Senior Director, Individual Giving

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

📋 Description

• Design and implement a comprehensive individual giving strategy that includes major gifts, mid-level giving, planned giving, and annual contributions to achieve and surpass annual and multi-year revenue objectives.

• Oversee a personal portfolio of 75–125 major gift donors and prospects, concentrating on securing five- and six-figure donations; create and execute tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for each relationship.

• Identify, qualify, and develop a strong pipeline of new major gift prospects through prospect research, wealth screening, referrals from board members and leadership, and participation in events.

• Establish and launch a planned giving program that involves donor identification, cultivation strategies, and recognition; promote options such as bequests, charitable gift annuities, donor-advised funds (DAFs), stock donations, and estate gifts.

• Collaborate with the Chief Development Officer to engage senior leadership and board members as partners in fundraising; prepare briefings, talking points, and meeting preparations for executive donor interactions.

• Develop and execute personalized stewardship plans to enhance donor engagement, recognition, and loyalty, including impact reports, personal communications, cultivation events, and updates on program sites.

• Work in conjunction with the marketing team on individual donor communications, appeals, and campaigns (including digital, direct mail, and year-end) to bolster acquisition and retention across various giving levels.

• Maintain detailed records of donor interactions, proposals, and gift activities within the CRM (Salesforce); generate regular reports on portfolio metrics, revenue forecasts, and pipeline conditions.

• Provide periodic updates to the CDO regarding proposal statuses, portfolio activities, and individual giving revenue projections. Identify potential shortfalls and proactively devise contingency plans and adjustments in partnership with the CDO.

• Collaborate with program teams to create compelling cases for support, impact narratives, and funding opportunities that align with donor interests.

• Lead a team of direct and indirect reports, fostering their development to reach their full potential. This includes setting clear priorities and expectations, coaching and mentoring to enhance skills, and closely monitoring progress towards goals.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 12+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising with a strong emphasis on individual giving, major gifts, and/or planned giving.

• Proven success in personally identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and closing five- and six-figure gifts from individual donors.

• At least five years of experience in leading and managing a team, demonstrating a commitment to developing others and achieving successful outcomes with direct reports.

• Experience managing and expanding a portfolio of 75+ major gift donors and prospects, with a proven track record of meeting or exceeding annual revenue goals.

• Experience in developing or significantly contributing to a planned giving/legacy giving program, including knowledge of common gift vehicles (bequests, DAFs, charitable gift annuities, stock gifts, IRAs, trusts).

• Results-driven, entrepreneurial, and exceptionally organized, with the ability to juggle multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work with a high level of initiative and accountability.

• Excellent relationship-building abilities; capability to engage persuasively and authentically with high-net-worth individuals, board members, and senior executives.

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to convey complex global health and development work into engaging donor narratives.

• Proficiency with CRM systems (Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, DonorPerfect, or similar) for managing portfolios, reporting, and tracking pipelines.

• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 20–25% of the time for donor meetings, cultivation events, and visits to program sites.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement savings plan with employer matching contributions.

• Opportunities for professional development and continuing education.

• Flexible work hours and remote work options.