Director Individual Giving and Philanthropy

Summary

Join Autism Speaks as a Director, Individual Giving & Philanthropy to lead donor engagement and cultivate major gifts. You will manage a portfolio of high-capacity individual donors, focusing on qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. Collaborate with cross-functional partners to advance strategic donor engagement and generate $1 million in annual revenue. This remote position, ideally located in the Mid-Atlantic region, requires a proven track record of securing major gifts and a deep understanding of donor strategy. You will be responsible for implementing major gift strategies, building relationships, and meeting revenue goals. The role demands strong communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, along with proficiency in CRM and MS Office Suite.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
• 7-10 years of specific, dedicated major gift experience in a non-profit, fundraising setting
• 10 or more years of professional working experience
• Proven track record closing 6 and 7 figure gifts
• Superior interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence donors to support the organization
• Ability to show initiative and resourcefulness to meet the needs of the donors
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, as well as strong presentation skills
• Ability to monitor budgets and produce reports and other correspondence in a timely fashion
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Comprehensive knowledge of development and major gift development / fundraising
• Experience working in a mission-driven organization and achieving aggressive fundraising goals
• Open and collaborative work style, conducive to engaging external and internal partners
• Adept at problem-solving; have good judgment; have integrity in all that they do
• Excellent listening skills; ability to match donors to appropriate program, strategic priority
• Results-oriented and motivated with an entrepreneurial approach to fundraising
• Commitment to and passion for the mission of Autism Speaks
• Professional demeanor; demonstrated social skills with individuals as well as with large groups
• Ability to travel easily and frequently to key markets across the region
• Proficient with CRM (StratusLive) and MS Office, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel

Responsibilities

• Major Gift Lead Generation, Cultivation, Solicitation, and Stewardship: Lead the development and growth of the major gift portfolio for Autism Speaks
• Collaborate with the Community Engagement team to: Serve as the strategic lead for major gift fundraising efforts in assigned markets
• Partner with Executive Directors to identify, qualify, and advance a pipeline of major gift prospects, leveraging local insights and relationships
• Maximize donor engagement and pipeline development through strategic participation in local events, identifying cultivation and stewardship opportunities
• Conduct regular strategy meetings with Executive Directors to review portfolio progress, align on donor approaches, and surface new opportunities
• Implement proven major gift strategies to: Identify and engage a greater number of new leads
• Increase the volume of new, qualified relationships onto the major gift portfolio
• Deepen relationships with those in the portfolio who have six, seven and eight-figure capacity
• Solicit gifts that support the priority programs of Autism Speaks with an emphasis on high five, six and seven + figure gift conversations
• Engage with colleagues and volunteers across the organization who can inform and help major gift lead generation activity for the region
• Work with the VP, Individual Giving and Autism Speaks leadership to develop and implement thoughtful moves and experiences for the region’s major gift portfolio
• Foster strong partnerships across departments, serving as a collaborative and solutions-oriented partner to internal teams
• Contribute to a culture of shared success by supporting colleagues on the major gifts team and across the broader relationship development division, ensuring alignment and integration of fundraising strategies
• Actively learn the programs, and priority initiatives of Autism Speaks (as per our strategic plan) and convey this vision and work to donors and prospective donors
• Seek to introduce appropriate donors and prospects to leadership and content experts throughout the relationship cultivation process
• Seek to maximize giving capacity in solicitations with a particular emphasis on increased giving where / when appropriate
• Have comfort with clear annual goals and weekly, monthly, quarterly measurement of activity toward these goals
• Work with Development Operations team to guide back-office support, including prospect research, necessary to grow the region’s portfolio
• Demonstrate discipline to prepare thoroughly for all donor visits and conduct pre and post visit briefings with staff / volunteer leadership
• Offer input on the development of major gift donor materials and communications for the division overall and the region specifically
• Fiscal Responsibility: Meet or exceed agreed upon major gift revenue and key activity metric goals (each year)
• Forecast revenue from the region’s major gift portfolio on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis
• Remain current and have ability to analyze major gift revenue trends in key markets in the region
• Planning and Management: Create and implement a long-term business plan to strategically grow major gift relationships and revenue in key markets across the region
• Identify and utilize key volunteers who can influence and help advance this major gift growth plan
• Follow the Relationship Development division’s database protocols and expectations – use the Razor’s Edge database to accurately reflect regional portfolio growth, moves, revenue outcomes

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, benefit and vacation package
• Flex work hours
• Weekly training sessions
• Tuition reimbursement
• Summer bonus Fridays
• Creative, innovative, collaborative, inclusive, kind and fun work environment