Director of Major Gifts – Leadership Giving

Issue One

Director of Major Gifts & Leadership Giving at Issue One, enhancing fundraising efforts through donor cultivation and strategic engagement. Responsibilities include managing major donor relationships and driving revenue growth.

Posted 6/11/2026full-timeWashington • District of Columbia, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $120,000 - $130,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and execute strategies to grow revenue from leadership donors (individuals who give $50,000+ annually)
Lead and grow revenue from a portfolio of approximately 50-75 major and leadership donor prospects and donors
Conduct donor research, wealth screening, and strategic segmentation to identify and qualify new major gift prospects
Lead and participate in high-touch donor engagement opportunities
Draft compelling proposals, reports, and updates tailored to individual donor interests and organizational priorities
Track and manage the donor pipeline through strategic moves management
Monitor portfolio performance and fundraising results, regularly analyzing donor activity
Build and manage a strategic pipeline of high-capacity prospects sourced through networks

Requirements

What you’ll need

7-10+ years of progressive experience in major gifts fundraising, donor relations, or relationship-based sales
Demonstrated success managing a portfolio of major donors or high-value clients and cultivating and securing five- and six-figure gifts
Comfort operating in high-touch, donor-facing environments
Experience with political advocacy, nonprofit fundraising, or democracy reform is highly preferred
Deep familiarity with the donor lifecycle and successful execution of moves management strategies
Experience working with donor databases (Salesforce preferred)
Demonstrated success partnering with executives, board members, or other senior leaders to identify, cultivate, and solicit high-capacity donors
Experience developing fundraising strategies that leverage leadership and board networks to generate and advance major gift opportunities

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
Paid time off
Flexible work arrangements

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

major gifts fundraisingdonor relationsrelationship-based salesmoves managementdonor researchwealth screeningstrategic segmentationfundraising strategiesportfolio managementdonor lifecycle

Soft Skills

leadershipcommunicationstrategic thinkingrelationship buildinganalytical skillsengagementcollaborationtailoring proposalsnetworkingexecutive partnership