Director, Major Gifts & Strategic Growth

Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00a-5:00p

Key Functions

Supervision & Revenue Growth

• Identify and cultivate new funding sources, including major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and innovative revenue streams.
• Manage Major Gift and Planned Giving teams forecasting, development and implementation of policy, procedure and strategy, ensuring alignment to overall individual giving approach.
• Develop and implement strategies to optimize major gift fundraising efforts and donor pipeline growth.
• Provide strategic guidance and hands-on support for donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.

Strategy Development

• Lead in the strategy & creation of the Big Bet strategy in collaboration with the Chief Development Officer/VP and serve as thought-partner in expansion and evolution of Board development.
• Review innovative fundraising trends and best practices in the non-profit field and works with Chief Development Officer/VP to implement strategies building high-impact relationships, leading to multi-year commitments and transformational gifts.
• In partnership with Chief Development Officer, design and implement Grateful Patient Program, including but not limited to direct response acquisition activities.

Major Gifts Fundraising & Portfolio Management

• Personally identify and manage a portfolio of 70-90 primary prospects, raising individually $1M - $3M towards the organization total goal.
• Create and manage the development of a Planned Giving program, strategy and execution within the new Menninger policy and workflow.
• Lead, participate, record and track all aspects of the gift cycle:
  • Identification
  • Initiate contacts
  • Develop appropriate cultivation strategies for all prospects with potential of $10K and above.
  • Proposal Development, Solicitation and follow up
  • Secure an investment

Donor Stewardship & Impact Reporting

• Ensure the highest standards of donor stewardship by overseeing personalized acknowledgment, reporting, and recognition strategies.
• Develop and implement strategies to deepen donor engagement and inspire continued investment.
• Facilitate donor meetings, impact reports, and exclusive engagement opportunities to strengthen relationships.

Data-Driven Decision Making & Reporting

• Monitor fundraising performance metrics, analyzing donor engagement, revenue growth, and pipeline development of direct reports.
• Oversee accurate donor records and portfolio management in CRM/database systems (e.g., Virtuous).
• Provide regular reports and insights to Chief Development Officer and other leadership on major gift performance.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in a related discipline or education/experience equivalency. Master's degree preferred. Minimum of 10 years demonstrated successful experience managing individual giving from entry level to major gift, developing and stewarding a major gifts portfolio with at least 5 years in a leadership or supervisory role. Successful track record of recruiting and working with high level volunteer Board and committee members to meet fundraising objectives and with planning, managing and initiating solicitations. Must have experience closing six and seven figure asks and in strategies for donor moves management. High yield committee fundraising experience is essential. Experience planning meaningful strategic individual donor cultivation and stewardship is a must.

Experience:

Demonstrated ability to create relationships and grow partnerships is a must; excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong interpersonal skills; knowledge of successful fundraising practices; intermediate Microsoft Word, database/CRM (Virtuous), research and spreadsheet skills; demonstrated understanding and utilization of fundraising techniques to identify, solicit and steward gifts from various donor sources (i.e., individuals, corporations, foundations).