Director - Major Gifts Officer

Summary

Join Winrock International as a Major Gifts Officer to build and grow a major donor portfolio, supporting our mission to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. You will identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors and family foundations capable of making significant gifts. Working closely with program leadership and executive leadership, you will craft compelling cases for support and build meaningful relationships to secure philanthropic investment. This role requires a comprehensive understanding of major donor strategies and a proven track record of securing substantial gifts. The position involves managing a portfolio of major donor prospects, developing individualized cultivation plans, and ensuring effective stewardship. While based in the US, significant meetings will be held on Eastern Time.

Requirements

• Experience: Associate Director: Minimum 8 years of fundraising or relationship management experience, including work with major donors or family foundations
• Director: Minimum 10 years of progressively senior experience in major gift fundraising or nonprofit development
• Track Record: Demonstrated success securing five- and six-figure gifts from individuals or family foundations
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with ability to translate complex global development work into compelling donor messaging
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with high emotional intelligence
• Organized, detail-oriented, and strategic, with the ability to manage competing priorities and donor timelines
• Experience using donor CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, EveryAction, or equivalent)
• English required: English speaking and written communication is required
• Some travel anticipated, based on capture and proposal management requirements

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a comprehensive individual major gifts strategy to grow Winrock’s base of high-capacity donors and family foundations
• Manage a portfolio of 75–100 qualified major donor prospects and existing donors, ensuring regular engagement and meaningful touchpoints throughout the year
• Develop individualized cultivation and solicitation plans for each prospect, leveraging moves management best practices
• Prepare customized donor communications, proposals, presentations, and stewardship materials in collaboration with communications and program teams
• Track all interactions and plans in Winrock’s CRM system, ensuring accuracy and accountability
• Identify new donor prospects through research, networking, and internal referrals
• Cultivate and solicit gifts in the five- and six-figure range, supporting leadership and Board engagement where needed
• Plan and execute donor meetings, virtual briefings, events, and site visits that meaningfully connect prospects to Winrock’s mission and impact
• Ensure timely and personalized stewardship for all major donors, including reporting, thank-you touchpoints, and ongoing engagement in Winrock’s work
• Work closely with program leaders and technical experts to identify strategic funding priorities and develop clear, compelling cases for support
• Serve as a thought partner to the Senior Director of Development on integrating individual giving into broader fundraising strategies
• Collaborate with finance and awards teams to develop gift agreements, manage restricted revenue, and ensure donor intent is honored
• Represent Winrock at donor events, philanthropic networks, and external meetings as needed
• Stay current on trends in global philanthropy, climate resilience, food security, and related areas
• Contribute to a culture of philanthropy across the organization by building internal awareness and storytelling capacity

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Excellent benefits package