Job Description

Central Piedmont, an innovative and leading higher education institution, invites nominations and applications for the position of Major Gift Officer (MGO).

About Central Piedmont

Since its beginning, Central Piedmont (the College), located in Charlotte, NC, has been an innovative national leader among two-year institutions. College alumni include a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Metropolitan Opera star, an Olympic gold medalist, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, a television actress, and a pro football player.

Countless others – chefs, healthcare providers, technicians, real estate brokers, paralegals, firefighters, teachers, law enforcement officers, trades people, engineers, dental hygienists, artists and others who serve our community – share Central Piedmont’s proud tradition.

Central Piedmont has provided educational opportunities since 1963; the year the North Carolina General Assembly passed the state community college bill. Central Piedmont has grown from a small college with a single campus and a dozen programs serving 1,600 students. Today, with six campuses and two centers across Mecklenburg County, the college offers nearly 300 degree, diploma, and certificate programs plus an array of non-degree and short-term training offerings. Central Piedmont enrolls nearly 60,000 students annually, making it one of the largest colleges in the Carolinas.

The College also engages between 200,000 to 300,000 individuals each year through various programs, services, events, community clinics, art galleries and performances. Through all of its growth, the College has become Mecklenburg County’s primary workforce development resource.

Currently under the leadership of college president Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont continues to enhance the lives and success of individuals and employers, making Mecklenburg County stronger and more prosperous. The College is proud to be one of the county’s primary and most reliable economic engines and its key workforce development partner. This fall, the College adopted a new strategic plan with a focus on positioning the college to accelerate into the future. The three-year strategic plan, Leading Boldy. Forward Thinking. Future Ready., has set a new tone for how the college will show up in the community, operate internally, and transform for the future.

Since taking the helm in 2017, Dr. Deitemeyer has positioned the college as a strategic partner for employers, civic leaders and community organizations working to shape the region's future. Her leadership is grounded in the belief that a community's long-term success depends on expanding access to education, creating pathways to family-sustaining careers and aligning workforce development with the evolving needs of industry.

Under her leadership, Central Piedmont has:

• nearly tripled the assets of its Foundation from $45 million to more than $120 million,
• increased annual scholarship support from approximately $1 million to more than $5 million,
• invested nearly $400 million in campus infrastructure to build programs that meet the workforce needs in our community, and
• awarded more than 44,000 industry-recognized credentials to its graduates – continuing to fuel the pipeline of talent in the county.

She has also positioned Central Piedmont to expand training capacity and meet the region’s workforce needs while overseeing a financial strategy supporting more than $200 million in active capital projects across the college's six campuses.

Our Vision

To stand as the nation’s most transformative community college—where future-ready talent, bold ideas and economic vitality take shape.

Our Mission

To power the prosperity of our community by igniting exceptional talent, accelerating workforce readiness and preparing students to lead with purpose.

Our Commitments

• Student-Centered - We champion every learner’s potential—designing innovative experiences, supportive environments and responsive systems that ignite growth and ensure student success at every step.
• Opportunity - We believe talent is everywhere. We open doors, elevate capability and expand access so every individual can learn, prosper and contribute to a thriving region.
• Partnership - We collaborate boldly—with colleagues, employers and community partners—to align programs, accelerate workforce opportunity and extend the college’s impact.
• Impact - We act with purpose, agility and accountability—driving meaningful outcomes that transform lives, strengthen the workforce and enrich the communities we serve.

Locations

Central Piedmont has Mecklenburg County covered with six campuses and a variety of other locations

The College offers students a variety of student services across each location. Most general education or core classes may be taken at any campus, while many program curriculum courses are offered only at certain locations. Fully online programs are also offered. In addition to the campuses, Central Piedmont has a strong partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), offering some college classes at CMS high schools.

Academics

Central Piedmont offers nearly 300 programs in 14 career fields with more than 55 professional pathways to get students real-world ready. Several of the programs are available 100% online.

