Director, Major Gifts

Sesame Workshop•New York, NY

18h•Hybrid

About The Position

Sesame Workshop is the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street and so much more. For over 50 years, we have worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of empowering each generation to build a better world. Our beloved characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring playful early learning to families in more than 190 countries and advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Learn more at www.sesame.org and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram , TikTok , Facebook , and X . The Revenue and Philanthropy Department is a major contributor to Sesame Workshop’s $150 million annual budget and works closely with our Distribution team and International Offices to advance the organization’s broader revenue goals. Sesame Workshop sees a significant growth opportunity in the Major Gifts and Planned Giving space and is building a team to unlock this potential. The Director of Major Gifts role will be a critical part of this new team, helping to establish the business processes and build the donor relationships that bring it to life. The Director, Major Gifts is a key senior-level frontline fundraiser responsible for securing significant philanthropic support to advance Sesame Workshop’s mission. Reporting to the Vice President of Major Gifts, this position drives the development and execution of major gift strategies for a portfolio that includes high-net-worth individual donors and family foundations. The Director will provide strategic fundraising execution, manage relationships, oversee written communication, and contribute to the overall success of the Major Gifts program. The Director, Major Gifts engages regularly with internal and external partners to advance donor and foundation relationships. Internally, the role collaborates closely with the Vice President of Major Gifts and the growing Major Gifts team; program, events, and communications teams; Revenue Operations; and executive leadership to craft compelling donor strategies and ensure alignment with organizational priorities. Externally, the Director represents Sesame Workshop in meetings with high-net-worth individuals, family foundation representatives, board members, and other key stakeholders. The role plays a visible, relationship-centered function—building trust, managing high-level interactions, and serving as an ambassador for Sesame Workshop’s mission and impact.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or CFRE preferred.
8+ years of progressively responsible experience in major gift fundraising, with a demonstrated track record of closing five- to seven-figure gifts from both individuals and family foundations.
Proven expertise in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-net-worth individuals and family foundations.
Exceptional proposal writing, reporting, and communication skills, with the ability to engage a diverse range of stakeholders.
High proficiency in using CRM systems for fundraising, preferably Salesforce.
Ability to travel regularly for donor and foundation meetings and events.
Deeply committed to the mission of Sesame Workshop and its global impact.

Nice To Haves

Experience in media, social impact, and early childhood development fundraising is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Portfolio management: Manage and grow a portfolio of 125-150 high-capacity individual donors and family foundation prospects, with a focus on cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts at the $10,000+ level.
Fundraising strategy: Develop and execute comprehensive, individualized moves management strategies for donors in the portfolio, from identification and qualification to solicitation and stewardship.
High-level solicitation: Personally solicit and secure major and principal gifts by crafting compelling proposals and presentations that align donor and family foundation interests with Sesame Workshop's funding priorities.
Proposal writing and reporting: Lead the preparation of high-quality proposals and grant reports for family foundations within the portfolio, synthesizing complex programmatic information into clear, compelling, and compliant narratives.
Strategic collaboration: Work closely with the Vice President of Major Gifts, the Executive Team, and Board members to facilitate and support high-level donor and foundation engagement.
Team mentorship: Provide informal coaching and guidance to other Major Gift Officers (MGOs), sharing expertise and modeling best practices in donor and family foundation engagement.
Prospect identification: Partner with the Director of Research to proactively identify new major gift and family foundation prospects, leveraging AI-powered insights to expand the pipeline.
Events & visibility: Participate in donor and foundation cultivation events, program showcases, and other strategic gatherings to build relationships and move prospects through the pipeline.
CRM management: Ensure accurate records of all donor and foundation interactions, proposals, and gift statuses within the Salesforce CRM, in partnership with the Revenue Operations team.
Programmatic knowledge: Develop and maintain a deep knowledge of Sesame Workshop's programs, priorities, and global impact to effectively articulate the case for support to all funders.