unitedwayla - Director, Major Gifts

Hybrid - DTLA & Remote+ Equity1w ago

In Office Director WW Artificial Intelligence Nonprofit Creative Director Reporting Fundraising Decision Making

Requirements

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising required. • Minimum 3 years of experience supervising and developing direct reports required. • Must have experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors, including securing major gifts and growing donor portfolios. • Must have experience securing gifts of $10,000 or greater from individual donors. • Personal Qualities & Competencies: • You enjoy a hybrid environment that includes both in-person and remote work styles and are able to work from our DTLA office on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and additional days as needed. • You understand the value of racial equity as an organizational operating principle and are committed to continued learning on issues related to race, equity, diversity, and inclusion. • You are curious about emerging technology and artificial intelligence and always looking for practical ways to apply new tools to work smarter and drive greater impact. • You are comfortable making the ask and confidently leading donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship conversations. • You are a strategic relationship builder who can engage and influence stakeholders ranging from first-time donors to high-net-worth philanthropists and community leaders. • You are accountable for results and have a track record of setting ambitious goals, developing strategies to achieve them, and consistently delivering outcomes. • ## HOW TO KNOW IF YOU’RE A FIT (The Nice-to-Haves) • You have a talent for understanding what motivates people to give and can connect their philanthropic interests to opportunities that create lasting impact. • You are skilled at inspiring generosity and can confidently guide conversations that lead to transformational philanthropic investments. • You are naturally curious about people and enjoy building authentic, long-term relationships rooted in trust, shared values, and meaningful connection. • You are comfortable engaging high-net-worth individuals, community leaders, and influential stakeholders with confidence, credibility, and professionalism. • You bring a donor-centered mindset and enjoy helping individuals achieve their philanthropic goals while advancing the organization's mission. • You are patient, persistent, and understand that meaningful donor relationships often require thoughtful cultivation over time. • You can see both the big picture and the next step, translating ambitious goals into clear strategies, priorities, and measurable outcomes. • You are an effective communicator who can tailor your message to diverse audiences and inspire action. • You use sound judgment, strong problem-solving skills, and data-informed decision making to drive results. • You are familiar with Los Angeles' philanthropic, nonprofit, or civic landscape. • You know your way around the Microsoft Windows operating systems and all it's essential programs including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams

Responsibilities

• ## WHAT 1 YEAR OF SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE • Establish an Individual Giving Roadmap to grow portfolio from $700K to $2M with clear annual milestones, portfolio targets, and donor acquisition, upgrade, and retention activities. • Design and execute a formal donor upgrade pathway that moves a targeted number of Leadership Giving donors ($1,000–$9,999) into Major Gift-level ($10,000+) giving by year end, with measurable conversion benchmarks established in Q1. • Reactivate lapsed donors with a reactivation campaign targeting mid-level and major gift donors who have not given in 1–3 years. • ## SKILLS YOU’LL NEED TO SUCCEED (The Must-Haves)

Benefits

• We are inviting ambitious fundraising leaders with a passion for cultivating transformational donor relationships to apply for our Director, Major Gifts role. • You will contribute to our revenue growth goals by securing major gifts, expanding mid-level giving and Tocqueville Society membership, and increasing philanthropic investment across our individual donor portfolio. • You will have the unique opportunity to inspire donors to make some of their most significant charitable investments in support of a stronger Los Angeles. • ## HOW YOU’LL CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAUSE • Major Gifts ($10k+) • Develop and execute strategies to grow revenue from major donors contributing $10,000 or more annually. • Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, leading cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and renewal efforts. • Secure five- and six-figure gifts that advance UWGLA's strategic priorities and long-term revenue goals. • Build personalized engagement and solicitation strategies that deepen donor relationships and increase philanthropic investment. • Major Donor Giving Society • Lead the growth and management of the Tocqueville Society, UWGLA's leadership giving society for donors contributing $10,000 or more annually. • Develop and execute strategies to increase Tocqueville membership, retention, engagement, and annual giving. • Define and evolve Tocqueville member benefits, recognition opportunities, communications, and engagement strategies. • Create pathways that encourage Tocqueville members to increase their giving, deepen their involvement, and become long-term champions of UWGLA's mission. • Mid-Level Leadership Giving & Donor Pipeline Development • Develop and execute strategies to grow revenue from mid-level Leadership donors contributing between $1,000 and $9,999 annually. • Create donor upgrade pathways that move workplace, annual, and Leadership Giving donors into higher levels of giving over time. • Lead donor reactivation efforts focused on lapsed Leadership Giving, Tocqueville, and major gift donors. • Build and maintain a robust pipeline of qualified Leadership Giving, Tocqueville, and major gift prospects. • Individual Giving Strategy & Performance • In coordination with department leadership, establish fundraising goals, revenue forecasts, and performance metrics for individual giving programs. • Analyze donor giving trends, portfolio performance, and engagement data to identify growth opportunities and inform strategy. • Develop and execute strategies to acquire new individual donors and expand UWGLA's base of philanthropic support. • Monitor fundraising performance and implement adjustments that strengthen donor retention, increase giving levels, and achieve revenue goals. • Team Management & Development • Mentor and coach a diverse team of development professionals to grow skillsets, support individual professional development goals, and inspire team members to both lead and follow. • Provide direct but respectful constructive feedback in real-time and during formal review periods to elevate team performance, maintain accountability, and reach goals. • Hiring Salary Range: $120,000-140,000 per year dependent on internal equity and a variety of job-related factors including, but not limited to, experience, training, education, and market demands. • The benefits available for this position include medical, dental, vision, 403(b) plan, pension, life insurance coverage, disability benefits, paid holidays, and paid time off.