Donor Growth Director – Major Gifts & Impact

Strongward; New Orleans (LA); Hybrid; USD 88,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Strongward seeks a Director of Individual Giving to shape and grow our donor program. This senior role oversees donor acquisition, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention across annual giving, leadership gifts, major gifts, and principal gifts, while developing a high-performing team.

Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, you will design data-informed strategies, partner with leadership and boards, and drive rapid-response fundraising during disaster recovery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 8–10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
• Experience leading individual giving, major gifts, or principal gift strategies.
• Experience supervising frontline fundraisers.
• Familiarity with disaster recovery, resilience, housing, climate, or related issues preferred.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic vision and priorities for individual giving across annual, leadership, major, and principal gifts.
• Lead planning for revenue goals, donor segmentation, campaigns, and pipeline development.
• Drive revenue by acquiring, retaining, upgrading donors and managing moves management.
• Manage portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and donors.
• Represent Strongward externally and coordinate rapid-response fundraising during disaster recovery.
• Coach and develop the Individual Giving team and ensure CRM effectiveness.

Skills

Relationship building

Executive presence

Strategic planning

Team leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree required

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Salesforce

Raiser’s Edge

Microsoft Office

Job description

Strongward seeks a Director of Individual Giving to shape and grow our donor program. This senior role oversees donor acquisition, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention across annual giving, leadership gifts, major gifts, and principal gifts, while developing a high-performing team.

Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, you will design data-informed strategies, partner with leadership and boards, and drive rapid-response fundraising during disaster recovery.