ROLE OVERVIEW
Under the direction of the Senior Major Gift Officer, the Major Gifts Officer identifies, develops, manages, and grows strategic relationships with existing major donors and prospects. This includes qualification, cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation plans for a portfolio of around 150 individuals giving over $25,000 a year with the goal of securing funding for MSF-USA. The role requires close coordination with various MSF personnel to develop proposals around priority MSF activities and initiatives in line with the donors’ preferences.
In consultation with the Senior Major Gift Officer, the role executes individualized qualification and solicitation strategies for major donors at MSF USA and is responsible for ensuring those strategies are properly implemented in their assigned territory. This includes initiating and managing donor outreach, tracking engagement and interactions, maintaining accurate and up-to-date records within the Salesforce CRM database, assisting in the production of regional events, and conducting preliminary research to support donor prospecting efforts.
DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABILITIES
Key Account Management
Take overall responsibility for designing, developing and delivering the organization's account management strategy. May also personally manage a few relationships with the most strategic donors.
Donor Development
Pursue strategic opportunities in coherence with MSF-USA´s strategy, that create long-term value for the movement by cultivating partnerships or identifying and develop new geographies, markets or donors for its mission.
Donor Relationship Development
Build trust and loyalty with potential donors. At the simplest level, update donors on activities. At a more complex level, build long-term relationships with donors, especially large corporations or foundations.
Brand Positioning
Develop brand positioning based on the brand strategy and implement brand plans.
ROLES SPECIFIC OUTCOMES
Donor Relationship Management (Account Management)
Develop and implement a donor contact plan to engage, renew, and upgrade existing donors. Develop donor-specific solicitation plans that center donor communication preferences and funding interests. Act as first point of contact for donor queries and complaints and resolve these, referring complex issues to others and ensuring that the donor receives an appropriate response. Provide best-in-class, donor-centric service for the most positive and engaging donor experience.
Donor Relationship Development (Prospecting)
Develop and implement a donor engagement plan to identify and build relationships with prospective donors and enable warm, effective two-way communication and organizational engagement. Creatively approach these prospects with unique outreach strategies, organizational updates and special engagement opportunities.
Collaborative Proposal Development
Work closely with MSF personnel to design and present compelling proposals tailored to donors’ interests and aligned with MSF priority initiatives. Ensure proposals clearly articulate the impact of donor contributions and inspire continued or increased support.
Donor Stewardship and Reporting
Develop and execute personalized stewardship plans to ensure donors feel valued and informed about the impact of their contributions. Provide timely and accurate updates, reports, and acknowledgments to maintain trust and transparency with major donors.
Data Management and Reporting
Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date donor records in the Salesforce CRM database. Track all donor interactions and engagement activities to ensure data integrity and to support data-driven decision-making and performance evaluation.
Event Coordination and Engagement
Assist in the planning and execution of regional events designed to cultivate and steward major donors. Leverage these events to deepen donor relationships, showcase MSF’s work, and inspire greater investment in MSF’s mission.
COMPLEXITY AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS
• Demonstrates the ability to adapt strategies and approaches to meet the unique preferences, motivations, and communication styles of individual donors, ensuring personalized and effective engagement.
• Analyzes donor behavior, giving patterns, and feedback to identify opportunities for growth, address challenges, and refine solicitation and stewardship plans.
• Balances competing priorities by assessing the urgency and importance of donor needs, organizational goals, and resource constraints to make thoughtful, mission-driven decisions.
• Anticipates potential obstacles in donor relationships and proactively identifies creative, donor-centric solutions to maintain trust and engagement.
• Leverages a deep understanding of MSF’s mission, programs, and funding priorities to craft compelling proposals and respond effectively to complex donor inquiries.
• Employs critical thinking to evaluate donor prospects, assess alignment with MSF’s priorities, and develop innovative strategies to cultivate new relationships.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to address nuanced donor concerns, ensuring alignment between donor expectations and MSF’s operational realities.
BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES
THOUGHT: How MSF USA staff understand the organization, manage complexity, and contribute by creating the new and different.
People Focus
Builds strong relationships and delivers solutions geared to aiding others. Solicits feedback and data; conveys a clear understanding of the level of service the team is providing; takes action when standards are not met by team; aligns processes with organizational needs.
