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Major Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Major Gifts Officer

Redwood City, CA ยท On-site

$88K - $114K/yr

Position Summary The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) is a highly autonomous fundraising professional responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major, principal, and planned gifts ...

Major Gifts Officer

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site

$110K - $138K/yr

Job Overview The Major Gifts Officer plans, directs, and implements programmatic, capital, and endowment fundraising. Exercises considerable judgment in the management and development of fundraising ...

Major Gifts Director

Bellflower, CA ยท On-site

$80 - $105/hr

Develop and implement an annual major gifts strategy in partnership with the Senior Director of Individual Giving, establishing fundraising goals, revenue projections, timelines, performance metrics ...

New

Major Gifts Officer

Los Angeles, CA ยท Hybrid

$110K - $120K/yr

Major Gifts Officer REPORTS TO: Director of Development SUPERVISION EXERCISED: None LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA Grade/Class: Grade G, Exempt, PSA Eligible About the Organization ADL is the leading anti ...

Major Gifts Officer

Palm Desert, CA ยท On-site

$125K/yr

The Major Gifts Officer plays a pivotal role in advancing The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens' mission of desert conservation through preservation, education, and appreciation. Reporting to the Senior ...

Major Gifts Officer

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$121K - $152K/yr

Major Gifts Officer (Director of Individual Giving) Temporary Schedule Format - Location: Hybrid - San Francisco Pay Information: $121,600 - $152,000 At a time when philanthropic support has never ...

Manager Major Gifts

Redwood City, CA ยท On-site

$41.29 - $61.41/hr

One California Job Summary and Responsibilities As our Manager Major Gifts, you will serve as a key member of the Foundation development staff, responsible for growing and maintaining a comprehensive ...

Major Account Manager

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$280K - $325K/yr

In this key role, you will manage and drive direct sales into Major Enterprise Accounts. Create and implement strategic account plans focused on attaining enterprise-wide deployments of Fortinet ...

Job Summary and Responsibilities As our Manager Major Gifts, you will serve as a key member of the Foundation development staff, responsible for growing and maintaining a comprehensive major gifts ...

Major Gifts Officer

Claremont, CA ยท On-site

$71K - $92K/yr

Major Gifts Officer PRIMARY PURPOSE/GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Major Gift Officer is a frontline fundraising professional responsible for securing significant philanthropic support from alumnae ...

Major Gifts Officer

Claremont, CA

$71K - $92K/yr

Major Gifts Officer PRIMARY PURPOSE/GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Major Gift Officer is a frontline fundraising professional responsible for securing significant philanthropic support from alumnae ...

Major Gifts Officer (Director of Individual Giving) Temporary Schedule Format - Location: Hybrid - San Francisco Pay Information: $121,600 - $152,000 At a time when philanthropic support has never ...

Major Gifts Officer

Santa Barbara, CA ยท On-site

$38.50/hr

The Santa Barbara Zoo is hiring a Major Gifts Officer to lead major gift fundraising efforts that support conservation, education, and the Zoo's strategic priorities. Position Status: Full-Time, ...

$96K - $159K/yr

Day Shift Description: "Lead major gift strategy within a nationally recognized academic health system." About the Role The Director, Major Gifts serves as a senior representative of Loyola Medicine ...

Major Gifts Officer

Sacramento, CA ยท On-site

$83K - $90K/yr

Familiarity with major gifts programs and public media fundraising, in addition to NPR and CapRadio's local news and music offerings, is highly desirable. If this sounds like you, then you should ...

Major Gifts Officer

Santa Barbara, CA ยท On-site

$38.50/hr

Major Gifts Portfolio Management * Manage a portfolio of individual major gift prospects and donors, with emphasis on securing gifts of $10,000+ * Conduct prospect research, including producing donor ...

Showing results 21-40

Major information

See California salary details

$19.6K

$72.4K

$154.2K

How much do major jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average yearly pay for major in California is $72,423.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $42,106.00 and $89,599.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a major?

Majors are mid-level commissioned officers in the military, typically ranking above Captain and below Lieutenant Colonel. They play a key role in tactical planning, staff leadership, and managing personnel within their units. Majors often serve as executive officers for battalions or as primary staff officers in charge of operations, intelligence, or logistics. Their responsibilities blend both leadership and administrative duties, making them essential to the effective functioning of military organizations.

What are some typical leadership challenges faced by a major in the military, and how are they addressed?

Majors often lead at the company or battalion staff level, managing teams with diverse backgrounds and responsibilities. Common challenges include balancing administrative duties with mission execution, ensuring effective communication across different ranks, and mentoring junior officers while supporting senior leadership. These challenges are addressed through ongoing leadership training, clear delegation, and fostering a collaborative environment that values feedback and professional development. Success as a Major often hinges on adaptability and strong interpersonal skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a major, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Major in the military, you need strong leadership abilities, operational planning expertise, and a thorough understanding of military tactics, usually supported by prior officer experience and advanced military education. Familiarity with command and control systems, strategic planning tools, and often completion of courses such as the Command and General Staff College are typical requirements. Outstanding decision-making, communication, and team-building skills set exceptional Majors apart. These skills are crucial for effectively leading units, executing missions, and ensuring organizational success under challenging conditions.

What is the difference between Major vs Paralegal?

