Director of Major Giving

About the role

The Director of Major Giving will lead the organization's major gift fundraising efforts, focusing on securing significant donations from individuals, families, and family foundations. This role involves managing a portfolio of high-capacity donors, developing and executing fundraising strategies, and collaborating with the Sound Future Campaign team.

Responsibilities

• Drive all major donor fundraising streams to achieve individual giving goals.
• Create giving strategies and opportunities that align with programs and projects.
• Supervise and guide the Major Gift team, ensuring that organizational major donor and team goals are achieved.
• Cultivate and solicit a portfolio of 75-100 high-capacity prospects capable of making investments of $10,000 or more, with a focus on six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Lead the organization’s planned giving strategy and engage donors in meaningful conversations about philanthropic legacy, estate planning, and long-term impact.
• Grow the planned giving pipeline as a strategic priority for organizational sustainability.
• Drive a data-informed pipeline strategy from identification through stewardship.
• Maintain prompt and accurate records of donor interactions and strategies in the organization’s CRM.
• Create and oversee a calendar of major donor cultivation events, including major donor reception events and field trips.

Requirements

• Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in major gift fundraising, with proven success securing gifts of $100K+.
• Strong knowledge of and execution of best practices in major giving, donor engagement, and stewardship.
• Skilled in cultivating donor relationships aligned with organizational goals and donor interests.
• Superb written and verbal skills; able to craft compelling proposals and convey impact through data and storytelling.
• 3-5 years experience in supervising teams and strong management skills, with a demonstrated ability to set strategy, manage performance, and build a collaborative team culture.
• Excellent interpersonal awareness and skills working with large and small teams, with the ability to collaborate across departments, engage board members and volunteers in fundraising, and represent the organization at the highest levels.
• Highly organized with outstanding attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities at once.
• Committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and discretion.

Qualifications

• Fluency with Microsoft office suite, CRM platforms, and data-driven pipeline management.
• Able to leverage technology for portfolio analysis, forecasting, and team accountability.
• Willingness to travel regularly for donor meetings and cultivation events.

Skills

• Knowledge of and execution of best practices in major giving, donor engagement, and stewardship.
• Strong written and verbal skills; able to craft compelling proposals and convey impact through data and storytelling.
• Experience in supervising teams and strong management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal awareness and skills working with large and small teams.
• Ability to collaborate across departments, engage board members and volunteers in fundraising, and represent the organization at the highest levels.
• Highly organized with outstanding attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities at once.

Benefits

This is an at-will full-time exempt position, with a salary range of $115,000-$130,000 annually, commensurate with skills and experience. Our comprehensive benefits package includes company sponsored health insurance, dental and vision insurance, 403(b) with company match after 1 year, life and long-term disability insurance, a generous time off package, and opportunities for professional development. This position is contingent upon the continued level and availability of funding for work organizationally.

Terms and Compensation

Save the Sound reserves the right to modify or terminate employment if funding is reduced or unavailable. Hybrid Work Arrangements The Director of Major Giving is required to be in-office at least 2 days per week. Details of this arrangement are determined upon hire and employees must notify their manager of any necessary changes. It is at the manager’s discretion to amend the agreed upon work arrangement dependent upon business needs, work performance or other factors.

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, 3 relevant writing samples, and list of 3 references to the job posting on our careers page. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. We are a thoughtful and thorough organization. We will be in touch to acknowledge receipt of your application and to schedule selected applicants for an interview. Our hiring process can take from 7 to 10 weeks. You will be informed when the hiring process is complete.

Additional Details

Common to All Positions: Maintaining positive and productive working relationships with all Save the Sound staff members, including providing and receiving constructive feedback. Participating in building productive relationships with Save the Sound's members, external partners, policy makers, and the general public; Completing all administrative work on time, such as timesheets, purchase orders, project reports, and planning documents.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Save the Sound is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination based on age, color, disability, marital or parental status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other legally protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Our organizational leadership and staff are working to deepen Save the Sound’s diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek to attract a more diverse applicant pool, and to add and retain more outstanding Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to all levels of our team. We work in diverse communities and landscapes and are actively working to increase our focus on driving environmental justice and equitable outcomes through our work.