Principal Gifts Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

United Way of Greater Atlanta (UWGA) is in the midst of transformational change and is embarking on new and different ways to raise and earn revenue so that it can accelerate and scale its mission to drive sustainable and equitable improvements in the well-being of children, families, and individuals in greater Atlanta. The mission remains the same: To bring together people and resources to drive sustainable and equitable improvements in the well-being of half a million lives across Greater Atlanta. The value proposition is to Unite Greater Atlanta to create, amplify and accelerate solutions that promote child well-being by addressing our communities’ most complex social challenges.

These solutions and the backbone behind them are all in service of the organization’s bold growth ambition: Triple unrestricted revenue by 2029 to be the best-in-class investor in child well-being in Greater Atlanta, ultimately eliminating the barriers of one’s zip code as a hindrance to future success. This transformation will unleash the next generation of UWGA, putting UWGA on a growth pathway that will significantly amplify its impact by increasing its investment in solutions that can make a lasting difference for Child Well-Being in Greater Atlanta.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Major Gifts team plays a vital role in fostering meaningful philanthropic connections across our community. At United Way of Greater Atlanta, we are committed to sharing validated, data-driven insights that demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of our mission to improve child well-being. As ambassadors of this mission, our Major Gifts team leads with purpose—building trusted relationships with donors, aligning their passions with our work, and offering compelling reasons to invest in lasting change. While we are proud to be leaders in major and transformational giving, we recognize that successful fundraising is a shared responsibility. Every member of our organization contributes to creating the conditions that inspire generosity and ensure accountability to our donors. We are servant leaders who hold ourselves—and one another—to the highest standards, driven by a personal commitment to excellence and a deep dedication to the children and families we serve.

JOB SUMMARY

The Principal Gifts Officer (PGO) is a key member of the United Way of Greater Atlanta’s Office of Development. The PGO is a senior leader in major, transformational and planned giving for the Office of Development and entire organization. This position will adhere to internal policies and best practices related to Major Gift and Multi-Year giving portfolio management and fundraising. This requires a senior level fundraising professional who will collaborate with the President's Cabinet, the Board of Directors, multiple Development Teams and other UWGA staff. The PGO brings deep expertise in donor engagement, stewardship, and strategic relationship-building to advance the organization’s philanthropic goals.

• Strategy and Implementation: Provide direction, planning, and implementation of strategies to drive proposal and gift growth for high-net-worth individuals, family foundations, planned giving donors, new markets and donors. 

• Portfolio Management: Build and manage a portfolio of 50-80 high net worth donors, family foundations, and other organizational prospects. Responsibilities include identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donor prospects in a dynamic, fast-paced fundraising environment. 

• Collaboration: Work closely with colleagues across departments, volunteers, boards, community leaders, and others. Must be collaborative, profe