Classes are designed for close-knit learning with a 15:1 average student to teacher ratio. Students learn from faculty with real-world working knowledge and a hands-on, experiential approach, and students can also choose from hundreds of online classes and continuing education programs to get ready for their next step, whatever that may be.

Central Piedmont Community College Foundation

The Central Piedmont Community College Foundation, Inc. was established in 1965 as a nonprofit corporation dedicated exclusively to advancing the mission of Central Piedmont Community College through the receipt and stewardship of gifts, grants, and bequests. The Foundation plays a critical role in enhancing student success and institutional excellence by funding scholarships, instructional and workforce training programs, faculty and staff support, and the acquisition of equipment and technology that strengthen teaching and learning.

Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) was a record-setting year for the Foundation, marked by exceptional fundraising performance and expanded student support. The Foundation provided $5.0 million in scholarships to 2,571 students, representing the largest amount of scholarship assistance awarded in its history. Scholarship support continues to be a key pathway for increasing access, affordability, and student success across the College. In addition, the Foundation established nine new scholarship funds, including five expendable scholarships and four endowed scholarships. These new funds expand opportunities for future students while strengthening the Foundation's long-term resources.

The Foundation received $21.4 million in FY26, the highest annual fundraising total in Foundation history, including years during comprehensive campaigns.

The Foundation's long-term financial position also continued to strengthen. As of fiscal year-end, Foundation net assets totaled $122.3 million, an increase of approximately $80 million over the past decade, nearly tripling from $42.3 million. Likewise, the Foundation's endowment reached $79.3 million, representing growth of approximately $52 million during the past ten years, increasing from $27.1 million and nearly tripling in size.

These results underscore the Foundation's growing capacity to support Central Piedmont's strategic priorities through student scholarships, workforce development, academic program enhancement, and institutional advancement. The Foundation's record fundraising, sustained donor support, and substantial asset growth position it as a powerful partner in expanding educational access and opportunity for the students and communities served by the College.

Central Piedmont at a Glance

• Eight locations throughout Mecklenburg County in Charlotte, North Carolina
• Nearly 300 for-credit programs of study
• More than 55 professional pathways to get students real-world ready
• More than 800 partnerships with companies, allowing for a wide range of workplace internships and apprenticeships
• $5 million in scholarships provided to students annually
• Over $20 million raised in the current fiscal year
• Endowment of over $120 million
• 15:1 student-faculty ratio
• Nearly 60,000 students enrolled annually across all programs
• Nearly 6,500 students across the Career and College Promise program, including more than 1,000 middle and early college high school students
• 40 transfer partnerships with four-year institutions
• Approximately 1,700 students transfer each year to UNC institutions
• More than 700 international students representing 95 countries
• More than 1,400 military veteran students
• First college in the nation to establish training programs with Cummins and Tesla

Major Gift Officer

The Major Gift Officer (MGO) serves as a frontline fundraising professional responsible for securing significant philanthropic investments that advance Central Piedmont's mission and strategic priorities. Through strategic relationship management, donor-centered engagement, and coordinated partnership with institutional leaders, the MGO develops and manages a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, guiding them through a comprehensive cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship process that results in meaningful philanthropic support for the college.

Responsibilities

Donor portfolio management and performance

• Manages a portfolio of current and prospective donors with the capacity to make leadershiplevel and major gifts, and develops individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to increase engagement and philanthropic support.
• Identifies, qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards major gift prospects in support of institutional priorities, campaign initiatives, scholarships, programs, capital needs, and other strategic funding opportunities.
• Conducts substantive donor activity through in-person visits, virtual meetings, calls, written correspondence, and event engagement; establishes measurable performance goals for donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship; and monitors progress toward annual fundraising goals.
• Achieve annual fundraising, donor engagement, and portfolio performance goals, including metrics related to donor visits, solicitations, proposals, commitments secured, and stewardship activities.
• Articulates the case for support with clarity and effectiveness, communicating the college’s mission, priorities, student impact, and funding opportunities in ways that inspire philanthropic investment.

