Senior Director of Major Gifts

About Us

The Tech Interactive has been an integral part of the San Francisco Bay area since 1998, serving families and young people through hands-on activities, experimental labs, and design challenge experiences. Our mission is to inspire the innovator in everyone. We are a diverse team committed to creating learning experiences that empower young people to innovate with creativity, curiosity, and compassion. We believe technology transforms lives and aim to develop the next generation of problem-solvers, with a focus on giving back to our community, especially those historically marginalized and underserved.

About the Role

The Director of Major Gifts is a senior frontline fundraiser responsible for building meaningful relationships with individual donors and securing significant philanthropic support for The Tech Interactive’s mission and future. This role manages a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects, emphasizing the identification and cultivation of new supporters and regularly soliciting five- and six-figure gifts. The Director will develop individualized engagement and solicitation strategies, partner closely with organizational leadership, and connect donors’ interests with The Tech’s programs, exhibits, community impact, and long-term vision. This position also contributes to broader campaign efforts, including developing donor strategies, case materials, and customized proposals for significant prospects.

This exempt position reports to the Vice President of Development and works closely with the CEO.

Responsibilities

• Manage and grow a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects, leading relationships from identification and qualification through cultivation, solicitation, closing, and stewardship.
• Regularly solicit five- and six-figure gifts and build a strong pipeline of new individual donors with the capacity and interest to make significant philanthropic investments.
• Develop thoughtful, individualized strategies that connect donor interests with The Tech’s mission, programs, exhibits, community initiatives, and strategic priorities.
• Build relationships through meaningful donor engagement, including one-on-one meetings, visits, events, and other opportunities to deepen connection to The Tech.
• Partner with the Vice President of Development, CEO, individual gift officers, board members, and other organizational leaders on donor strategy, cultivation, and solicitation.
• Support campaign fundraising by helping develop prospect strategies, compelling proposals, cases for support, and customized materials for major and principal gift opportunities.
• Work with the Individual Gifts Officer and Donor Communications Manager to create effective cultivation and stewardship experiences for Leadership Circle and other major donors.
• Maintain a strong understanding of The Tech’s programs, impact, and future plans and use donor and pipeline data to prioritize opportunities and drive results.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including demonstrated success managing relationships with individual major donors.
• A track record of personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing five-figure gifts, with demonstrated experience or readiness to regularly solicit six-figure gifts.
• Strong relationship-building instincts and the confidence to engage donors, board members, community leaders, and senior executives.
• Experience developing donor strategies and managing a portfolio and pipeline toward ambitious fundraising goals.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to translate organizational priorities into compelling donor conversations and proposals.
• Strong judgment, initiative, organization, and follow-through, with the ability to manage multiple sophisticated donor relationships simultaneously.
• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.

Schedule

This role is based at The Tech Interactive in downtown San Jose and requires a meaningful on-site presence due to the centrality of relationship building. Some flexibility to work from an alternative location may be available depending on business needs and scheduled meetings. The position includes meetings with corporate partners throughout the Bay Area and occasional evening and weekend events.

Pay

The pay range for this role is $130,000 - $140,000 per year, commensurate with experience.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 403b retirement plan with employer match
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (covers most, if not all, of your medical out-of-pocket maximum, fully employer-funded)
• Health FSA and Dependent Care FSA options
• Generous time off, flex time, and floating holiday accruals
• Free parking and commuter assistance
• The Tech Future Four Membership
• Additional perks