Assistant Director, Principal & Major Gifts

Dana; Brookline (MA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is seeking an Assistant Director of Principal & Major Gifts to lead a portfolio of 200–250 prospects and secure gifts of $100K+ over 1–5 years, driving progress on The Dana-Farber Campaign.

The role reports to the Senior Director of PMG, uses moves management, conducts 10–12 donor visits per month, and collaborates with faculty and philanthropy colleagues. This is a hybrid role with occasional travel in Massachusetts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; 5–8 years of Major Gift or leadership-level Annual Fund experience preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and organizational abilities are essential.
• Experience engaging diverse donor audiences and a strategic, entrepreneurial approach to fundraising is valued.

Responsibilities

• Manage a dynamic portfolio of approximately 200–250 prospects with a goal of raising $750K–$1M annually.
• Use moves management to secure major gifts and build a strong donor pipeline.
• Conduct 10–12 donor visits per month.
• Serve as a generalist for overall pipeline and project-based fundraising.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, and Divisions of Philanthropy to identify funding priorities.
• Coordinate with Annual Giving, Planned Giving, Corporate Partnerships, Foundation Relations, Donor Relations, and Jimmy Fund to maximize donor engagement.
• Track prospect and donor activity, strategies, and projections in the ClearView database.
• Assist with annual fundraising planning, reporting, and special projects, including symposium support.
• Travel as needed to represent Dana-Farber.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Organizational skills

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Assistant Director, Principal & Major Gifts

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Assistant Director of Principal & Major Gifts (PMG) raises funds from individuals, families, and family foundations for priorities in basic research and discovery science, with some focus on supporting the Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology. This position reports directly to one Senior Director of Principal & Major Gifts. The primary focus is identifying, qualifying, and soliciting newly identified prospects for major gifts of $100K+, payable over 1-5 years. Responsible for assisting the entire Division with reaching financial goals. Dana-Farber is pursuing an ambitious, multi-year fundraising effort to change the future of cancer research and care: The Dana-Farber Campaign. This $2 billion campaign is the largest in the Institute's history and one of the largest ever in the U.S. focused solely on cancer. Philanthropy raised through The Dana-Farber Campaign will accelerate the Institute's strategic priorities by supporting revolutionary science, extraordinary care, exceptional expertise, and essential opportunities - helping us prevent, treat, and Defy Cancer.

This position is considered remote, up to 1 day in the office at 10 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA each week. DFCI guidelines state that employees must reside in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, or Rhode Island.

Responsibilities:

• Manage a dynamic portfolio of approximately 200-250 prospects with a goal of raising at least $750K-$1M annually.
• Use moves management to secure major gifts and build a pipeline of major gift prospects and donors.
• Conduct 10 - 12 donor visits a month.
• Serve as a generalist to focus on general pipeline, as well as project-based fundraising.
• Work with faculty, staff, and Division of Philanthropy colleagues as appropriate to identify funding priorities and prospects.
• Collaborate with colleagues on other teams, including Annual Giving, Planned Giving, Corporate Partnerships, Foundation Relations, Donor Relations, and Jimmy Fund, to maximize donor engagement and philanthropic commitment.
• Track prospect and donor activity, strategies, and projections in ClearView database.
• With Senior Director of PMG and the Assistant Vice President of PMG, develop annual fundraising goal; mid-year revision, year-end, and other revenue and activity reporting as requested.
• Perform special projects as assigned, including support for annual Presidential Symposium; conduct donor tours and meetings, and participate in faculty meetings as appropriate.
• Travel to represent Dana-Farber as needed.
• Reports to a Senior Director of Principal & Major Gifts. Joint supervision of one Assistant.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree with 5-8 years of Major Gift or leadership level Annual Fund experience required.
• A strategic thinker with significant donor experience, excellent planning, verbal and written communication, and organizational skills are necessary.
• Effectiveness in working with wide audiences (including highest level of Dana-Farber constituencies) and strong customer service will be key.
• Solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite required.
• Volunteer management experience preferred. Candidate with an entrepreneurial approach to fundraising desired.
• This position will evaluate current programs and create and execute approved plans to expand and diversify the donors and participants for the events assigned in order to broaden our donor base and create even more inclusive events. Experience with diverse donors is a plus.