Director, Development (America)

About the role

Reporting to the Executive Director, Development, you will oversee face-to-face fundraising and pipeline development between €10k and €1million across North America, driving revenue growth and building a sustainable pipeline of high-potential donors. You will own and actively manage a personal portfolio of high-value prospects, delivering direct revenue through disciplined qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

In partnership with the Director of Principal Giving in North America, you will strategically contribute to the overall pipeline strength and performance of INSEAD’s North America fundraising efforts.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage a personal portfolio of high-potential North America-based prospects.
• Personally close major gifts in the €100K–€1M range, delivering ambitious individual revenue targets in support of institutional priorities.
• Build and sustain a robust prospect pipeline, ensuring consistent progression and long-term revenue growth across the donor lifecycle.
• Identify, qualify, and advance the next generation of top North America prospects, with a strong focus on the United States.
• Develop and execute tailored solicitation strategies, aligned with donor interests and institutional priorities.
• Undertake regular travel within the United States to engage donors, deepen relationships, and accelerate philanthropic outcomes.
• Work in close partnership with the Executive Director and Director of Principal Giving, North America to support regional strategy and pipeline performance to ensure donor relationships are managed well.
• Fully integrate an end-to-end North America fundraising strategy, including key fundraising volunteers, the INSEAD Board representatives, colleagues, and local associations.
• Collaborate closely with global Advancement colleagues, faculty, senior leadership, and volunteers to deliver a coordinated and integrated fundraising approach.
• Represent INSEAD at events and engagement activities across the region.
• Maintain accurate and timely CRM records, ensuring high standards of data quality, planning, and reporting.

Requirements

• English fluency. A second language is beneficial but not required.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced training in philanthropy, non-profit management, or related fields an advantage. An MBA or equivalent global experience is a plus.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in face-to-face gifts fundraising or senior-level stakeholder relationship management, ideally within an educational institution.
• Demonstrated success closing gifts of €100K+ (or equivalent complex deal-making experience).
• Proven track record of portfolio management, pipeline development, and consistent delivery against revenue targets.
• Strong understanding of the North America fundraising market, with experience engaging senior donors, volunteers, and board-level stakeholders.
• Exceptional storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to articulate INSEAD’s mission and translate it into compelling philanthropic cases.
• Ability to build trusted, long-term relationships with donors and stakeholders, proactively anticipating their interests and aligning them with INSEAD’s strategic priorities to deliver meaningful philanthropic outcomes.
• Able to consistently deliver at the highest standard, demonstrate sound judgement and integrity, and take full ownership of ambitious goals in a complex, international environment.
• Proven track record in team leadership, volunteer management, and/or end-to-end development strategy ownership.
• Work authorization in the United States is required to be eligible for this role.

Schedule

This is a full-time, permanent position that offers flexibility in location. It can be based at our Europe campus in Fontainebleau, France or at our San Francisco Hub in North America, with a hybrid working model of 3 days on campus and 2 days remote. For candidates outside the San Francisco area, a fully remote working arrangement may be considered.

About Us

INSEAD is a mission-driven global organization developing responsible, globally minded leaders to improve the well-being of societies through world-class education across four continents. As we operate in a dynamic and rapidly changing sector, we continue to innovate, modernizing our operations, and driving ambitious strategic initiatives across our campuses to remain the business school of choice.

Our Culture

Our culture is defined by diversity, independence, rigor, and an entrepreneurial spirit, underpinned by six key competencies. We empower our teams to lead with a growth mindset and a client-focused approach, fostering a culture of professionalism and integrity, where collaboration and empathy are the engines of our innovation. These competencies guide how we work, make decisions, and contribute to the School’s mission every day.

Free from government or university systems, our financial and ideological independence allows us to think, teach, and act without political constraints. This autonomy enables our faculty to pursue rigorous, evidence-based research that creates objective value for our participants and the world.

Our Customers

We serve an influential global base, including senior leaders, multinational corporations, and public sector institutions committed to leadership development at scale. Our programs attract ambitious individuals who want to shape business and society, while our corporate partners rely on us as a strategic ally in developing future-ready leaders. Working at INSEAD means contributing to an institution whose customers operate at the highest levels of global innovation and impact.

Diversity of Perspectives

Diversity at INSEAD is about how our people think and challenge assumptions to drive more meaningful innovation. We welcome a wide range of perspectives, believing they lead to better decisions and stronger, more inclusive teams.

About the Team

The Advancement department at INSEAD is dedicated to fundraising and developing relationships with alumni and donors. It plays a crucial role in supporting the school’s strategic initiatives and promoting engagement within the INSEAD community.