Northeastern University

Director, Major Gifts

Northeastern University$113K — $165K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of progressive fundraising experience with proven success in securing six-figure donations.
  • Experience managing complex projects and engaging strategic volunteers and donor relationships.
  • Ability to work autonomously within an entrepreneurial environment.
  • Background in higher education, cultural institutions, healthcare, or complex nonprofits preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Manage a portfolio of 120+ major gift prospects, focusing on securing gifts of $250,000-$1M+.
  • Develop tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies for each prospect with programmatic collaboration.
  • Cultivate and solicit relationships with alumni, parents, and friends while strategizing next steps with faculty and colleagues.
  • Utilize data-driven methods to identify new prospects and support ambitious fundraising goals.
  • Create and maintain regional strategic development plans to engage alumni and parents effectively.
  • Ensure high-quality development processes through data management and timely correspondence.
  • Regularly report progress to the Assistant Vice President and maintain a data-driven prospect portfolio.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental plans.
  • Paid time off and tuition assistance programs.
  • Wellness and life insurance benefits.
  • Retirement plan options.
  • Commuting and transportation support.
Full Job Description
JOB SUMMARY

In keeping with our One Northeastern Advancement structure, this position will serve as both a front-line fundraiser and content strategist for the Northeastern University in related subject areas including but not limited to: engineering, computer science, science, and other disciplines working in close partnership the One Northeastern advancement team and in close partnership with faculty and programmatic leaders. The role will focus on securing major gifts within at least two regions and developing interdisciplinary strategic opportunities for funding that elevate Northeastern's philanthropic profile and align with its priorities. This position reports to an Associate Vice President of Advancement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in securing six-figure gifts.
• Experience managing complex projects, strategic volunteer engagement, and donor relationships that require interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Comfort working in an entrepreneurial environment with high levels of autonomy and responsibility.
• Background in higher education, cultural institutions, healthcare, or other complex nonprofits preferred.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

This position is Boston based and is a part of the One Northeastern network, the Director of Major Gifts manages a portfolio of 120 prospects and when necessary partners with One Northeastern colleagues in athletics, gift planning, family philanthropy, leadership giving, annual giving, and alumni relations to develop and support interdisciplinary gift opportunities within the regional structure. The Director of Major Gifts will build, manage, and engage a portfolio of high-capacity prospects in concert with One Northeastern fundraising colleagues to secure major gifts in support of Northeastern's mission.
  • The position will maintain a portfolio of approximately 120+ major gift prospects, with an emphasis on raising gifts of $250,000-$1M+ (threshold of $100K).
  • Prospects will be developed with a geographic and subject matter overlay working in partnership with other One Northeastern colleagues as needed.
  • Develop and implement tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies for each prospect, leveraging programmatic leadership where appropriate.
  • Cultivate, solicit, and build alumni, parent, and friend relationships. Strategize with faculty and other colleagues on next steps with prospects. Travel as needed to designated region(s) to build relationships with existing volunteers, prospects, and donors and to solicit gifts in the $250K - $1M+ range.
  • Empowered by a data-driven mindset and sophisticated prospect management systems, the Director of Major Gifts will discover new prospects, build pipeline to feed gifts at the major gift level, and achieve ambitions fundraising goals.
  • Work with the regional leadership including the Assistant Vice President for Advancement to create a strategic development plan to advance a portfolio; establish region-based plans for cultivating and soliciting alumni and current parents in targeted region(s); engage faculty strategically with prospects; maintain correspondence; and keep the Assistant Vice President, faculty, and appropriate University administrators apprised of funding opportunities and trends; and achieve annual fund-raising goals and activity (visits, video meetings, calls, proposals, etc.) metrics.
  • Maintain high-quality development process for active alumni, parent, and friend prospects and donors; create call reports and maintain database system; maintain the data integrity of prospect portfolio using the Development Office data management systems (Ascend); prepare monthly progress prospect reports for the Assistant Vice President; work with Advancement's Stewardship team to ensure that past, present, and future donors are appropriately recognized; including their administration and accounting.
  • Travel as needed to strategically-identified regions to support prospect identification, cultivation, solicitations, and stewardship.
  • Achieve annual fundraising goals and activity (visits, video meetings, calls, proposals, etc.) metrics as set by the Associate Vice President.


Position Type

Advancement

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type:
113S

Expected Hiring Range:
$113,865.00 - $165,105.00

With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.

About Northeastern University

Northeastern University is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus in Boston.
Learn more about Northeastern University
Size
2,700 employees
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