Director Of Strategic Giving

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Position Summary

The Director of Strategic Giving provides strategic leadership and day‑to‑day management of the Strategic Giving program, with a focus on donor engagement, portfolio strategy, data‑informed decision‑making, and team leadership. This role brings firsthand experience managing significant donor relationships while partnering closely with the Senior Director of Individual Giving to translate data and insights into clear plans, priorities, and results.

The Director oversees a team of Relationship Managers and plays a critical role in strengthening donor journeys, improving portfolio effectiveness, and ensuring the Individual Giving program delivers meaningful impact aligned with institutional priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Donor Engagement & Portfolio Strategy

• Manage a portfolio of major donors ($25K+), with a strong understanding of complex donor journeys.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Individual Giving and Relationship Managers on donor and prospect strategy.
• Ensure alignment between individual donor strategies, relationship management activity, and organizational priorities.
• Provide thoughtful guidance on next steps, focus, and prioritization within donor portfolios.
• Engage Chief Philanthropy Officer and Chief Executive Officer appropriately to advance donor relationships.

Data Analysis, Insights & Executive Reporting

• Develop, analyze, and interpret fundraising data to surface insights and trends across pipelines, portfolios, donors, and campaigns.
• Translate data related to budgets, forecasting, and pipelines into concise, actionable insights that support planning and decision‑making.
• Work closely with the Senior Director of Individual Giving to create clear narratives that accompany data for executive audiences.
• Prepare high‑quality reports and presentations for the Senior Director of Individual Giving and Chief Philanthropy Officer.
• Ensure data is used to shape plans rather than simply being reported.

Team Leadership & Management

• Manage and mentor a team of four Relationship Managers.
• Provide coaching, accountability, and strategic guidance to support strong performance and donor‑centered practice.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Individual Giving to foster a collaborative, results‑oriented team culture.
• Partner with the Senior Manager, Donor Engagement on the creation and execution of meaningful cultivation and stewardship activities.
• Support professional growth while ensuring consistent execution against goals, strategies, and standards.

Strategic Leadership & Thinking

• Create strategies that support department goals to significantly increase donor engagement and mission support through multi-year strategies resulting in multi-year commitments.
• Ask thoughtful, challenging questions that deepen strategic discussion and decision‑making.
• Think broadly and critically about donor engagement, portfolio strategy, and performance.
• Maintain a strong focus on impact, clearly distinguishing between activity and meaningful outcomes.

Core Competencies

• Donor‑centered fundraising
• Strategic thinking and synthesis
• Data‑informed decision‑making
• Team leadership and collaboration
• Executive communication