Sr. Director, Major Gifts & Individual Giving

Oceana Inc•Washington, DC

1d•$175,000 - $185,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Oceana is seeking a Senior Director, Major Gifts and Individual Giving to build and lead its major-gifts team, including Planned Giving. This newly created senior role offers an opportunity to shape and grow Oceana’s major-gifts program. The position begins without direct reports, with plans to add Major Gifts Officers over time. The Senior Director will personally manage a curated portfolio of approximately 50–75 of Oceana’s most significant individual donors and prospects, with particular focus on continuity of principal-level relationships valued at $100,000 or more. At the same time, the role directs team-wide strategy, goal setting, moves management, forecasting, pipeline reporting, and revenue accountability across the full major-gifts program. The Senior Director is a member of Oceana’s Global Development team and reports to the Vice President, Global Development. The position operates with a high degree of independence under broad instructions and direction from the Vice President. It is based in Washington, DC, on a hybrid schedule: staff work from their assigned office Tuesday through Thursday and may work from home Monday and Friday with supervisor agreement. Travel and work outside normal business hours may be needed for donor and organizational events.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
12 or more years of progressive major-gifts fundraising experience, including at least 3–5 years managing or supervising fundraising staff.
Demonstrated success personally securing six- and seven-figure gifts and leading a team or program toward multi-million-dollar annual goals.
Experience managing complex donor-relationship transitions, including maintaining continuity with principal-level donors through staff turnover.
Proficient background in fundraising for a large, complex nonprofit organization with a sophisticated donor base.
Superior written and verbal communication skills.
Comfort representing the organization with high-net-worth individuals, board members, and executive leadership.
Proven people-management skills, including hiring, coaching, goal setting, and performance management.
Rigorous attention to detail and excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines across a team.
Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality and to exhibit diplomacy and tact.
Working knowledge of planned-giving concepts sufficient to support and guide a Legacy & Planned Giving lead.
Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office and Salesforce.
Knowledge of environmental issues and the nonprofit community, and genuine enthusiasm for Oceana’s mission.
Willingness to travel and work outside normal business hours as needed for donor and organizational events.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree or equivalent professional training.

Responsibilities

Build, lead, and develop the major-gifts team, including Planned Giving.
Set portfolio assignments, individual and team revenue targets, and moves-management standards across the major-gifts program.
Recruit, hire, coach, and evaluate team members; set clear goals and support professional development.
Consolidate donor-relationship management into the major-gifts function, coordinating the transition of portfolios held by staff outside the function into appropriate team ownership.
Own forecasting, pipeline reporting, and revenue accountability for the full major-gifts program.
Personally identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of approximately 50–75 significant individual donors and prospects, with particular focus on continuity of principal-level relationships.
Build a robust major-donor pipeline, convert qualified prospects into major-gifts supporters, and provide high-touch stewardship.
Prepare and deliver individualized solicitations, moves-management plans, and impact reports for the organization’s highest-level relationships.
Represent Oceana at donor and prospect meetings, cultivation events, galas, industry gatherings, and speaking engagements, including engagements requiring board- and executive-level participation.
Partner with the Vice President, Global Development to design and execute a multi-year major-gifts growth strategy supporting organization-wide revenue goals.
Set annual major-gifts revenue goals for the team and monitor progress against pacing benchmarks.
Collaborate with Communications, Program, and Legal teams to develop donor-facing materials, proposals, and stewardship content.
Represent major gifts in department-wide strategic planning alongside other senior development leaders.
Ensure accurate and timely donor records in Salesforce and supporting systems.
Develop and monitor portfolio and program metrics to measure team and individual performance.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Exercise independent decision-making on portfolio assignments and cultivation strategy within the major-gifts team, day-to-day donor engagement and stewardship below principal-gift thresholds, and delegation of team responsibilities.
Consult with the Vice President, Global Development on principal-level gift solicitations or engagements involving Oceana’s CEO, Board, or Executive team; hiring, compensation, or termination decisions for direct reports; material changes to team structure, portfolio assignments, or the major-gifts budget; and policy or process exceptions.