Coverage Area: Statewide across South Carolina, including the Upstate, Midlands, and Lowcountry regions
Position Summary
The Vice President of Individual and Major Giving (VPMG) is a senior fundraising leader responsible for designing, building, and leading a best-in-class individual and major gifts program that advances the mission and long-term sustainability of Communities In Schools of South Carolina (CISSC).
In partnership with the SVP External Affairs and Executive Leadership, this role will design and lead a comprehensive statewide major giving strategy aligned with CISSC's growth and scaling priorities Blending strategic leadership with frontline fundraising execution, the VP, I&MG will design and build the major gifts, processes establishing infrastructure, systems, and a high-performance culture that drives transformational philanthropic investment.
Key Responsibilities
Statewide Strategy & Senior Leadership
- Build and operationalize individual and major gifts strategies at CISSC, including portfolio development, performance metrics, systems, and reporting structures
- Establish best-in-class practices for donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
- Collaborate across government relations, communications, and program teams to ensure integrated external engagement
- Implement scalable systems and processes to support regional and statewide growth
Portfolio Management & Revenue Generation
- Personally manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects with annual revenue responsibility of up to $1M.
- Cultivate, solicit, and steward major and leadership-level gifts ($25,000+), with emphasis on multi-year and transformational investments.
- Lead high-level donor engagements, including executive briefings, site visits, and mission-driven experiences.
- Ensure exceptional stewardship, recognition, and reporting to deepen relationships and increase lifetime giving.
Campaign Strategy & Execution
- Serve in a leadership role for capital and comprehensive campaigns, including planning, execution, and closing of leadership gifts.
- Contribute to campaign strategy, including prospect identification, pipeline development, and gift table design
- Identify and pursue blended giving opportunities, including planned gifts, endowments, and matching gift strategies.
Team Leadership & Management
- Directly manage and develop a team of regionally focused Senior Major Gift Officers, setting clear goals, expectations, and accountability measures
- Provide coaching on portfolio strategy, donor engagement, and closing complex gifts
- Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture grounded in accountability and continuous improvement
Board & External Engagement
- Partner with executive leadership and board members to support high-level donor cultivation and solicitation
- Engage and activate board members and volunteers in meaningful fundraising roles
- Represent CISSC in high-level external engagements and serve as an ambassador for the organization's mission and impact
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred; CFRE preferred
- 10+ years of progressive experience in major gift fundraising
- Proven success securing from $5 - $7 million dollar gifts.
- Demonstrated experience leading or playing a significant role in a capital or comprehensive campaign
- Experience building or scaling a major gifts function or department
- Strong managerial experience, including direct supervision and development of senior fundraising staff
- Demonstrated ability to manage a complex donor portfolio with measurable results
- Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and strategic thinking skills
- Ability to travel statewide and attend occasional evening/weekend events
Preferred Skills & Experience
- Knowledge of planned giving vehicles and blended gift strategies
- Experience working with CRM systems such as Charity Proud, Raiser's Edge, Sage, or Salesforce
- Experience partnering with executive leadership and boards in fundraising strategy
- Familiarity with South Carolina's philanthropic landscape
NOTE:
This job description outlines the primary responsibilities of the role and is not intended to be a complete list of all duties or requirements.
