Job openings/Major Gifts Associate
YOU ARE ... a people person. You enjoy meeting new people and make an excellent first, second and third impression. You listen more than you talk. You easily remember names and faces. You are a naturally curious person and enjoy learning about people's passions. You are an excellent communicator in person, in writing and on the phone. When you hear the words "public speaking," you don't recoil in fear. You are happy and effective in a project management role and you also don't mind helping with administrative tasks.
You use Wikipedia and you love it. You understand that philanthropy is more about relationships than money. You'd like to expand our network of supporters all around the world.
You have worked as part of a fundraising team and can manage the stress and demands of an annual fundraising campaign. Ideally, you have had experience in face-to-face solicitations. You have a sense of humor and don't take yourself too seriously. You thrive in a team of smart candid people, and you're looking forward to making an impact. If much or all of this applies to you -- please send us a thoughtful application letter and tell us why you're the right person for the job!
JOB TITLE
Major Gifts Associate [CLOSED]
REPORTS TO
Head of Major Gifts
JOB PURPOSE
The purpose of this job is two-fold: to skillfully manage a donor portfolio (70%) and to provide administrative support to the Head of Major Gifts (30%). The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) is a nonprofit charitable organization committed to building a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge.
The WMF maintains the technical infrastructure to support online volunteer communities and pursues a permanent agenda of technical and programmatic innovation. It is financially supported by hundreds of thousands of donors from around the world who give small donations; and also by a few significant major donors who are strongly aligned with the WMF mission.
JOB SUMMARY
Duties include, but are not limited to the following:
- Identify, research, cultivate, solicit, and skillfully manage a portfolio of 500 individual and corporate donors who give at least $500 annually
- Conduct 40-60 face-to-face solicitations annually
- Assist with the planning, logistics, and materials preparation for donor meetings and events
- Help redesign and manage online Benefactors Page
- Track and analyze stewardship activities
- Provide ongoing administrative support to the Head of Major Gifts
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 3-5 years of fundraising experience, preferably first-hand knowledge of the major gifts cultivation process
- Strong interpersonal and communications skills, with the ability to synthesize and articulate Wikimedia priorities and match them with donor values and interests
- Ability to prepare dynamic written and oral presentations
- You must be comfortable in a highly collaborative, consensus-oriented environment
- Strong understanding of the Internet and the forces that underpin the success of Wikipedia
- Experience fundraising outside of the US is a plus
- Experience closing gifts is a plus
- Must be impact-oriented and mission-driven
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Understanding of free culture/free software/open source is a plus
- Experience with use of wiki technology is a major plus
- The ability to speak multiple languages is a major plus.
- Experience living or working outside of your home country is a major plus
- The ideal candidate will be creative, highly motivated, and able to operate effectively in multiple cultural contexts