Assistant Director of Leadership Giving, Geisel

Dartmouth College; Hanover (NH); Hybrid; USD 84,000 - 104,000; Full time

Job summary

Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine seeks an Assistant Director of Leadership Giving. Reporting to the Executive Director of Development, this role leads donor-centered engagement and strategic solicitations for leadership gifts ranging from $25,000 to $100,000.

You will manage a portfolio of 125–175 prospects, collaborate across Geisel and College Advancement, and tailor engagement plans to advance gifts while maintaining meticulous donor stewardship and timely documentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus 3-5 years' experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in leadership annual giving or major gifts fundraising.
• Ability to manage a donor portfolio with cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
• Collaborative work with Annual Giving, Alumni Engagement and other development colleagues.
• Ability to handle confidential matters with discretion.

Responsibilities

• Manage a qualified portfolio of approximately 125-175 leadership-level prospects and donors.
• Plan and execute direct, personalized solicitations for leadership-level gifts ($25,000-$100,000).
• Collaborate with Geisel and College Advancement teams to align donor strategies.
• Forecast portfolio planning and performance using data and insights.
• Maintain donor stewardship and timely documentation in Raiser's Edge/Advance.
• Attend Geisel School of Medicine events and meetings; perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Communication skills

Donor relations

Interpersonal skills

Portfolio management

Planning and organization

Independent & collaborative

Problem solving

Discretion & professionalism

Diversity & inclusion

Humor & positivity

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

Position Information

Posting date: 10/19/2026

Closing date:

Open Until Filled: Yes

Position Number: 1128421

Position Title: Assistant Director of Leadership Giving, Geisel

Hiring Range Minimum: $83,500

Hiring Range Maximum: $104,400

Union Type: Not a Union Position

SEIU Level: Not an SEIU Position

FLSA Status: Exempt

Employment Category: Regular Full Time

Scheduled Months per Year: 12

Scheduled Hours per Week: 40

Schedule: Hybrid schedule as one or two days in the office a month as a team, with Office Hours M-F 8:00AM-5:00PM. Otherwis as needed based on effectively engaging donors, clinical partners and colleagues.

Location of Position: Lebanon NH 35 Centerra Parkway

Remote Work Eligibility: Hybrid

Is this a term position? No

If yes, length of term in months. NA

Is this a grant funded position? No

Position Purpose

Reporting to the Executive Director of Development for the Geisel School of Medicine, the Assistant Director of Leadership Giving fosters strong, donorcentered philanthropic partnerships with individuals capable of making leadershiplevel gifts of $25,000-$100,000. By aligning donor interests with institutional priorities through thoughtful engagement, personalized cultivation, and direct solicitation, this position advances Geisel's mission and philanthropic goals while building longterm donor loyalty. Working collaboratively across the Geisel/DH development enterprise and with Dartmouth College Advancement, the Assistant Director supports the strategic progression of donors toward deeper and more sustained philanthropic investment.

Required Qualifications

Bachelors plus 3-5 years' experience or equivalent combination of education and experience

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated success engaging donors and making effective solicitations.
• Strong customer/service orientation and commitment to donorcentered fundraising.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in a large, complex, and decentralized organization.
• Proven ability to relate to and communicate with diverse audiences, including volunteers, alumni, donors, and institutional partners.
• Highly developed planning, administrative, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage a donor portfolio, prioritize competing demands, and meet deadlines.
• Flexibility, creativity, and initiative in advancing donor relationships and solving problems.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of an integrated development team.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and professionalism.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and in serving a diverse community.
• Brings joy and a sense of humor to work.

Experience

• Minimum three to five years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, preferably in leadership annual giving, major gifts, or a related advancement role.
• Demonstrated understanding of the philanthropic process and individual giving behaviors, with direct solicitation experience.
• Experience managing a portfolio of prospects and donors, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Experience working collaboratively with Annual Giving, Alumni Engagement, and other development colleagues to advance donors through the giving pipeline.
• Exposure to campaign fundraising, higher education, healthcare, or another complex nonprofit environment preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated ambition and readiness to grow into higherlevel major gift fundraising responsibilities.