AspectMajorParalegal
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in any field, often with a focus on pre-law or related courseworkAssociate's degree or paralegal certificate
Work EnvironmentTypically in academic settings, research institutions, or as part of legal studies programsLaw firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies
Industry UsageUsed in education, research, and some legal-related fieldsCommonly employed in legal services, assisting attorneys
Common Search/ComparisonMajor vs Paralegal

The main difference between a Major and a Paralegal is that a Major refers to a field of academic study, often in college or university, while a Paralegal is a trained legal professional who assists attorneys. A Major provides foundational knowledge, whereas a Paralegal applies specific legal skills in a work environment. Both roles are connected to the legal industry but serve different purposes and require different credentials.

What cities in California are hiring for Major jobs?

Cities in California with the most Major job openings:

Infographic showing various Major job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 85% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $72,423 per year, or $34.8 per hour.

Major Gifts Officer

Pets In Need

Redwood City, CA โ€ข On-site

$88K - $114K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 5 days ago


Job description

Mission and Vision Statement:
Pets in Needs mission is to provide animals with loving care and lasting homes, to partner with communities striving to do the same, and to advance our no-kill legacy. Our mission is for animals to live in welcoming communities where they and their human companions are treated with care and compassion.
Position Summary
The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) is a highly autonomous fundraising professional responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major, principal, and planned gifts in support of Pets In Need's mission and long-term sustainability. This relationship-driven role requires exceptional communication, strategic thinking, and interpersonal skills to build meaningful partnerships with individual philanthropists, family foundations, corporate partners, and community leaders.
Reporting to the Director of Development and Marketing, the MGO will develop and execute individualized engagement strategies that align donor interests with organizational priorities, secure transformational philanthropic investments, and strengthen Pets In Need's major gifts, principal gifts, and planned giving program. The MGO will work collaboratively with the Director of Development and Marketing, additional members of the Leadership Team, and program staff to identify funding opportunities, deepen donor engagement, and advance the organization's strategic fundraising goals.
Key responsibilities include:
โ€ข Develop, manage, and grow a portfolio of major, principal, planned giving, and future comprehensive campaign prospects.
โ€ข Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospective donors through all stages of the donor lifecycle using individualized engagement strategies.
โ€ข Secure transformational philanthropic investments, including five, six, and seven figure major gifts, principal gifts, planned gifts, and future comprehensive campaign commitments.
โ€ข Partner with the Director of Development and Marketing to strengthen Pets In Need's annual giving program by identifying opportunities to deepen donor engagement and inspire increased philanthropic investment.
โ€ข Build and maintain meaningful, long-term relationships with donors, prospects, volunteers, community leaders, and strategic partners.
โ€ข Collaborate with the Director of Development and Marketing to develop annual fundraising strategies, campaign priorities, and long-term philanthropic initiatives that advance Pets In Need's mission.
Individual Giving
Manage a dynamic portfolio of individual donors and prospects through the full continuum of relationship building, including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and renewal. Conduct regular discovery visits and personalized donor meetings to align philanthropic interests with organizational priorities while documenting engagement strategies, next steps, and fundraising outcomes in Salesforce. Support annual giving initiatives by helping identify upgrade opportunities, deepen donor engagement, and cultivate future major gift prospects.
Planned Giving & Capital Campaigns
Develop and grow Pets In Need's planned giving program by identifying legacy giving opportunities, educating prospective donors on charitable estate planning options, and stewarding legacy commitments. Support the planning and execution of a future comprehensive campaign through prospect identification, campaign strategy development, donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
External Relations & Donor Communications
Represent Pets In Need with donors, prospective supporters, volunteers, foundations, corporations, and community leaders to build awareness, strengthen relationships, and inspire philanthropic investment. Prepare compelling donor proposals, presentations, gift agreements, stewardship reports, and donor communications. Coordinate donor meetings, site visits, and engagement opportunities with the Director of Development and Marketing and members of the Leadership Team.
Cross Functional Collaboration & Project Leadership
Serve as the lead relationship manager for major, principal, planned giving, and comprehensive campaign opportunities by partnering across departments to identify meaningful funding priorities and develop compelling cases for support. Collaborate with Leadership Team members and program experts to translate organizational priorities into philanthropic opportunities while maintaining a strong understanding of fundraising best practices, charitable giving vehicles, and legal and regulatory considerations affecting philanthropy.
Contribute to the success of the Development and Marketing Department by supporting organization wide fundraising initiatives, special events, donor stewardship activities, and strategic projects as needed. Demonstrate flexibility and a collaborative mindset by assisting with department priorities that advance Pets In Need's overall fundraising and engagement goals.
Job Requirements:
โ€ข Bachelor's degree in a related field
โ€ข 3-5 years direct experience in Development and Fundraising
โ€ข Excellent leadership, interpersonal and communication skills.
โ€ข High level of integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to the organization's mission and a desire to make a significant impact on the organization's growth.
Experience in animal welfare, healthcare, higher education, or another mission-driven organization with complex programs and diverse stakeholder engagement is highly desirable.
Working Conditions
Primarily office based with time spent traveling between shelter locations and donor locations.
Salary Range:
If you are interested in this role you can find additional information on the Major Gifts Officer role on our website or reach out to hr@petsinneed.org. Target range is $85,000 to $100,000 depending upon experience.
Pets In Need is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an environment of dignity and respect for all our employees, patients, and families. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran
status.
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and may be modified to meet the evolving needs of the organization.