Senior Director of Leadership Giving & Donor Development

About the role

The Senior Director of Leadership Giving & Donor Development leads the execution of Colby's leadership annual giving and donor development strategy, overseeing frontline fundraising activity, leadership-level donor engagement, volunteer fundraising initiatives, and donor movement across the primary giving ecosystem. Reporting to the Executive Director of Annual Giving, the Senior Director translates institutional strategy into operational execution, providing leadership, accountability, and direct supervision and coaching for Leadership Annual Giving (LAGO) and Digital Donor Experience (DXO) Officers while advancing a portfolio of leadership-level current-use donors and volunteers. The Senior Director works across Advancement to strengthen donor participation, retention, upgrading, and pipeline development, ensuring donors are effectively engaged and positioned for long-term philanthropic growth.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and supervise frontline fundraising staff, including Leadership Annual Giving Officers (LAGOs), Digital Donor Experience Officers (DXOs), Class Philanthropy Officers, and other assigned team members
• Establish clear expectations, goals, and performance metrics aligned with annual giving and donor development priorities
• Conduct regular portfolio reviews, performance discussions, and donor strategy sessions
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and donor-centered fundraising
• Support staff professional development through coaching, mentorship, and performance feedback
• Manage a portfolio of leadership-level current-use donors and volunteers
• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward leadership annual giving prospects
• Recruit and engage volunteer and peer-to-peer fundraising leaders; establish a new leadership annual giving program leveraging volunteer solicitors to strengthen giving in the $10,000 - $100,000 tier
• Partner with Advancement colleagues to strengthen donor movement from participation through leadership and major giving
• Support the development and execution of leadership donor engagement strategies designed to increase donor retention, revenue, and long-term philanthropic commitment
• Implement donor movement strategies designed to accelerate participation, retention, upgrading, and leadership giving growth
• Oversee qualification, assignment, and portfolio management processes for frontline fundraising staff
• Partner with Prospect Management, Analytics, and Advancement Services to ensure portfolio integrity and effective donor tracking
• Monitor donor pipeline health and identify opportunities to improve donor progression and engagement
• Support smooth referral and handoff processes between Annual Giving, Major Giving, and other fundraising teams
• Operationalize annual fundraising priorities established by the Executive Director of Annual Giving
• Coordinate implementation of leadership giving initiatives, volunteer fundraising efforts, donor journeys, and fundraising programs
• Ensure timely execution of fundraising plans, outreach strategies, and campaign-related activities
• Collaborate with colleagues across Advancement to align donor outreach and fundraising activity
• Monitor progress toward annual goals and implement corrective actions as needed to improve performance
• Collaborate with colleagues across Advancement to support current-use fundraising and donor development priorities
• Partner with Alumni & Donor Engagement, Communications, Prospect Management, Analytics, and Advancement Services to coordinate donor engagement efforts
• Work with campus partners to identify philanthropic priorities and opportunities for donor engagement
• Support institutional fundraising initiatives through coordinated donor-centered outreach and stewardship
• Perform additional duties as assigned; duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent in education and experience
• 7+ years of fundraising, donor development, or relationship management experience
• Demonstrated success managing portfolios and advancing donor relationships
• Experience leading, coaching, and developing staff, including establishing metrics and ensuring accountability for results
• Experience leading volunteers to achieve organizational goals
• Strong organizational, project management, and operational leadership skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively across teams
• Excellent communication (written, oral, and digital), collaboration, and relationship-building skills
• Comfort using fundraising technology, analytics, and donor management systems
• Appreciation of Colby's mission and ability to effectively communicate it
• Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends as required
• Professional conduct and appropriate handling of confidential information is required
• Ability to travel is required
• Valid driver's license required and must meet the College's Fleet Safety Policy requirements

Pay

The hiring range for this position is 106,000 to 140,000.