Title: Director of Campaigns and Major Gifts
Supervisor: VP of Philanthropy & Communications
Division: Philanthropy & Communications
Revision Date: March 2026
Start Date: July 2026
SUMMARY:
The Director of Campaigns and Major Gifts plays a critical role in advancing the organization’s philanthropic growth by securing significant investments from individual donors and leading the success of the comprehensive fundraising campaign. Through strategic relationship-building, thoughtful donor engagement, and disciplined pipeline management, this role strengthens the organization’s long-term fundraising capacity and financial sustainability.
The Director of Campaigns and Major Gifts is responsible for leading the Urban League’s strategy to secure transformational philanthropic support from major donors while advancing the success of the organization’s comprehensive fundraising campaign. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Philanthropy and Communications, this role manages a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, develops strategies to cultivate and steward philanthropic investments, and drives campaign fundraising outcomes.
This position plays a central role in building a sustainable pipeline of major gifts by engaging individual donors, philanthropic families, and key community leaders. The Director works closely with senior leadership and board members to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors capable of making significant contributions to the organization’s mission and long-term growth.
CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Major Gifts Strategy and Portfolio Management
- Manage and grow a portfolio of individual donors and high-capacity prospects, typically capable of making gifts of $20,000 or more.
- Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to deepen donor engagement and philanthropic investment.
- Conduct regular donor meetings and relationship-building activities to strengthen long-term partnerships.
- Track and advance prospects through the fundraising pipeline from identification to solicitation and stewardship.
Campaign Leadership
- Lead the execution of the organization’s comprehensive fundraising campaign strategy in partnership with the Senior Vice President of Philanthropy and Communications.
- Develop campaign gift strategies, donor engagement plans, and solicitation timelines.
- Coordinate closely with senior leadership and board members on campaign outreach and donor engagement.
- Track campaign progress and ensure alignment with overall fundraising goals and milestones.
Donor Engagement and Stewardship
- Create meaningful engagement opportunities for major donors including briefings, program updates, events, and impact experiences.
- Partner with program and executive leadership to communicate impact and align donor interests with organizational priorities.
- Ensure timely and personalized stewardship of major donors to strengthen retention and long-term support.
Board and Leadership Partnership
- Partner with board members and senior leaders to identify potential donors and support relationship-building efforts.
- Prepare leadership and board members for donor meetings and solicitations.
- Support board engagement in campaign activities and philanthropic leadership.
Fundraising Infrastructure and Collaboration
- Maintain accurate donor records and engagement strategies in the organization’s donor database.
- Provide pipeline visibility and reporting on major gifts and campaign progress.
- Collaborate with the communications team to develop compelling donor materials, case statements, and impact messaging.
- Work closely with other members of the philanthropy team to align major gifts strategy with corporate, institutional, and event fundraising efforts.
Education/Experience and Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree in nonprofit management, business, public administration, or related field preferred.
- 7–10 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising with demonstrated success securing major gifts.
- Experience participating in or leading a capital or comprehensive fundraising campaign preferred.
- Proven ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward high-net-worth donors.
- Strong relationship-building, communication, and strategic thinking skills.
- Experience working with senior leadership and volunteer boards on fundraising initiatives.
Other Skills, Abilities and Qualifications
- Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
- Excellent verbal and written skills including editing, grammar and spelling.
- Outstanding organizational skills.
- Ability to work effectively with persons of all ages and diverse backgrounds, skills and abilities.
- Ability to carry out responsibilities with flexibility to adapt to changing needs and goals.
- Positive and team-oriented attitude.
- Must have the ability to lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
- Must have a valid Florida driver’s license and reliable transportation.
- Must pass a Level 2 background and drug screening.
