Definition of Classification:

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Advancement, the Director of Major Gifts is a critical leadership role responsible for the strategic oversight, development, and execution of the university’s major gifts program. This position plays a key role in cultivating a culture of philanthropy, building long-term donor relationships, and aligning major giving efforts with institutional priorities.

The Director will lead a team of Major Gift Officers, providing strategic direction, mentorship, and performance management, while personally managing a portfolio of high-capacity prospects. This individual will work closely with university leadership, deans, faculty, and Advancement colleagues to identify funding opportunities, craft compelling cases for support, and secure transformative gifts of $50,000 and above.

The Director of Major Gifts will help elevate the university’s philanthropic capacity by fostering a metrics-driven, relationship-focused approach and ensuring an integrated strategy in collaboration with the offices of Planned Giving, Donor Relations, Prospect Management, and Advancement Communications.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Design and implement a comprehensive major gifts strategy aligned with the university’s mission, strategic plan, and fundraising goals.

Evaluate and enhance the existing major gifts structure, leading a cultural shift toward a high-performance, donor-centric model.

Establish and manage clear performance metrics and accountability systems for the Major Gifts team, in collaboration with Advancement leadership.

Lead the recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing development of major gift officers, ensuring staff are equipped with the skills, tools, and support to succeed.

Manage a personal portfolio of 80–100 major gift prospects with the capacity to make gifts of $50,000+, cultivating relationships that lead to strategic solicitations and long-term engagement.

Design and execute customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for prospects at all stages of the donor lifecycle.

Collaborate with internal partners including the President, Vice President for Advancement, deans, faculty, and board members to identify funding priorities and co-create compelling philanthropic opportunities.

Serve as lead strategist for solicitations involving senior leaders and principal gift prospects when appropriate.

Work closely with the Director of Planned Giving to develop blended gift strategies and provide integrated donor experiences.

Collaborate with the Senior Director of Prospect Management and Operations to ensure effective portfolio assignment, prospect tracking, and donor pipeline development.

Coordinate with Donor Relations and Communications teams to deliver consistent and meaningful stewardship experiences for major gift donors.

Engage academic and administrative leaders in fundraising initiatives by facilitating training, briefings, and proposal development.

Oversee the preparation of donor proposals, case materials, briefing documents, and impact reports tailored to donor interests and university priorities.

Ensure timely and accurate tracking of prospect activity, contact reports, and solicitations in the university’s CRM (Slate for Advancement).

Represent the Advancement division at key university events including Homecoming, Alumni Weekend, Commencement, and other community engagement opportunities.

Participate actively on the Advancement leadership team and contribute to division-wide strategic initiatives.

Other duties as assigned Qualification Guidelines

Any combination equivalent to, but not limited to, the following:

Experience/Training/Education:

Required:

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

Minimum of eight (8) years of progressive experience in institutional advancement, with a strong track record of securing major gifts of $50,000 or more.

Demonstrated success in managing a personal portfolio of donors and closing complex philanthropic gifts.

Minimum three (3) years of experience in supervising fundraisers or managing high-functioning teams within a fundraising context.

Preferred:

Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, public relations, communications, or a related field; master’s degree or CFRE certification is desirable.

Experience in higher education advancement, or a similarly complex nonprofit organization with a broad donor base and capital campaign initiatives.

Proven ability to lead and inspire teams, drive performance, and implement structures that support accountability and growth.

Familiarity with fundraising across the giving spectrum, including planned giving, principal gifts, annual giving, and campaign planning.

Experience using donor CRMs such as Slate for Advancement, Ellucian Colleague, or Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT.

Knowledge and Skills:

Deep understanding of fundraising principles, particularly around major gifts, donor motivation, philanthropic strategy, and engagement pipelines.

Exceptional interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence; able to cultivate trust and rapport with donors, leadership, faculty, and colleagues.

Superior communication skills with demonstrated ability to prepare persuasive proposals and articulate complex university priorities.

Strategic thinking, creativity, and sound judgment in analyzing donor interests and matching them with institutional priorities.

Strong project management skills with attention to detail, organizational planning, and ability to balance multiple high-level priorities.

Knowledge of IRS charitable giving regulations and understanding of giving vehicles such as donor-advised funds, charitable trusts, and gifts of stock or real estate.

Familiarity with donor journey mapping and stewardship planning best practices.

Experience working collaboratively with senior academic and administrative leaders on high-level solicitations.

Strong analytical and data literacy skills, with the ability to use reports and dashboards to inform decisions.

Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and community engagement, with sensitivity to working across cultural and economic backgrounds.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions:

Working Conditions:

Standard office and field setting. Duties performed are primarily in an office environment while sitting at a desk or computer workstation or in meetings. At least minimal environmental controls to assure health and comfort.

Physical Demands:

Incumbents regularly sit for long periods; walk short distances on a regular basis; travel to various locations to attend meetings and conduct work; use hands and fingers to operate an electronic keyboard or other office machines; reach with hands and arms; stoop or kneel or crouch to file; speak clearly and distinctly to answer telephones and to provide information; see to read fine print and operate computer; hear and understand voices over telephone and in person; and lift, carry and/or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds.