Director of Major Gifts and Leadership Giving

About Us:
Issue One is a leading cross-partisan democracy reform organization working to strengthen American democracy for the sake of freedom, fairness, and opportunity. We believe the biggest challenges facing our country cannot be solved until we address the political dysfunction that prevents the government from working effectively for the American people.
Through policy advocacy, coalition building, and strategic engagement with leaders across the political spectrum, Issue One advances solutions that strengthen democratic institutions, promote accountability, safeguard elections, and ensure government serves the public interest, not special interests.
Position:
The Director of Major Gifts & Leadership Giving is a senior frontline fundraising role responsible for helping design and execute Issue One’s 501(c)(3) major gifts strategy, managing a portfolio of high-capacity donor relationships, and driving revenue growth through strategic cultivation and solicitation. This role partners closely with the VP of Philanthropy, CEO, and Board leadership to engage individuals capable of making significant multi-year investments in the organization. The Director also serves as a strategic fundraising partner, helping identify, cultivate, and advance high-capacity donor opportunities through executive and board networks.
The Director of Major Gifts & Leadership Giving reports to the VP of Philanthropy and serves as the primary relationship manager for Issue One's major donor portfolio. The VP of Philanthropy maintains a portfolio of principal and transformational gift prospects, while the Director leads cultivation and stewardship efforts for donors with significant growth potential and supports engagement strategies for the organization’s highest-capacity prospects.
Responsibilities:
Major & Leadership Gifts Portfolio Management (60%)
Develop and execute strategies to grow revenue from leadership donors (individuals who give $50,000+ annually), including identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-capacity prospects.
Lead and grow revenue from a portfolio of approximately 50-75 major and leadership donor prospects and donors, with emphasis on increasing the number of supporters making gifts of $50,000+ annually.
Develop and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for each portfolio donor.
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—including one-on-one meetings, small-group settings, and cultivation events—to deepen relationships and advance significant philanthropic investments.
Draft compelling proposals, reports, and updates tailored to individual donor interests and organizational priorities.
Track and manage the donor pipeline through strategic moves management, ensuring accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions, next steps, relationship strategies, and revenue projections in Salesforce.
Monitor portfolio performance and fundraising results, regularly analyzing donor activity, pipeline health, and progress toward revenue goals to inform strategy and decision-making.
Meet or exceed annual major-gifts and leadership-gifts revenue goals.
Executive and Board Partnership (35%)
Build and manage a strategic pipeline of high-capacity prospects sourced through the networks of the CEO, Board of Directors, Executive Team, and other organizational stakeholders.
Develop and maintain a coordinated engagement plan for the CEO, Board members, and Executive Team that identifies priority donor relationships, establishes clear next steps, and drives accountability for cultivation and solicitation activities.
Develop and execute engagement strategies designed to move high-potential prospects from introduction to solicitation and long-term partnership.
Partner closely with the VP of Philanthropy and CEO to identify, prioritize, and advance major donor opportunities through their personal and professional networks.
Serve as a key accountability partner to organizational leadership by tracking engagement activity, recommending next steps, and ensuring momentum with priority donor prospects.
Support the VP of Philanthropy in staffing the Board's Philanthropy Task Force, including preparing briefing materials, coordinating logistics, managing follow-up, and attending meetings as needed.
Equip Board members, the CEO, and Executive Team members for fundraising success through donor briefings, meeting preparation, talking points, solicitation strategies, and follow-up plans.
Facilitate introductions and connections between donors and organizational leadership.
Represent Issue One in donor-facing settings alongside organizational leadership and help cultivate meaningful relationships with philanthropists, partners, and stakeholders.
Major Gifts Strategy and Program Development (5%)
Analyze portfolio performance, donor trends, and fundraising results to identify opportunities for growth and increased donor engagement.
Partner with the VP of Philanthropy to refine and strengthen Issue One's major and leadership giving strategies, systems, and fundraising practices.
Identify opportunities to improve donor experiences, move management processes, and cross-functional collaboration in support of revenue growth.
Stay informed on major gifts and leadership giving best practices and recommend innovations that strengthen fundraising effectiveness.
Develop and share regular reports, forecasts, and insights on major gifts performance, donor trends, and pipeline health with the VP of Philanthropy and organizational leadership.
Job-Related Experience
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, or supporting high-capacity donor strategies within a sophisticated fundraising environment.
Comfort operating in high-touch, donor-facing environments and representing an organization in one-on-one and small-group settings.
Experience with political advocacy, nonprofit fundraising, or democracy reform is highly preferred. Candidates should be comfortable with Issue One's bipartisan approach to democracy reform and able to authentically engage donors across the political spectrum.
Deep familiarity with the donor lifecycle and successful execution of moves management strategies
Experience working with donor databases (Salesforce preferred) and research tools (iWave)
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.
Job-Related Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to connect authentically with high-net-worth individuals
Strong written and verbal communication with ability to craft compelling donor narratives and proposals
Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage complex donor pipeline
Strategic thinking with comfort, making independent decisions about donor engagement
Self-motivated with ability to work inde

Employment type
Full-Time

Work arrangement
No