Prospect discovery and pipeline development

• Identify and qualify new major gift prospects through referrals, events, volunteer networks, and stakeholder collaboration, working closely with the Advancement Operations (which includes a prospect researcher) team to obtain and apply research that supports effective prospect strategy and pipeline development.
• Develops donor strategies, proposals, briefing materials, gift illustrations, correspondence, and other materials needed to advance donor relationships and secure commitments.
• Works closely with the Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Chief Philanthropy Officer, President, board members, deans, faculty, and staff to prepare for donor meetings and solicitations, including defining objectives, preparing materials, and coordinating follow-up actions.
• Partners with the Annual Giving function to identify and transition leadership annual giving prospects into major gift portfolios and to ensure a coordinated donor pipeline across giving levels.

Cross-departmental collaboration, stewardship, and impact reporting

• Collaborates with college departments to document donor impact and communicate outcomes that demonstrate the value and effectiveness of philanthropic investments.
• Collaborates with Advancement Operations to ensure accurate prospect management, timely contact reporting, proposal tracking, gift documentation, stewardship activity, and performance reporting.
• Maintains accurate, timely, and complete donor records in the fundraising database and uses donor data, contact history, and performance reporting to inform strategy, evaluate progress, and improve results.
• Supports campaign activity and special fundraising initiatives as assigned, including donor strategy, engagement planning, volunteer support, and preparation of fundraising materials aligned with institutional priorities.
• Collaborates with colleagues on stewardship and recognition opportunities that reflect donor intent, reinforce donor impact, and strengthen long-term institutional relationships.
• Participates in Foundation and college events designed to engage donors, alumni, volunteers, and prospects, and serves as an active and collaborative member of the Institutional Advancement team.

Other

• Performs all duties in an ethical manner and with integrity; maintains confidentiality of sensitive information; exercises sound judgment and discretion in all interactions; and promotes a positive image of the college and Foundation.
• Represents the college at external engagement activities and events as directed by the AVP of Institutional Advancement or CPO with the goal of engaging potential donors and cultivating relationships in the community.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional fundraising experience, including significant experience in major gift fundraising and proven track record of successful major gift fundraising.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Experience in higher education fundraising, campaign fundraising, or a comparable donor/client portfolio environment.
• Experience managing a portfolio of planned giving and major gift prospects.
• Experience with fundraising databases, preferably Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge.
• CFRE certification.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of major gift fundraising strategy, donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and moves management.
• Knowledge of donor communications, proposal development, and prospect strategy.
• Knowledge of ethical fundraising standards, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals code of ethical conduct and the Donor Bill of Rights.
• Skill in building strong, credible, and lasting relationships with donors, volunteers, faculty, staff, and community partners.
• Skill in written and verbal communication, including donor correspondence, proposals, meeting briefs, and related materials.
• Skill in using standard software applications, fundraising databases, and reports to manage activity, track outcomes, and support decision-making.
• Ability to manage multiple prospects and projects simultaneously, prioritize effectively, and work successfully in a deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a coordinated fundraising team.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Ability to work effectively with internal and external constituents from diverse communities with respect and professionalism.

Compensation

Compensation will be commensurate with experience including a competitive base salary and comprehensive benefits package.

Applications, Nominations, and Referrals

To make a nomination, provide a referral, or for additional information, please use the contact information below. While applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed, interested individuals are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible for full consideration. The preferred start date is late 2026.

To apply, please submit a resume and/or vita, and cover letter, to: CentralPiedmontMGO@buffkinbaker.com

Ken Carrick, Partner

704-236-0659

Janny DeLoache, Associate Partner

704-377-7828

Central Piedmont Community College is committed to the principle of equal opportunity for all qualified persons without discrimination against any person by reason of sex, race, color, age, religion, national origin, disability or any other legally protected status. This policy is consistent with relevant governmental statues and regulations, such as Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act, The Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Amendments Act, and The Equal Pay Act.