Senior Director of Development, Major Gifts

Union Theological Seminary; New York (NY); Hybride; USD 145 000 - 165 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Union Theological Seminary in New York is seeking a Senior Director of Development, Major Gifts to lead major donor cultivation, solicitations, and stewardship. You will drive the individual giving program, focusing primarily on six-figure gifts and pursuing seven-figure opportunities.

The role is 80% direct fundraising, with 20% campaign strategy and team leadership as the department expands. Hybrid work with on-campus and remote flexibility is offered.

Qualifications

• Proven success in cultivating, soliciting, and closing six-figure gifts.
• Extensive experience managing major donor relationships and portfolios.
• Strong ability to build trust with donors and institutional leaders.
• Sound fundraising judgment and donor opportunity identification.
• Excellent organizational and portfolio management skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication abilities.
• Commitment to Union’s mission and social justice work.
• Experience using fundraising CRM software (e.g., Raiser's Edge).

Responsabilités

• Manage a major donor portfolio, cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts.
• Develop donor relationships linking philanthropic interests to Union’s priorities.
• Create and execute individualized solicitation strategies from cultivation to commitment.
• Identify leaders and pursue increased, sustained support.
• Collaborate with leadership on significant donor relationships and engagements.
• Maintain regular donor contact through visits and timely follow-ups.
• Document donor conversations and next steps in donor records.
• Coach and supervise frontline fundraisers as the team grows.

Connaissances

Major gift cultivation

Donor relationships

Portfolio management

Fundraising strategy

Trust and relationship building

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Mission alignment

Outils

Raiser’s Edge

Description du poste

Reports to: Vice President for Partnerships

Team: Development

Location: Morningside Heights, New York, New York

Classification: Exempt, Full-time

Work Arrangement: Hybrid; four days on campus and one day remote each week

Salary: $145,000 – $165,000

Supervisory Responsibility: None initially; may supervise 1 – 2 frontline fundraisers as the team expands

Position Overview

We’re looking for someone who understands what makes Union distinct. Grounded in the Christian tradition, Union welcomes people of all faiths and none, embraces interreligious engagement, and brings faith and scholarship to the work of social justice. Its diverse community of students and alumni reflects these commitments.

The Senior Director of Development, Major Gifts will serve as Union’s senior frontline fundraiser, with primary responsibility for cultivating and stewarding major donor relationships, including alumni and other key supporters, soliciting significant gifts, and securing philanthropic commitments from new and existing donors. The role will play a key part in sustaining and expanding Union’s individual giving program through major gifts that advance the institution’s mission and priorities.

Approximately 80% of this role will be dedicated to direct fundraising, personally engaging donors, strengthening relationships, making solicitations, and closing gifts. The remaining 20% will focus on campaign strategy in partnership with the Vice President for Partnerships and, as the team grows, managing and coaching one to two additional frontline fundraisers.

This is a senior, hands-on role for an accomplished development professional with a demonstrated record of personally securing six-figure gifts and the experience to pursue seven-figure opportunities. The ideal candidate brings sound fundraising judgment, deep experience stewarding donor relationships, and the confidence to move significant philanthropic opportunities from cultivation through commitment.

The Senior Director will work closely with the Vice President and receive support from colleagues responsible for Advancement Services, institutional fundraising, and Communications, allowing this role to remain focused on individual donors and fundraising results.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gifts and Donor Relationships (80%)

• Personally manage an active portfolio of major donors and prospects, with primary responsibility for cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and securing significant gifts.
• Build and sustain meaningful donor relationships, connecting philanthropic interests with Union’s mission, programs, and institutional priorities.
• Develop and execute individualized solicitation strategies, moving prospective gifts from cultivation through commitment.
• Identify and qualify major gift prospects, strengthen existing relationships, and pursue opportunities for increased and sustained philanthropic support.
• Partner with the Vice President, President, trustees, and other institutional leaders on significant donor relationships, ensuring thoughtful engagement, preparation, and follow-through.
• Maintain consistent personal engagement with donors and prospects through visits, substantive conversations, and timely follow-up.
• Document donor conversations, solicitation strategies, next steps, and anticipated gifts in Union’s donor records.
• Steward major donors and significant commitments, building lasting relationships that encourage continued and future giving.

