Major Gifts Officer

The Position

Dream Centers is seeking a gifted, relational, and mission-driven leader to guide the Big Dream Early Learning capital campaign. This person will help carry a bold and beautiful vision for an emerging Dream Centers initiative designed to meet children and families at a critical moment with trauma-healing, relationship-centered early learning and support.

This is not simply a fundraising role. It is a vision-bearing role. The Major Gifts Officer will manage the campaign strategy, coordinate existing campaign committees and subcommittees, cultivate major donors, and help invite the Colorado Springs philanthropic community into the dream.

The right person for this role will know how to tell the story, build trust, follow through with excellence, and help donors see that their generosity can change the trajectory of a child’s life and strengthen a family’s ability to carry forward with stability, skill, and connection.

The ideal candidate will be deeply connected in the Colorado Springs philanthropic community and will bring established relationships, credibility, and trust with local donors, foundations, business leaders, churches, civic partners, and community champions.

Responsibilities

Campaign Leadership and Strategy

• As part of the Dream Center’s Executive Leadership team, lead the planning, coordination, execution, and management of the Big Dream Early Learning capital campaign.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive campaign plan, including goals, timelines, donor segments, cultivation strategies, solicitation plans, stewardship practices, and committee engagement rhythms.
• Work closely with Dream Centers leadership to clarify campaign priorities, funding needs, messaging, and donor engagement opportunities.
• Track campaign progress against goals and provide regular updates to executive leadership, the board, campaign committees and subcommittees, and other key stakeholders.
• Identify potential risks, gaps, or opportunities in the campaign and recommend adjustments as needed.

Steering Committee and Subcommittee Management

• Manage and support the existing campaign committees and subcommittees.
• Ensure committee members are clear on goals, roles, timelines, assignments, and next steps.
• Coordinate committee meetings, agendas, materials, follow-up items, donor assignments, and accountability rhythms.
• Help keep campaign leaders engaged, informed, encouraged, and moving together toward shared goals.
• Serve as a central point of coordination between Dream Centers staff, committee members, subcommittee chairs, and organizational leadership.
• Create a culture of momentum, clarity, ownership, and relational trust across the campaign structure.

Colorado Springs Philanthropic Engagement

• Bring deep knowledge of and connection to the Colorado Springs philanthropic community.
• Identify, cultivate, and engage local donors, foundations, businesses, churches, civic leaders, and community partners who may be aligned with the vision of Big Dream Early Learning.
• Open doors, build bridges, and strengthen relationships between Dream Centers and key philanthropic networks in the region.
• Represent Dream Centers with warmth, credibility, professionalism, and deep alignment with the mission.
• Understand the local giving landscape and help shape strategies that are relationally wise, community-centered, and effective.

Major Donor Cultivation and Solicitation

• Build and manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, including individuals, families, foundations, churches, businesses, and community partners.
• Create personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for key donors.
• Prepare donor briefings, proposals, campaign materials, pledge requests, and follow-up communications.
• Support the CEO, executive leadership, board members, committee members, and subcommittee leaders in donor meetings and asks.
• Ensure every donor interaction is thoughtful, timely, relational, and aligned with the heart of Dream Centers.

Storytelling and Campaign Communication

• Tell the story of Big Dream Early Learning in a way that connects the innovative science of this groundbreaking program with the lived experience and currently unmet needs of children and families.
• Translate complex needs into simple, compelling opportunities for generosity.
• Protect the dignity of children and families in all storytelling.

Donor Stewardship and Campaign Operations

• Develop and manage a strong stewardship plan for campaign donors, including gift acknowledgments, impact updates, recognition opportunities, and personal follow-up.
• Maintain accurate donor records, contact reports, pledge documentation, committee assignments, and campaign tracking systems.
• Coordinate with finance and operations teams to ensure gifts, pledges, restrictions, and reports are handled with excellence.
• Prepare regular campaign dashboards and progress reports.
• Ensure campaign activity is organized, confidential, and donor-centered.

Qualifications

Character and Calling

• Strong alignment with Dream Centers’ Christian mission and a desire to serve children, families, and vulnerable communities.
• Ability to lead with both clarity and care in a mission-driven environment
• Passion for children, families, healing, prevention, and community transformation.
• A deep belief that children deserve safety, belonging, and the freedom to dream.

Competency and Experience

• 7+  years of experience in fundraising, advancement, major gifts, capital campaigns, nonprofit leadership, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated success cultivating and soliciting major gifts.
• Deep relationships and credibility within the Colorado Springs philanthropic community.
• Strong understanding of local donor networks, foundations, civic leadership, business philanthropy, churches, and community partnerships.
• Experience managing committees, volunteer leaders, campaign cabinets, or similar leadership groups.
• Excellent relational instincts and the ability to build trust with donors, board members, volunteers, staff, and community partners.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tell a compelling story and make a clear invitation.
• High emotional intelligence, discretion, and follow-through.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to move many pieces forward without losing sight of people.

Preferred Experience

• Experience supporting or leading a capital campaign.
• Established relationships with local donors, foundations, churches, business leaders, civic partners, and community champions.
• Experience in nonprofit, ministry, or mission-driven environments.

Compensation

• $100,000-$110,000 based upon education and experience

Working Relationship

This role will work closely with the CEO, executive leadership team, board of directors, Big Dream Early Learning Steering Committee, campaign subcommittees, development staff, communications team, and key external partners.

The Major Gifts Officer will serve as a central driver of campaign momentum, helping ensure that strategy, relationships, committee leadership, communication, and follow-through are all moving together toward the same dream.

Additional Details:

• Location: Colorado Springs, CO
• Role type, schedule, salary, and benefits to be confirmed by Dream Centers leadership.