Business. The incumbent will identify and cultivate prospective donors and develop solicitation and stewardship strategies, coordinating the involvement of the Dean of the Questrom School of Business, faculty members, peers on the central Leadership Gift Team, senior administrators when appropriate, alumni and volunteers as necessary. Geographic focus will be the New England region and professional interest for fundraising in the Diversity & Inclusion space is preferred. D&I work includes programs supporting, but limited to: undergraduate financial aid recipients, first generation students, historically under-represented groups, LQBTQIA+ programs, Women in Business initiatives, support for curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular academic efforts, etc.

Responsibilities:

• Solicitation: Working closely with Development colleagues, solicit leadership gifts at the $100,000+ level. Engage in 120 face-to-face prospect visits per year, averaging 12 visits per month, traveling as necessary within the New England Region, as well as additional markets boasting key parents and alumni along the eastern seaboard. Engage in 10-12 major gift solicitations per year, collaborating with Questrom and University partners as appropriate.
• Research and Strategic Planning: Conduct independent research to identify new prospects and to learn more about known prospects. Develop and execute thoughtful strategies for the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of each assigned project.
• Coordination: Coordinate with Questrom and University faculty and staff, including the Dean and the President in cultivating, solicitation and stewardship of prospects, accompanying colleagues to meetings with prospective donors, providing appropriate briefing materials and coaching as part of the meeting preparation. Work with support staff in the coordination of logistics and travel and meeting planning.

A cover letter is required for consideration.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. Master's preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working in a development office or academic fundraising environment preferred, including developing a portfolio of prospects and soliciting gifts. Reunion fundraising and working with volunteers preferred.
• Excellent written and oral business communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build relationships in a highly collaborative environment. Must be able to “manage up” working directly with University leaders; engage laterally by building relationships of trust and mutual value added with colleagues across campus; and manage “down” ensuring the support and cooperation of staff both within and outside of Development.
• Ability to work well on a team; flexibility to take on challenges in mid-stream; ability to delegate when appropriate.
• Capacity to think strategically and creatively is necessary. This involves the ability to inquire about and listen to a prospect's needs, and then to understand and determine how to best develop a successful strategy for engagement.

Candidates with at least four years of experience soliciting six-figures gifts may be considered for hire at the Senior Major Gift Officer level.

But that’s not all we’re looking for; we want someone who embodies our values:

• Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect, because we value every member’s contributions and know that leadership can come from anywhere.
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.
• Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.
• Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.
• Continuous growth and improvement, both as individuals and as a team.
• Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter.

If this resonates with you and you want to help us in our ambitious next campaign—and maybe do some of your best work as an advancement professional— we encourage you to apply. If you are hesitant to apply because you have not previously performed every responsibility listed in the description, but you do possess transferable skills and the defined qualifications, we still want to hear from you and welcome your application as well.

To learn more about Development & Alumni Relations at Boston University, and other job opportunities, please stop by the DAR Talent website: https://www.bu.edu/dar-talent/.

Please note all newly hired staff and faculty will need to be in compliance with Boston University’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster Requirement within 30 days of date of hire. You must upload your vaccine documentation or request a medical or religious exemption (instructions). For further information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please visit the COVID-19 Resources site.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to complete the employment application process, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at 617-358-1796.