Director, Major Gifts

Primary Purpose

PRIMARY

PURPOSE:

The Director of Major Gifts leads the Major Gifts program to achieve annual fundraising goals by managing and developing a team of Major Gift Officers (MGOs) and driving day-to-day initiatives that advance the Food Bank’s mission. This role partners closely with the Sr. Director of Philanthropy on strategic planning, oversees MGOs to ensure effective management of their donor portfolios, and actively manages a select portfolio of key donor relationships.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience

Special Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Strategic, collaborative leader and critical thinker with proven ability to inspire teams and build strong relationships across functions
• Ability to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts, including demonstrated success securing six- and seven-figure gifts
• Understanding of the actions required to build and manage a prospect pipeline
• Proven ability to establish, maintain, and strengthen relationships with donors, including familiarity with record-keeping and stewardship systems that support a successful donor relations program
• Ability to organize and prioritize fundraising activities effectively and to guide team members
• Experience with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT(RENXT) or other CRM systems preferred

Experience:

• Seven years in donor management
• Three or more years of supervisory experience, including demonstrated goal-setting, driving accountability and coaching
• Experience building and leading a major giving program and team

• Partner with the Sr. Director of Philanthropy to translate department strategy and annual fundraising goals into actionable Major Gifts plans, team workplans, and timelines, regularly evaluating progress and recommending adjustments
• Develop and implement strategies to grow and diversify major gifts revenue, including identifying, cultivating, and soliciting new high-capacity donors
• Lead, coach, and hold Major Gift Officers accountable for portfolio performance, pipeline health, donor engagement activity, and revenue goals
• Support fundraising plans and donor strategies through metrics, pipeline reviews, and income reports
• Track, analyze, and report on major gifts revenue performance and key fundraising metrics to senior leadership
• Ensure compliance with donor agreements, organizational policies, and ethical fundraising standards while overseeing stewardship activities
• Serve as a key thought partner to the Sr. Director, contributing insights from frontline donor engagement, portfolio performance, and team capacity to inform strategic planning and decision-making
• Collaborate across External Affairs and Programs teams to implement donor engagement strategies aligned with organizational priorities, including planning and executing major donor events and targeted engagement opportunities
• Represent the Food Bank in meetings with donors, community leaders, and key stakeholders to strengthen relationships and advance fundraising objectives
• Promote a collaborative, high-performance team culture focused on learning, accountability, and results
• Stay informed on philanthropic, economic, and community trends related to the Food Bank
• Perform other tasks and duties as assigned

• Lead a team of 5 direct reports

• Adapt effectively to workplace stressors, including customer concerns, compliance issues, meeting deadlines and competing priorities of significance to the team’s success
• Analyze and interpret data to make informed decisions that can significantly impact the team and organization

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.