What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Director, Major Gifts position at Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy?

Job description

Company Background :

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) is the country’s largest patient organization focused exclusively on Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. Through comprehensive Advocacy, Care, Education, Research programs and the largest global Duchenne patient registry, PPMD accelerates research, impacts local and federal policy, demands optimal care for all families, and strives to ensure access to approved therapies.

For more information, visit www.parentprojectmd.org.

Position Summary :

The Senior Director, Major Gifts plays a critical role in advancing PPMD’s mission by leading efforts to identify, cultivate, and secure major gifts, building meaningful relationships with donors, industry partners, and foundations to support the organization’s priorities. This position is central to PPMD’s fundraising strategy, with a primary focus on major donor development and stewardship, ensuring sustainable revenue growth and deepened donor engagement.

In addition to major gift fundraising, the Major Gifts Officer will support newly expanding programs, including PPMD’s Dystrophinopathy Clinical Research Network (DCRN) and the Venture Pathways program, by aligning donor interests with these innovative initiatives.

The Major Gifts Officer also contributes to securing foundation and corporate funding and supporting key campaigns like the organization’s Year End, sustaining and other cyclical fundraising efforts. This role requires collaboration across teams, including senior leadership, the Board of Directors, and program teams to develop compelling cases for support and execute high-impact donor strategies.

As a highly visible representative of PPMD, the Major Gifts Officer is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with major donors, prospects, and stakeholders through strategic engagement, personalized communications, and in-person meetings. They will develop and execute a comprehensive major gifts strategy, identifying new prospects, cultivating donor relationships, and ensuring alignment with PPMD’s fundraising goals. The role requires active participation in donor meetings, networking events, and organizational initiatives while maintaining professionalism, confidentiality, and a strong commitment to the organization’s mission.

Responsibilities :

Major Donor Development

Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy to cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors, ensuring consistent growth in revenue from this critical donor segment.
Build and manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, creating personalized engagement plans tailored to individual interests, motivations, and giving capacities.
Collaborate with the VP, Development & Community Engagement, to set annual major gift campaign objectives, including diversification and expansion of the donor base.
Engage with families interested in specific projects and unmet funding needs to support an active research pipeline for as many genetic variants as possible.
Conduct regular outreach and maintain meaningful, year-round communication with major donors to strengthen relationships and inspire continued giving.
Plan and execute high-touch donor cultivation and stewardship activities, including in-person visits, events, and virtual engagements.
Partner with the Board of Directors and senior leadership to leverage their networks and influence for donor cultivation and solicitation efforts.

Donor Stewardship and Recognition

Work closely with the Development team to align strategies, goals, and priorities for donor cultivation and stewardship.

Create and maintain consistent communication plans for donors at all levels to improve and enhance organizational support.

Maintain a high standard of personalized donor engagement to increase retention and inspire upgrades in giving levels.

Oversee the donor recognition process, ensuring timely and meaningful acknowledgment of contributions to maintain donor satisfaction and loyalty.

Develop and deliver reports, updates, and program-related communications that demonstrate the impact of donor support.

Partner with Communications colleagues to develop high-quality materials for donor outreach, proposals, and updates.

Foundation and Corporate Giving

Identify and build relationships with foundation and corporate partners that align with major gift priorities, including funding for key organizational programs and initiatives.

Collaborate with senior leadership to prepare grant requests and track progress, ensuring compliance with deadlines and reporting requirements.

Meet with Team Leads, Executive Leadership, and the Board to stay current on key programs and identify donor funding opportunities.

Newly Expanding Program Support

Serve as the development lead for PPMD’s Dystrophinopathy Clinical Research Network (DCRN) and Venture Pathways, PPMD’s Venture Philanthropy program, identifying and engaging donors with an interest in these innovative initiatives.

Collaborate with program teams to understand key priorities, outcomes, and funding needs, translating them into compelling cases for support for major donors.

Actively seek new opportunities to secure significant gifts for these programs, cultivating new donor relationships and deepening existing partnerships.

Other Projects and Programs

Year End Campaign :

Lead the creation and implementation of the campaign’s project plan, working closely with the Communications team on project roadmap, deliverables and timetables.

Lead coordination with collaborative partners, including foundations and individual donors as necessary.

Work with consultants and the Communications team to develop compelling narratives, impactful branding, visuals, and a comprehensive publicity strategy across the website and social media platforms.

Travel and Events

Represent PPMD at donor meetings, events, and other engagements to cultivate relationships and promote the organization’s mission.

Plan and participate in donor-focused events, ensuring that key stakeholders are involved and engaged.

Attend local and national events and meetings to enhance donor and industry relationships.

Required Education, Experience, Skills, and Attributes :

Minimum 5 years of experience in donor stewardship and cultivation.

Minimum 3 years of experience cultivating foundation funding partners.

Working knowledge of current trends in charitable giving, particularly in the areas of major and planned gifts.

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

Minimum 2 years of grant writing experience.

Demonstrated organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple major projects simultaneously, ensuring deadlines, deliverables, and budgets are met in alignment with organizational strategic initiatives.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal) with a proven ability to foster confidence and trust among donors, industry partners, and other stakeholders.

Ability to absorb and synthesize complex program information and translate it into compelling cases for donors, industry partners, and other stakeholders.

Ability to work independently and collaboratively, maintaining positive and productive relationships with colleagues, organizational leadership, the Board of Directors, donors, and industry partners.

Sound judgment, effective problem-solving skills, initiative, and flexibility to meet challenges as they arise.

Proficiency in computer skills, including Microsoft Office, donor management software and online fundraising tools (preferably Salesforce and Classy).

Preferred Education, Experience, Skills, and Attributes :

Prior experience in donor cultivation and stewardship within the non-profit sector.

Knowledge of Duchenne / Becker muscular dystrophy or other rare disease communities.

Event planning experience.

Experience creating content for social media and websites.

Work Authorization / Security Clearance Requirements :

Valid Authorization to work in the United States.

Work Environment :

This is primarily a remote role, with provision of technology equipment to support a remote workspace.

Travel :

Moderate local / national travel required to attend Summit and other group meetings and organizational events. Approximately 25-30%.

Affirmative Action / EEO Statement :

PPMD provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applications for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

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