Manages Complexity
Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. Consistently looks at complex issues from many angles; obtains a rich and deep understanding; swiftly cuts to the core issue; skillfully separates root causes from symptoms.
Global Perspective
Takes a broad view when approaching issues, using a global lens. Shows global thinking at work; adjusts organizational practices to meet the unique needs of different regions or countries. Uses a broad perspective when addressing issues and challenges.
Cultivates Innovation
Creates new and better ways for the organization to be successful. Approaches professional work in unique or innovative ways. Offers original ideas. Appreciates others' creative ideas and solutions and provides helpful input to enhance them.
RESULTS: MSF USA staff achieve results by cultivating a forward-thinking environment that produces solutions for changing stakeholder needs.
Drives Results
Consistently achieves results, even under tough circumstances. Regularly pushes self to achieve outstanding outcomes; consistently establishes bold goals for own performance; is passionate about excellent results and significant contributions. Shows great tenacity to complete goals/initiatives in a timely way.
PEOPLE: MSF USA staff understand their impact on others through collaboration and inclusion of different perspectives to achieve common goals.
Collaborates
Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. Readily involves others to accomplish goals; stays in touch and shares information; discourages "us versus them" thinking; shows appreciation for others' ideas and input.
Communicates Effectively
Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences. Listens attentively and takes an interest. Keeps others well informed; conveys information clearly, concisely, and professionally when speaking or writing.
Values Differences
Recognizes the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization. Confronts stereotyping and offensive comments promptly. Consistently behaves with great sensitivity toward differences in cultural norms, expectations, and ways of communicating.
SELF: MSF USA staff demonstrate self-awareness by having an open mindset and by continuously seeking opportunities to learn, grow, and improve.
Instills Trust
Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity. Models honesty and authenticity and encourages others to be up front with one another. Demonstrates reliability and places a strong emphasis on the team meeting its commitments. Fairly represents others' positions.
Manages Ambiguity
Operates effectively, even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clear. Responds effectively to unclear situations, seeks to resolve ambiguity and make progress. Seeks guidance on how to adapt to changes, responds with appropriate composure and effectiveness.
Situational Adaptability
Adapts approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations. Serves as an example of adaptability and provides guidance and support to help others adapt to new situations. Considers the needs of clients, constituents, and the organization; shifts priorities appropriately.
TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES
Plans and Aligns
Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with MSF-USA goals.
Financial Acumen
Interprets and applies understanding of key financial indicators to make better business decisions.
Tech Savvy
Anticipating and adopting innovations in organizational digital and technology applications.
Data Collection and Analysis
The ability and skill to determine and analyze trends from data that is collected to assist in compiling reports that will help in decision-making.
Project Management Skills
The ability and skill to plan and manage small project work assignments within desired cost, time and quality parameters.
Presentation and Written Communication Skills
Adapts approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations. Serves as an example of adaptability and provides guidance and support to help others adapt to new situations. Considers the needs of clients, constituents, and the organization; shifts priorities appropriately.
Organizational Insight
Applying knowledge of MSF-USA and the industry to advance the organization’s goals.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
No supervisory responsibility
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
• Minimum three years of development experience, preferably in the areas of Major Gifts or high-value partnerships.
• Minimum three years of experience of portfolio management with high-value donors.
• Experience with and knowledge of donor databases and contacts management, preferably SalesForce NPSP.
• Knowledge about the unique and region-specific philanthropic trends related to their portfolio
• Knowledge and interest in international affairs and humanitarian issues.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to travel extensively.
COMPENSATION
$88,822 to $133,233 - In alignment with MSF USA’s compensation framework, new hires are offered between the minimum and midpoint of the range based on relevant experience, skills, and internal equity.
This temporary position has an end date of October 2nd, 2026
Equal Opportunity and Accommodations Statement:
MSF-USA is dedicated to creating a diverse, impartial, and inclusive workforce. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other differences as per applicable laws.
We also provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities or religious beliefs and practices. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us at recruitment@newyork.msf.org.
We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented communities in the Humanitarian Aid sector to apply.