Education

• Bachelor's degree required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Writing and donor communication experience in a nonprofit or higher education setting preferred.

Department Contact

Department Contact for Recruitment Inquiries: Kimberlee Labonte

Department Contact Phone Number: 508-560-5181

Department Contact for Cover Letter and Title: Kimberlee Labonte, Executive Director of Development , Geisel School of Medicine

Department Contact's Phone Number: [phone]

Equal Opportunity Employer

Dartmouth College is an equal opportunity employer under federal law. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. Applications are welcome from all.

Background Check

Employment in this position is contingent upon consent to and successful completion of a pre-employment background check, which may include a criminal background check, reference checks, verification of work history, conduct review, and verification of any required academic credentials, licenses, and/or certifications, with results acceptable to Dartmouth College. A criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.

Driving Essential Function

Driving Essential Function: Yes

Special Instructions

Dartmouth College has a Tobacco-Free Policy. Smoking and the use of tobacco-based products (including smokeless tobacco) are prohibited in all facilities, grounds, vehicles or other areas owned, operated or occupied by Dartmouth College with no exceptions. For details, please see our policy. https://policies.dartmouth.edu/policy/tobacco-free-policy

Key Accountabilities

Fundraising and Portfolio Management

• Manages a qualified portfolio of approximately 125-175 leadershiplevel prospects and donors, with a focus on strategic movement through the donor pipeline.
• Serves as the primary relationship manager for assigned donors, developing and executing individualized engagement strategies based on organizational priorities, donor interests, capacity, and readiness.
• Plans and executes direct, personalized solicitations for leadershiplevel annual and multiyear gifts in the $25,000-$100,000 range.
• Meets or exceeds assigned fundraising performance metrics, including revenue, solicitations, visits, and proposals.
• Positions leadership gifts as critical stepping stones toward larger philanthropic commitments and campaign priorities.
• Assesses donor readiness for larger or more complex commitments and recommend timely transition to Major Giving officers, ensuring continuity and appropriate stewardship.
• Partners with Major and Principal Gift Officers on joint strategies or solicitations when donors are nearing readiness for higherlevel engagement.
• Actively qualifies and elevates prospects originating from Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement, transitioning highpotential donors into deeper philanthropic relationships.
• Maintains a dynamic, appropriately sized portfolio by recommending additions, removals, or reassignment as donor capacity evolves.
• Uses data and prospect insights to support forecasting, portfolio planning, and performance evaluation.

Percentage Of Time: 80%

Donor Coordination and Contact

• Ensures donors receive thoughtful, timely, and missionaligned stewardship, demonstrating impact and reinforcing philanthropic partnership.
• Collaborates closely with both Geisel and College Advancement's Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement teams to align engagement strategies.
• Leverages alumni, volunteer, and engagement activities as opportunities to deepen relationships and uncover philanthropic interest.
• Serves as a trusted advisor and institutional ambassador, helping donors understand where their giving can make meaningful impact.
• Partners with development colleagues, prospect development, and institutional leadership to align donor strategies with organizational priorities.
• Maintains accurate, timely documentation of all donor interactions, strategies, and outcomes in both Raiser's Edge NXT and Advance (when applicable).
• Works with development peers across Dartmouth College and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in annual giving, individual giving, research, and donor relations on matters related to prospects with institutional giving ties.

Percentage Of Time: 10%

Program and Project Management

• Supports effective fundraising by maintaining strong institutional and programmatic knowledge.
• Develops and maintains working knowledge of Geisel's priority areas for fundraising; gains knowledge of faculty research interests and areas of expertise.
• Attends appropriate Geisel School of Medicine events, programs and meetings.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Percentage Of Time: 10%

Additional Accountabilities

• Demonstrates professionalism and collegiality through actions, interactions, and communications with others appropriate to an environment that is welcoming to all.
• Performs other duties as assigned.