Philanthropy Officer

About the Job The Regional Philanthropy Officer is a full-time remote position within University Advancement at Colorado Christian University (CCU). Supervised by the Senior Director of Major Gifts and working collegially with the members of the Advancement Team, the Philanthropy Officer serves as a regional major gift officer identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and corporations within one of CCU’s strategic geographic regions. This position is responsible for primarily building and then managing a portfolio of 100+ donors, researching and cultivating prospective donors, developing donor proposals and presentations, conducting face-to-face donor meetings and calls related to focusing on cultivating and soliciting significant gifts at the Major Gift level of $25,000+, with an emphasis on gifts of $100,000+ and building a portfolio of $1,500,000 or more. The regional Philanthropy Officer will have regular travel throughout their multi-state geographic region and occasional travel to the Denver area to the CCU campus. Comfortableness with a Metric-Driven Culture and Quantitative Metrics (KPIs) is essential. CCU is looking for Philanthropy Officers based in major metropolitan areas primarily in Texas, California, and Arizona as we launch and manage a multi-year national fundraising campaign to help propel the university’s next level of growth. Colorado Christian University (CCU) offers a 100% tuition benefit for eligible full-time employees in undergraduate and graduate programs. Spouses and dependents are eligible for a 100% tuition waiver for undergraduate programs with no waiting period. Job Location Remote - must reside and work legally in the U.S. All work must be performed within the U.S. About CCU Colorado Christian University is the premier interdenominational Christian university in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region, delivering world class education to thousands of students. The fully accredited, nonprofit University is located in Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. Colorado Christian University was founded in 1914. CCU’s motto is--grace and truth. This motto comes from John 1.14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (ESV) CCU's mission is Christ-centered higher education transforming students to impact the world with grace and truth. Colorado Christian University cultivates knowledge and love of God in a Christ-centered community of learners and scholars, with an enduring commitment to the integration of exemplary academics, spiritual formation, and engagement with the world. We envision graduates who think critically and creatively, lead with high ethical and professional standards, embody the character and compassion of Jesus Christ, treasure the gospel, and who thereby are prepared to impact the world in their callings. CCU embraces an educational model that was present at the foundation of many of the great western and American universities. It is made up of three pillars—competence, character and Christ-centered faith. Secular universities have abandoned two of those pillars. We think this is a major oversight that eventually undermines education. Furthermore, we believe this classical educational model is both life-giving and greatly needed in our time. A leader in higher education, CCU has been consistently ranked in the top 2 percent of colleges and universities nationwide for its core curriculum by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. CCU has had ten consecutive years of enrollment growth and has been named one of the five fastest-growing master’s granting universities by The Chronicle of Higher Education. CCU offers more than 200 degree program options for traditional and adult students through its two colleges--the College of Undergraduate Studies and College of Adult and Graduate Studies. More than 9,000 students attend the University on the main campus, in regional centers throughout Colorado, and online. What is most appealing about working at CCU? • Faith-friendly: CCU’s culture is unique to higher education. Where else can you pursue academic excellence yet read the Holy Bible, pray with teammates and students at work, and work to impact our culture in support of Christian values? • Convictionally Christian: As a university, we have an enduring commitment to Christ, his k kingdom and the truth of God’s Word. • Live out your calling: We are a traditional evangelical university where you can invest your God-given talents and abilities alongside coworkers and teammates, while having a profound influence on students as they deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ. • Equip students for kingdom work: You can be a part of helping students discover their callings and preparing them for positions of significant leadership in the church, business, government, education, and other professions, as a key part of our University's Strategic Priorities. Key Job Responsibilities Mission Contribution - Contribute to CCU’s mission of Christ-centered higher education transforming students to impact the world with grace and truth by generating significant charitable gifts to CCU’s mission through exceptional relationship with and support of an active generous donor base. Build and Steward an Active Portfolio • Prospecting ability is foundational to build and then manage a portfolio of to 100+ individual major donors generating $1,500,000+ in annual giving. • Conduct personal visits and maintain critical contacts with potential donors, with a specific emphasis on engaging high-wealth donors within your assigned area and territory. • Conduct a minimum of 15-20 face-to-face visits with prospects/donors per month, including scheduling appointments and hosting CCU’s President and Vice President of University Advancement for donor and prospect meetings or receptions. • Cultivate strong, lasting relationships with current and prospective donors, ensuring they feel valued and informed about the impact of their gifts. This includes developing personalized stewardship plans, navigating planned giving discussions, and ensuring proper donor recognition. Technology Proficiency • Extensive use donor management software (Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT; Research Point; Momentum AI) to capture and document essential details that inform donor strategies. • Maintain meticulous records of donor interactions, complete reports, and ensure efficient trip planning to maximize engagement. • Use public information, personal networks, and data analytics to identify new potential major donors who align with the organization's mission and have the capacity to give. Research & Analysis • Research and analyze your prospects and donor portfolio using wealth screening tools, publicly available information, and personal interactions to exceed donor contact and solicitation goals set by the organization. • Work closely with the Senior Director of Major Gifts and the Vice President of University Advancement to align fundraising efforts with organizational priorities and contribute to the overall strategic plan and capital campaigns. Ethical Stewardship • Exercise discretion and fiduciary responsibility when handling cash, checks, and in-kind donations. • Adhere to CCU policies and procedures and upholding our Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship. We’re looking for candidates who have: • At least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, communications, nonprofit leadership or philanthropy from an accredited institution. Professional certification or master’s level work is preferred. • Five+ years of major donor fundraising experience – and remote work experience preferred. • Experience working with senior level executives and managing sensitive issues. • Knowledge of higher education organizational culture, policies, and processes is preferred. • Proven knowledge of a variety of business software applications and specifically Microsoft 365 products. • Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally. • Ability to establish and maintain effecting working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution. • Outstanding customer service skills and a donor-centric philosophy. • Excellent organizational skills and the ability to effectively prioritize projects. • Able to work independently and successfully with reliable professional judgement, often under time pressure. • Ability to handle confidential matters with extreme discretion. • Collaborative, team player. • Able to balance many priorities, sometimes with tight deadlines. Nature of Work Environment Colorado Christian University expects all faculty and staff to become a part of the University community by participating in activities and events that occur on the campus throughout the year, which may occur during evenings and weekends. Supporting CCU Executive Leadership, and particularly the Office of University Advancement, requires a very high level of professionalism, confidentiality, decorum, and protocol. What we offer our employees: We offer competitive compensation and benefits packages to all employees. Our benefit package includes: a tuition waiver program, excellent healthcare, generous paid time off, matching 403(b) retirement plan, and additional organizational paid benefits and voluntary benefit offerings. Pay and benefits will be discussed in more detail as candidates progress through the interview process. Colorado Christian University’s pay philosophy is based on internal and external data for pay equity; along with budgetary considerations for effective stewardship. Pay will be assigned based on relevant experience at a range of $90,000-125,000 . We reserve the right to pay an equitable rate that we believe is within our salary structure or that may fit a candidate’s qualifications or experience for the job. A wage range posted is not a guarantee of a specific wage range for a job offer. CCU reserves the right to make pay decisions based on economic and equity considerations to attract the best possible talent. CCU does not determine pay based on sex or any other protected status. Application Deadline Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Apply tot his job