Gift Officer na Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

We have an opening for a Gift Officer (GO) who will play a vital role in helping the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) achieve its annual contributed revenue goals through the individual giving and major gifts programs. This position is responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors with the capacity to make gifts of $25,000 or more. The GO will focus on growing the MCA’s major gifts pipeline, with an emphasis on securing 5- and 6-figure gifts to support exhibitions, programs, fundraising events, and blended gifts. To be successful in this role, you will:

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage a portfolio of 80–100 donors and prospects, prioritizing 12-15 donor visits per month, and regular, consistent, proactive outreach. Solicit unrestricted and restricted gifts, planned gifts, and art acquisitions valued at $25,000 and above.
• Develop and implement cultivation and solicitation plans for all prospects and donors in the aforementioned portfolio. Track performance against key metrics set with the Director of Individual Giving and Major Gifts (DIGMG) for outreach, visits, and fundraising goals.
• Find opportunity to deepen the portfolio through ongoing activity with current, lapsed, and prospective donors, including discovery and qualification work with the Individual Giving and Development Services team, to regularly assess and refresh portfolio assignments.
• Prepare briefings, staffing plans, and solicitation materials for the DIGMG, Pritzker Director, Deputy Directors, and other senior staff and volunteer leaders.
• Support special and project-based fundraising initiatives, including defining goals, developing cases for support, and executing tailored solicitation and stewardship strategies.
• Build and maintain a pipeline of prospective donors, guiding them from research and cultivation through solicitation and stewardship. Coordinate with colleagues to ensure prospects move effectively through the donor pipeline.
• Collaborate with the Associate Director of Individual Giving to identify and qualify prospects from existing donor groups, including Circle, Women’s Board, DVC, and Emerge.
• Partner with the Fundraising Events team to help convert event donors into annual or major gift supporters. Align major gifts strategy with event timelines and provide staffing support at major events (e.g., Visionary, Vernissage, ArtEdge) and other development activities.
• Work with the Development Services team and the DIGMG to create and maintain a robust moves management system for renewing and lapsed donors.
• Use best-practice moves management strategies to build and sustain the donor pipeline.
• Partner with the Stewardship Manager and other staff to design and implement meaningful donor cultivation and stewardship experiences.
• Prepare fundraising reports and budget projections as needed.
• Maintain accurate and timely records in the donor database, Raiser’s Edge. Track donor activity and deliver effective follow-up.
• Manage and monitor individual giving expense budgets.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive fundraising experience in a large or complex nonprofit organization.
• Proven track record of setting and meeting fundraising goals, managing individual donor relationships, and applying best practices in a moves management model.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and emotional intelligence.
• Strong initiative, intellectual curiosity, and active listening skills.
• Exceptional organizational, time management, and critical thinking abilities.
• Ability to build trust and collaborate effectively with both internal stakeholders and external donors.
• Creative, solutions-oriented mindset with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, results-driven environment; adaptable to changing priorities.
• Unquestioned integrity and discretion when handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Interest in trends in contemporary art, museums, the Chicago cultural sector, and philanthropy.
• Ability to undertake occasional local and domestic travel.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365.
• Ability to perform occasional light lifting.
• General mobility throughout the museum.

BENEFITS OF WORKING AT THE MCA INCLUDE:

• Individual and MCA-provided retirement savings plans.
• Paid time off.
• Pre-tax, reduced rate parking and Ventra/Metra benefits.
• Free admission to MCA exhibitions for yourself and guests.
• Free admission to many special and member events.
• Reduced price tickets to MCA Stage performances.
• Discounts on dining in Marisol and in our award-winning MCA Store.
• Access to our onsite library.
• Opportunities to attend curator-led staff tours.
• Free or discounted admission to many other cultural institutions across the United States.

Full-time staff are also eligible for a robust benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision insurance plus free life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance.