About JumpStart Inc.

JumpStart is a non-profit venture development organization whose mission is to unlock the full potential of entrepreneurship to transform entire communities. Our vision is to collaborate with partners to generate dramatically improved and inclusive economic outcomes by supporting diverse entrepreneurs, optimizing entrepreneurial ecosystems, and accelerating innovation.

Key to JumpStart’s success is its ability to leverage the skills, experience, and creativity of its inspired team to transform entrepreneurial aspirations into actions with measurable impact. JumpStart associates take great pride in making JumpStart a highly demanding yet incredibly fun place to work.

Position Summary

JumpStart seeks to contract a Major Gifts Officer to be responsible for managing and cultivating relationships with existing and new major gift prospects, across Ohio including a list of corporations and foundations capable of contributing resources to sustain and scale JumpStart’s operations, services, investment activity and social-economic impact. With a goal of raising a minimum of $1.5M in new or expanded resources over a projected 12-15 months, this individual will add critical capacity to the Advancement team.

This opportunity is geared towards an experienced enthusiastic individual with great people, organizational and entrepreneurial skills, good networking experience with funding organizations and a demonstrated track-record of highly successful non-profit fund-raising for multi-year funding and large gifts. The Major Gifts Officer will be accountable for building a pipeline, cultivating, and soliciting a portfolio of prospects (individuals, foundations and corporations) with significant giving capacity to accomplish their giving objectives in the form of major gifts. The individual needs to be an excellent communicator who can succinctly convey JumpStart’s work, advance fundraising strategies, and generate revenue.

Essential Job Functions

60% - Major Gift Functions

• Support co-development of a Major Gifts strategy in collaboration with Sr. Director of Advancement and executive leadership.
• Identify, cultivate, and work with the Sr. Director of Advancement to engage and steward relationships with potential individual donors with the capability of contributing gifts of $10,000 and above.
• Work collaboratively with Sr. Director of Advancement and executive leadership to achieve the fundraising goals for JumpStarts 20th Anniversary.
• Work with Manager of Advancement Operations to track activity, show progress and create reports focusing on efforts and progress.
• Work closely with the Sr. Director of Advancement to solicit or facilitate solicitation meetings with major donor prospects and to develop tailored proposals and gift agreements that align with donors’ interests and the organization’s priorities.
• Work with Advancement, Communications Manager to support the planning and implementation of outreach strategies that build relationships, promote the organization, and advance fundraising objectives.

40% - Corporate Gifts Functions

• Identify, qualify, solicit, and steward current and potential corporate philanthropy prospects with the capacity to make gifts from $25,000 to $1,000,000+.
• Work closely with Manager of Advancement, Communications Manager to assist in creating compelling pitch materials, such as proposals and other related documents and/or collateral that will influence and inspire both current and prospective partners to sponsor the organization’s events.
• Work with the Marketing and Communications Department to ensure all marketing benefits are fulfilled for all sponsor-related activities or needs.

Decision Making Responsibility

This role has medium-scale autonomy for decision-making and regularly consults with the Sr. Director of Advancement. This role makes day-to-day work decisions regarding prioritizing and executing projects and other tasks. The decision-making authority in this role has influence and direct impact within department boundaries (e.g., expert donor engagement, the application of a system, or reporting requirements for a program).

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Travel
• When required, attend local and out-of-state meetings, conferences, workshops, and special events.
• Modest physical activity is required for lifting and moving office supplies, equipment, and furniture on occasion.
• Normal professional office environment.
• Eligible for remote work agreement.

Required Qualifications

• Willingness to live and work in Cleveland.

Education, Training and/or Experience

• Bachelor’s degree, major in business, nonprofit management, or related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in fundraising, advancement operations, program/project management.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics

• Proficiency in CRMs (i.e. Salesforce, Blackbaud, etc.)
• A firm understanding of Microsoft Office -Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Must be proficient in a Windows environment and computerized accounting software.
• Aptitude for planning and deadline oriented. Knowledge of project management software and or tools.

JumpStart’s Core Values and Key Cultural Behaviors

• Accountability: Act to deliver on commitments and generate results, and if expectations aren’t clear, ask
• Entrepreneurial: Embrace opportunity, continuous improvement, and change, and contribute to the solution as we evolve
• Equity: Committed to corrective action regarding historically underserved and underrepresented populations through entrepreneurship and innovation