Campaign Strategy and Team Leadership (20%)

• Partner with the Vice President for Partnerships to develop and execute major gift fundraising strategies supporting institutional priorities, including operating support, endowment growth, facilities, and academic programs.
• Contribute to fundraising strategy for targeted and institution-wide campaigns, including capital and endowment initiatives, and help develop compelling cases for major gift support.
• Identify leadership gift opportunities and develop donor solicitation approaches in support of campaign goals, coordinating with planned and annual giving strategies as appropriate.
• As the team expands, manage and coach one to two additional frontline fundraisers, providing guidance on donor relationships, portfolio development, solicitations, and fundraising performance.
• Help ensure major gift fundraising activities and donor strategies remain aligned with Union’s broader development priorities.

Collaboration and Accountability

The Senior Director will work within a coordinated Development structure, with colleagues providing specialized support so the role can prioritize donor relationships and closing gifts.

• Advancement Services: Provides donor data, prospect research, gift processing, reporting, and analytics to support portfolio management, solicitation strategies, and fundraising performance.
• Foundation Fundraising/Grant Writer: Leads foundation and other institutional relationships, grant proposals, and related fundraising activities.
• Communications: Supports donor-facing materials, fundraising messaging, storytelling, and campaign communications, while the Senior Director owns donor strategy and the substance of each ask.
• Vice President for Partnerships: Partners on campaign strategy, institutional fundraising priorities, significant donor relationships, and executive-level solicitations.

The Senior Director will be accountable for major gift fundraising results, including meaningful donor engagement, solicitations, gifts secured, and the continued development of qualified major gift opportunities. The role requires clear communication about fundraising progress, anticipated commitments, opportunities, and challenges.

Qualifications and Experience

Required

• Demonstrated success personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing six-figure gifts in nonprofit development or a related philanthropic setting.
• Substantial experience managing major donor relationships and portfolios, including developing solicitation strategies and stewarding significant philanthropic commitments.
• Strong ability to build trust and sustain relationships with donors, institutional leaders, and other key stakeholders.
• Sound fundraising judgment, including the ability to understand donor interests, recognize opportunities, and secure significant commitments.
• Strong organizational and portfolio management skills, with the ability to manage multiple donor relationships and fundraising priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the confidence and professionalism to represent Union in conversations with major donors and institutional leaders.
• A genuine understanding of and commitment to Union’s mission, interreligious community, and work in social justice.

Preferred

• Demonstrated experience cultivating, soliciting, or closing seven-figure gifts.
• Experience in higher education advancement or major gift fundraising within a mission-driven institution.
• Experience identifying and securing unique gifts that bridge sectors or different industries.
• Experience using Raiser’s Edge or a comparable fundraising CRM for donor and portfolio management.
• Experience partnering with presidents, trustees, and senior institutional leaders on significant donor cultivation and solicitation.
• Experience contributing to capital, endowment, or other major fundraising campaigns.
• Experience mentoring, coaching, or supervising frontline fundraising professionals.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means significant philanthropic gifts secured, strong and growing major donor relationships, and a well-managed portfolio of opportunities supporting Union’s institutional priorities.

The Senior Director will be an active and effective frontline fundraiser, consistently engaging donors, advancing solicitations, and securing commitments. They will also bring experienced judgment to campaign planning and, as the team expands, help develop additional successful fundraisers.

Above all, we’re looking for a senior development professional who knows how to build trust with donors, make meaningful asks, steward relationships, and close significant gifts in support of Union’s mission.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $145,000 – $165,000. Union offers a comprehensive employee benefits program, including contributions to medical, dental, and vision insurance plans, as well as an employer contribution to a TIAA retirement plan account after one year of employment. This is a full-time, exempt, hybrid position, with four days on campus and one day of remote work each week. The role requires some travel and occasional evening and weekend work to support donor engagement, Board meetings, and institutional events.