Senior Director of Major Gifts and Strategic Fundraising Initiatives
HOW TO APPLY: https://recruiting.myapps.paychex.com/appone/MainInfoReq.asp?R_ID=7153204
COMPANY SUMMARY
Join United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes and become part of a collaborative, mission-driven team dedicated to creating lasting impact across our community. Guided by our values of integrity, action, caring, and teamwork, we foster a welcoming and inclusive culture where employees are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work and grow professionally. We offer competitive benefits, generous paid time off, retirement and wellness programs, hybrid work flexibility, professional development opportunities, and meaningful ways to give back while building strong connections with colleagues who are passionate about making a difference.
SUMMARY
The Senior Director of Major Gifts and Strategic Fundraising Initiatives provides leadership, strategy, and oversight for all individual giving efforts outside of Workplace Campaigns at United Way, with a focus on growing revenue, strengthening donor engagement, and expanding long-term philanthropic investment.
This role is responsible for developing and overseeing strategies across the full individual giving pipeline—including annual, mid-level, major, and planned giving—while also leading asset-based giving and other strategic fundraising initiatives such as legacy and endowment gifts. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the Senior Director ensures alignment across teams, drives innovation in fundraising strategies, and is accountable for achieving or exceeding revenue goals.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Strategic Leadership & Revenue Growth:
Develops and oversees a comprehensive individual giving strategy aligned with organizational revenue goals
Leads strategies to increase donor retention, acquisition, and overall giving across all individual donor segments
Accountable for achieving or exceeding individual giving revenue goals
Identifies trends in donor behavior and implements strategies to grow giving at all levels
Ensures alignment between annual, mid-level, major, and planned giving strategies
Strategic Fundraising Initiatives:
Oversees and expands planned giving, legacy, and endowment strategies, including stewardship and growth of the United Way Endowment Fund
Collaborates with senior leadership and Finance to align long-term philanthropic strategies and investment opportunities
Leads innovation in new and emerging fundraising opportunities to diversify revenue streams
Portfolio & Donor Engagement Leadership:
Manages a portfolio of high-level donors and prospects, including major and legacy donors
Oversees development of donor pipelines across all giving levels, ensuring clear pathways for donor growth and engagement
Ensures consistent, compelling donor messaging and experiences across all touchpoints
Creates opportunities for donor recognition, engagement, and stewardship at all levels
Team Leadership & Execution Oversight:
Leads and oversees all Individual Giving staff and Gift Officers
Supervises Associate Director of Individual Giving and Associate Director of Major Giving, ensuring alignment of strategy and execution across portfolios
Provides coaching, performance management, and professional development to team members
Establishes clear performance metrics, accountability measures, and revenue expectations across the team
Fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and results-driven performance
Campaign Integration & Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Partners with Corporate Giving and Workplace teams to align individual donor strategies within workplace campaigns
Works with Marketing & Communications to develop donor-centric messaging and campaigns
Collaborates with Community Impact to connect donor investments to measurable outcomes
Partners with Finance and Operations to ensure accurate revenue tracking, forecasting, and reporting
Data, Systems & Performance Management:
Oversees portfolio data integrity, reporting, and performance tracking within CRM systems
Utilizes data analytics to inform strategy, segment audiences, and optimize fundraising outcomes
Provides regular revenue projections and performance updates to the Chief Development Officer, CEO, and Board of Directors
Ensures accurate and timely documentation of donor engagement
Organizational Leadership:
Serves as a senior leader within the Resource Development team, contributing to long-range planning and organizational strategy
Consistently demonstrates the mission and values of United Way
ROLE CLARITY WITHIN INDIVIDUAL GIVING STRUCTURE
Senior Director of Major Gifts and Strategic Fundraising Initiatives:
Oversees all Individual Giving activities and Gift Officers
Develops and leads strategy across all donor segments and fundraising initiatives
Responsible for growth in asset-based giving, planned giving, legacy, and endowment gifts
Supervises Associate Directors and ensures alignment and performance across all portfolios
Accountable for total individual giving revenue performance
Associate Director of Individual Giving (Donors under $10,000):
Develops strategy for donors under $10,000
Oversees execution across annual and mid-level giving segments
Responsible for achieving or exceeding fundraising goals within assigned portfolio
Associate Director of Major Giving (Donors $10,000+):
Develops strategy for major and leadership-level donors
Oversees execution of major gift strategies and donor engagement
Responsible for achieving or exceeding fundraising goals within assigned portfolio
Mid-Level Gift Officer:
Provides input into strategy for donors $1,000–$9,999
Leads execution of strategy for this portfolio
Accountable for relationship management and revenue outcomes within assigned portfolio
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
Strategic leadership with strong execution focus
Expertise in donor engagement and fundraising strategy
Team leadership and staff development
Data-driven decision making and financial acumen
Strong relationship management and influence skills
Effective communicator and storyteller
Innovative, adaptable, and forward-thinking
High level of professionalism and integrity
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent experience
7–10 years of experience in fundraising, sales, or relationship management
Demonstrated success leading fundraising strategies and achieving revenue goals
Experience managing high-level donor portfolios
Proven experience supervising staff and leading cross-functional teams
Strong knowledge of nonprofit fundraising, including major gifts, planned giving, and asset-based giving
REPORTS TO: Chief Development Officer
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Supervises Associate Director of Individual Giving, Associate Director of Major Giving, and other Individual Giving team members
TRAVEL: Local travel required; occasional evenings and weekends for donor engagement events
FLSA CLASSIFICATION: Exempt
SALARY RANGE: $90,000-$115,000
* The expected rate of pay for this position is shown above. Compensation offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education and, where applicable, licenses or certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered.
HOW TO APPLY: https://recruiting.myapps.paychex.com/appone/MainInfoReq.asp?R_ID=7153204
JOIN THE TEAM!
United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes is a dynamic and collaborative work environment comprised of dedicated professionals who are driven to make our community a better place. Join our team and make an impact serving our region with your time and talent.
OUR MISSION
Mobilize the goodwill and resources of our community so that everyone can thrive.
OUR VALUES
Within our organization and the communities we serve, we act consistently with…
- Integrity - We do what we say
- Action - We work to make something better today
- Caring - We remember the human connection
- Teamwork - We believe in the power of collaboration
CULTURE STATEMENT
We are committed to creating a welcoming environment that embraces, values, respects, and encourages people to show up as their authentic selves to produce their best work. Together we ensure that processes, policies, and practices foster fairness, belonging, and equity that reflect the views and values of all people within all levels of our organization.
WHAT WE OFFER
- Competitive financial and wellness benefits
- Generous paid time off, retirement plan, and other fringe benefits
- Hybrid working arrangements
- Opportunities to give back to the community in life-changing ways
- Paid professional development
- Team events and internal committees for connection opportunities and fun!
This job description lists only the responsibilities and qualifications deemed essential to the position in support of the ADA. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This policy prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression, disability, genetic predisposition, veteran status, or status as a member of any other protected group or activity.