Description

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 30 countries around the world, we partner locally to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Department Summary
The mission of the Philanthropic Growth and Engagement Department (PG&E) is to advance the organization’s strategic goals and support our worldwide team by raising flexible funding, organizational visibility and influence. PG&E encompasses several dozen dynamic professionals who possess a wide range of skills. We are gift officers, direct response fundraisers, web developers, marketers and media relations strategists. We are database managers, digital specialists, creative designers, storytellers and teachers. Most of all, we are passionate about Mercy Corps’ mission and believe a better world is possible.

General Position Summary

This Gift Officer reports to the Director of Major Gifts and is a member of the Major Gifts team, which sits within the High Impact Philanthropy team. The Major Gift team plays a critical role in securing flexible, unrestricted funding to support Mercy Corps’ global programs. This role is responsible for expanding private donor support by cultivating, engaging, and soliciting high-net-worth individuals based in the United States. 

The Gift Officer is a dynamic frontline fundraiser drives revenue growth by managing a portfolio of donors and prospects giving between $10,000 and $100,000. Geographically positioned in the United States, the Gift Officer serves as the relationship manager for a well-blended portfolio of current supporters and new prospects. While the primary focus is retaining and upgrading current supporters through strategic, high-touch relationship building and engagement opportunities, the role also requires engaging prospective donors who show interest in Mercy Corps, coming to us through events, Board and key donor introductions. The Gift Officer also collaborates with colleagues across PG&E t to grow the donor pipeline and increase revenue across the region. Approximately 25% of the portfolio will be focused on new donor acquisition.

This role requires a strong ability to articulate Mercy Corps’ global mission and build a compelling case for unrestricted giving. The Gift Officer should have knowledge of and be willing to quickly learn and discuss a variety of giving vehicles and be comfortable engaging with a broad spectrum of donors and through a wide range of communication tools.

Essential Job Responsibilities

FUNDRAISING

•          Lead and manage a regional portfolio of 100-135 individuals capable of giving between $10,000 and $100,000.

•          Cultivate, solicit and steward portfolio donors with a focus on flexible and unrestricted funding.

•          Cultivate and solicit prospective donors to first gift, stewarding these donors toward increased and sustained giving, meeting identified KPIs.

•          Deepen donor engagement and increase giving through exceptional relationship management and compelling cases for support.

•          Partner with the Director of Major Gifts on proactive prospect discovery, utilizing network mapping, research, engagements, and executive travel to grow the major gift pipeline within the Western United States.  

•          Working with the Director of Major Gifts, set annual goals and develop personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for assigned donors. Prioritize highly personalized touch points, including face-to-face meetings, tailored communications and programmatic engagement with Mercy Corps field teams.

•          Stay abreast of Mercy Corps’ priorities and mission, as well as key issues and trends in the international aid and development community and effectively communicate these to donors and prospects.

• Lead and collaborate with an assigned Account Manager to strategize, accurately track, and measure progress toward financial goals and other KPIs.

Accountability to program participants

●        Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

●        Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.

●        Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.

●        Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director, Major Gifts

Works Directly With: All members of the High Impact Philanthropy and PG&E teams.

Skills and Experience

●        4+ years of experience in major gifts or private fundraising, with a strong track record of soliciting 5- and 6- figure gifts.

●        Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

●        Demonstrated ability to develop and implement targeted donor strategies in collaboration with colleagues, program staff, and team leadership.

●        Demonstrated success in relationship building, donor engagement, and upgrading gifts.

●        Passion for Mercy Corps’ mission, with a solid understanding of international development and humanitarian work. Experience in a global organization is a plus.

●        Excellent communication and presentation skills.

●        Strong interpersonal skills—empathetic, humble, confident, and persuasive.

●        Excellent organizational skills, with sharp attention to detail and processes.

●        Results-driven, highly organized, and able to manage multiple priorities.

●        Comfortable using CRMs and databases, particularly NXT.

●        Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Success Factors

Success in this role relies on strong interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build trust with high-net-worth individuals. The Gift Officer must be a confident communicator and a thoughtful listener, able to craft compelling narratives and foster deep, long-term relationships. A collaborative spirit, adaptability, and a strategic mindset are key to navigating diverse donor interests and driving meaningful engagement across the region.

We’re seeking someone who is a creative, expansive thinker – someone who brings to the role and organization established skills and a desire and ability to think outside the box. And someone who is eager to be part of and positively contributes to a cohesive, supportive team – stepping up and leaning in to achieving team goals and KPIs, in addition to individual ones.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position will be remote in the US.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision.  Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

Ongoing Learning 

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Team Efficiency and Effectiveness

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out different backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).