Director of Major Gifts

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Develop and oversee an expanding portfolio of major and leadership gift donors and potential supporters.

• Proactively reach out to CIEE alumni and individuals with high-net-worth.

• Advance promising connections from initial engagement to significant next steps and solicitations.

• Cultivate existing donors and identify new prospects from CIEE's constituencies.

• Design personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.

• Secure substantial gifts and progress donors toward major-gift contributions.

• Utilize the 80th anniversary and matching-gift opportunity to enhance engagement and contributions.

• Prepare donor strategies, briefing documents, correspondence, proposals, and related materials.

• Collaborate with philanthropy leadership, executives, program leaders, alumni, board members, and other stakeholders.

• Employ wealth screening, donor data, institutional insights, and research resources to assess prospects.

• Suggest strategic travel plans for engaging with donors.

• Maintain donor records, contact reports, action items, gift opportunities, and revenue projections in Salesforce.

• Work in tandem with annual giving and alumni engagement teams on outreach and prospect transitions.

• Establish and enhance qualification, portfolio management, moves management, stewardship, travel, and donor engagement practices.

• Identify opportunities in planned giving, family foundations, donor-advised funds, corporate giving, and more.

• Foster a collaborative fundraising culture and team-oriented relationship strategy.

⛳️ Requirements

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

• Seven to ten years of progressively responsible fundraising experience is preferred, particularly with significant individual giving.

• Demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting, and securing major gifts, including five- and six-figure commitments.

• Experience in initiating and nurturing donor relationships through proactive outreach.

• Proven ability to build or significantly expand a donor portfolio.

• Strong judgment in donor qualification, strategy development, solicitation timing, and partner engagement.

• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

• Capability to engage high-net-worth individuals and navigate complex relationships effectively.

• Ability to thrive in a team-oriented environment.

• Strong organizational skills and disciplined follow-through.

• Comfort in working toward activity, pipeline, and revenue targets.

• Familiarity with fundraising CRM systems; Salesforce is strongly preferred.

• Proficient in using donor data, wealth screening results, and qualitative information to prioritize outreach efforts.

• An entrepreneurial and practical approach to system building and improving outcomes.

• Genuine interest in international education, cultural exchange, and CIEE's mission.

• Ability to work effectively across cultures and with individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• Commitment to CIEE's Core Values: Excellence, Integrity, Respect, Inclusion, and Problem Solving.

• Background check, reference check, and verification of education and employment are required as conditions of employment.

🏝️ Benefits

• Paid time off and parental leave.

• Gym reimbursement program.

• Employee assistance program.

• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.

• 6 floating Fridays (according to eligibility rules).

• Discounts on the CIEE Study Abroad Program.

• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer contributions.

• Comprehensive insurance coverage (life, travel, medical, dental, and vision).

• Flexible spending accounts/health savings accounts (medical and dependent).

• Voluntary benefits (identity theft protection, pet insurance, accident, and critical illness coverage).

• Competitive total rewards package for U.S. employees.