Director of Major Gifts - Chrysalis Center Inc

Job Description

A key member of the Development and Communications team, the Director of Major Gifts is an experienced frontline fundraiser, storyteller, and passionate champion for our work and mission. Reporting to the Vice President of Development and Communications, the person plays a pivotal role in achieving and exceeding our annual fundraising goal of $2 million+ from individual donors.

The Director of Major Gifts takes an active leadership role in planning and implementing organization’s strategy for cultivation, stewardship, and expanding relationships with a multi-faceted portfolio of individual donors. They must find unique ways to engage current and prospective funders as well as to create a long-term pipeline for individual major donor engagement.

The candidate should be entrepreneurial and a collaborative team player, with the ability to manage multiple priorities. The candidate should have demonstrated success in frontline major gift fundraising, have excellent communications and relationship building skills, and demonstrated experience in fundraising database management.

Duties and Responsibilities to include but not limited to:

Donor Management (65%)

• Make a significant and proportional contribution to meet the organization’s fundraising goals, with an annual goal of soliciting a minimum of $400,000 in gifts.
• In collaboration with the CEO, VP of Development and Communications and Director of External Relations OC, develop a comprehensive annual plan for identifying, soliciting and stewarding major gift prospects and donors, including goals, timelines, budgets, development and implementation of prospect strategies.
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 75-100 major donors and prospects through the entire moves management cycle to secure and sustain gifts from high-net-worth individuals, including discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
• Engage in substantive personal contact (in-person or by Zoom) with a minimum of twelve donors and prospects each month, and conduct a regular schedule of calls, emails and invitations to events or other engagement opportunities with portfolio prospects.
• Arrange meaningful opportunities for senior leadership to meet with potential donors and volunteers to increase financial support for the organization, including facilities tours, hosted events, etc.
• Explore opportunities for engaging, cultivating, and soliciting new and more diverse audiences, through outreach, initiatives and events. Attend events as required to cultivate and steward current and/or prospective donors.
• Interact authentically with prospects at virtual and in-person events to establish and deepen potential and current donor relationships.
• Serve as staff support for the Board Advancement Committee, working with the CEO and VP Development and Communications to engage this group of volunteers to cultivate and engage donors and prospects.
• Serve as staff support for the San Fernando Valley Advisory Council, working to build an active group that provides financial support to the organization and serves as ambassadors to their individual networks.
• Develop giving opportunities and appropriate case statements. Create and direct the preparation of written proposals and/or other specific materials for use in specific solicitations.
• As appropriate, provide staff support to volunteers in solicitation of prospects.

Donor and Prospect Engagement and Stewardship (25%)

• In collaboration with the Director of External Affairs, Orange County, lead the development of the annual giving campaign strategies, including concept development for multi-channel campaigns. Working collaboratively with the Marketing/Communications staff and the Director of External Affairs, oversee the strategic planning and implementation of direct mail and email appeals, along with other communications content, to support annual giving, cultivation and stewardship for major donors and prospects.
• In collaboration with the Director of External Affairs, Orange County, manage our donor recognition and retention program, including but not limited to The Crew, lapsed donor outreach, targeted giving campus, an annual donor appreciation event.
• Actively participate in weekly, monthly team in-person and virtual meetings and other meetings as required.
• Work collaboratively with members of the Direct Hire, Volunteer & Program, and External Relations teams to strategically identify goals for new and existing partnerships.

Reporting and Data Management (10%)

• Maintain appropriate records on all major gift donors and prospects in Raiser’s Edge, tracking cultivation and stewardship activities and progress to goals, updating information within 24-48 hours of engagement.
• Qualify prospects through rating and screening, prospect list segmentation and analysis, and research. Track donor history and produce comprehensive reports on fundraising progress, providing actionable insights to the team to inform strategy and decision-making.
• Develop detailed briefs for major gifts and meetings, synthesizing relevant donor information, engagement history, and strategic recommendations.
• Analyze fundraising data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement, supporting continuous enhancement of major gift strategies.
• Coordinate the monthly prospect meeting and provide weekly activity and six-month solicitation reports as requested.
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of the organization’s mission.

Key Competencies:

• Strategic thinking & natural curiosity: Be able to think conceptually and analytically. Able to identify the information needed to develop strategies and know when to elevate or seek guidance. Willing and eager to learn as well as able to identify key pieces of information.
• Develop relationships: Use interpersonal interactions to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes that advance Chrysalis’ mission. Demonstrate cultural/diversity competence. Build trust in critical partner relationships, both internal and external to Chrysalis. Demonstrate personal presence and confidence when working with partners.
• Communication: Write articulate and persuasive proposals and other documents. Have strong written and verbal communication and be able to inspire diverse audiences through communication. Listens carefully and is responsive to feedback.
• Manage to results: Set realistic and achievable goals and break them down into interim goals. Be able to adjust when faced with obstacles and lead others to achieve success. Takes initiative, can troubleshoot and work well with others.
• Problem solving and decision making: applies knowledge, experience, creativity, and critical thinking in solving challenges; looks beyond the obvious for answers; uses sound judgment to make well-informed, ethical decisions.

Job Skills & Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3-5 years relevant experience in fundraising at a major donor level.
• Able to work effectively under pressure, handle competing priorities and respond to short deadlines with a team and independently
• Strong attention to detail with a focus on results and process
• Flexibility to meet sudden and unpredictable needs and willingness to work outside standard established business hours
• Strong track record of building and maintaining productive relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, volunteers and colleagues
• Strategic thinker with the ability to manage short- and long-term plans and goals
• Solid, persuasive communication skills, both verbal and written
• Strong research skills – ability to identify and research individual donor prospects
• Passion for and commitment to this role and the Chrysalis mission

Fair Chance Hiring Statement

Chrysalis is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals who share lived experience with the communities we serve. In particular, Chrysalis welcomes applicants who are formerly incarcerated and/or justice-involved; people who have experienced housing insecurity and/or economic inequity; Black, Indigenous, and people of color; persons with disabilities; ethnic and religious minorities; and members of the LGBTQ+ community.