Director of Major Gifts
Job Details
Shenandoah University’s Office of Advancement is accepting applications for a Director of Major Gifts. This is a full-time, benefited position located in the Feltner Building in downtown Winchester, VA.
The Director of Major Gifts serves as the premier frontline "closer" and operational team manager for the frontline fundraising unit. This individual is responsible for personally managing a high-capacity portfolio of individual, corporate, and foundation prospects, while simultaneously supervising, mentoring, and driving the metrics of junior development officers to maximize philanthropic pipelines across the university's academic and athletic verticals. This position is located in Winchester, Virginia, within the Office of University Advancement, Shenandoah University, and reports directly to the Associate Vice President for Advancement.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Portfolio Ownership: Proactively qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a lean, high-capacity portfolio of 50–75 major and principal gift prospects (individuals, families, corporate partners, and foundations).
- The "Closer" Function: Successfully build and execute tailored solicitation strategies to close major gifts at the $50,000 to $100,000+ tier, directly supporting capital initiatives, endowments, and the university’s comprehensive campaign pillars.
- Corporate & Academic Integration: Leverage the university's existing business, industry, and regional partnerships to convert workforce pathways, applied learning environments, and clinical collaborations into dedicated philanthropic major investments.
- Personnel Supervision: Directly manage, mentor, and coach the frontline development officers (including the Development Officer for Athletics & Health Sciences and the Development Officer for Parent Council & Health Sciences).
- Metrics & Pipeline Governance: Establish, monitor, and enforce clear, quantifiable activity metrics for direct reports—specifically governing donor discovery visits, face-to-face asks, proposal submissions, and real-time data tracking within Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT.
- Giving Circle Scaling: Standardize the "Giving Circle" playbook university-wide. Oversee the replication of the highly successful Conservatory "Dean’s Circle" framework into other underserved sectors, starting with the immediate architecture and deployment of the Health Sciences "Healing Circle".
- CBET Advisory Alignment: Lead the strategic expansion and cultivation of the existing Business Advisory Board to integrate newly introduced "Engineering and Technology" alumni, unlocking high-capacity corporate and individual pipelines.
- Faculty Disciples Rollout: Design, launch, and manage the training curriculum for the newly established "Development Disciples" program. Identify and prepare academic faculty members across all six schools to serve as authentic, storytelling partners during frontline donor visits.
- Stewardship Integration: Partner directly with the Pipeline & Research Coordinator and the Executive Assistant to ensure that major gifts closed by the frontline fundraising team triggers immediate, high-touch stewardship actions executed by the Advancement Student Ambassadors.
Required Skills
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE and POSITION REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required. A degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or a related field is preferred.
- 7–10 years of progressive, direct fundraising experience with a documented track record of successfully cultivating and closing individual major gifts, corporate contracts, or foundation investments at the $100,000+ level.
- Minimum of 2–3 years of direct supervisory experience managing frontline employees or complex, multi-stakeholder project teams.
- Demonstrated experience working fluently within sophisticated fundraising databases (Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT) and wealth screening analytics (e.g., DonorSearch).
- Must be willing and structurally flexible enough to work frequent evenings and weekend hours.
- Must pass a comprehensive State/Federal background check and possess a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.
COMPETENCIES:
- Strategic Thinking & Execution - Ability to seamlessly connect business and industry needs with academic strengths, creating clear, donor-facing narratives that inspire philanthropic investment.
- Elite Interpersonal Skills - A proven relationship-builder who approaches internal and external stakeholders with absolute tact, diplomacy, and professionalism.
- Unwavering Discretion & Integrity - Deep understanding of professional advancement ethics, donor privacy mandates, and strict confidentiality.
- Mission Realization - Proactive professional who brings an authentic commitment to the university’s strategic vision and values.
How to Apply:
The complete application will include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references. Applications will be reviewed immediately and will continue until a qualified candidate is selected.
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