Leadership Annual Giving Officer

The Leadership Annual Giving Officer (LAGO) serves as a frontline fundraising professional responsible for building, managing, and advancing a dynamic portfolio of leadership annual giving prospects who reside in New England, California, and other regions as needed in support of Boston University. This position is part of the Leadership Annual Giving Team, organized across seven regions nationwide—New England, New York, Florida, Northern California, Southern California, Washington, DC, and Chicago—and reports to the Director of Leadership Annual Giving Programs.

The LAGO will lead all phases of the leadership gift cycle—identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship—with a focus on securing annual commitments starting at $5,000 in support of a broad range of university priorities.

This position requires a disciplined, strategic approach to portfolio management, including developing individualized engagement strategies that align donor interests with institutional priorities. The LAGO will collaborate with the Annual Giving team, Major Gifts and Planned Giving colleagues, Advancement partners, and university leadership to identify and present compelling philanthropic opportunities while consistently advancing prospect movement and portfolio growth. Success in this role is defined by the ability to build authentic relationships, execute thoughtful solicitation strategies, secure leadership gifts, and cultivate a robust pipeline of prospects positioned for major gift solicitations that advance Boston University's mission and long-term excellence.

Position Responsibilities

Prospect Qualification, Cultivation, and Solicitation (50%)

Manage a portfolio of approximately 200–250 leadership gift prospects, including alumni, parents, and friends, across various qualification and cultivation stages. Build and sustain authentic relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and philanthropic interests that deepen engagement and align donor interests with university priorities. Develop and execute solicitation strategies to secure annual leadership gifts starting at $5,000, establish clear timelines and tailored approaches for each prospect, and guide prospects through the decision-making process with clarity and purpose, ensuring alignment with institutional goals.

Pipeline Development and Cross-Unit Collaboration (20%)

Partner with Major Gifts, Planned Giving, Annual Giving, and Advancement colleagues to strengthen the donor pipeline and support seamless movement across the giving continuum. Maintain consistent, meaningful engagement with prospects to build long-term relationships, increase readiness for solicitation, and position donors for increased philanthropic investment. Cultivate and develop a robust pipeline of leadership annual giving prospects positioned for major gift solicitations and readiness, ensuring a steady progression of donors toward transformational giving levels and sustained major gifts engagement.

Donor Stewardship and Communication (10%)

Partner with Stewardship and Donor Relations to ensure donors within the portfolio receive timely, personalized communications that demonstrate the impact of their philanthropy and highlight meaningful university news and developments aligned with their interests. Collaborate with schools, colleges, and administrative units to coordinate stewardship efforts and share prospect activity as donors progress through the major gift lifecycle, ensuring consistent communication, strong internal partnership, and an exceptional donor experience.

1839 Society Engagement and Event Strategy (10%)

Leverage the 1839 Society as a strategic platform to engage current members, cultivate prospective members, and drive upgrade and renewal giving. Design and execute curated events and experiences that position 1839 Society members as ambassadors and hosts to prospective donors, creating natural opportunities for prospect cultivation and membership solicitation. Develop engagement strategies that strengthen retention among current members, encourage increased giving levels, and move prospective donors toward 1839 Society membership. Collaborate with Alumni Engagement and broader university event activity to create meaningful, high-touch engagement opportunities in New England and California markets. Oversee special projects as assigned by the Director of Leadership Annual Giving Programs.

New Technology (10%)

Become proficient in Boston University's advancement technology infrastructure, including CRM systems, data analytics platforms, and mobile-enabled tools, to manage prospect information, track pipeline progress, and maintain coordinated communication across teams. Demonstrate comfort adopting new technologies, such as GiveCampus Go, and leveraging data-driven insights to inform relationship strategy and advance fundraising goals.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural, protective, or culturally significant hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

Required Skills

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Five or more years of relevant professional experience in fundraising, advancement, business development, sales, or relationship management within a complex organization.
• Demonstrated success building and sustaining strong relationships with donors, clients, or other key stakeholders.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and collaborate effectively in a team-oriented environment.
• Strategic thinker with strong organizational skills, sound judgment, and a results-oriented approach to portfolio management. Ability and willingness to travel as required.