Senior Director Philanthropy - Major Gifts

American Bible Society•Philadelphia, PA

4h•Hybrid

About The Position

American Bible Society has historic roots, global reach, and a vision for engaging a new generation of Bible advocates. We are seeking talented, motivated, and collaborative people to come alongside us as we share the life-changing message of the Bible into our third century of ministry. The Senior Director of Philanthropy-Major Gifts will work collaboratively with the Chief Development Officer and senior leaders across the organization to develop and implement comprehensive major gift strategies that meet or exceed annual revenue goals in support of American Bible Society’s mission and ministry. This role is responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-capacity donors and prospects, including those with the capacity to make annual gifts of $10,000 or more, while providing strategic leadership to strengthen the overall major gifts program. This leader will oversee and coach a team of Philanthropy – Major Gift Advisors while also managing and growing a personal portfolio of high-capacity donors. The role requires an experienced leader, strategic thinker, disciplined fundraiser, and exceptional relationship builder who models best-practice major gift fundraising and drives a culture of accountability, performance, and donor-centered engagement. This is a highly visible leadership role that reports to the Chief Development Officer and serves on the Development Leadership Team.

Requirements

Minimum of Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, Master’s in Business Administration, Non-profit Management, or related field preferred.
Minimum of 10 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising or related field. A minimum of 10 years in management and leadership with a clear record of success in building effective and healthy teams.
Experience with CRM software (Salesforce preferred), and basic Microsoft software.
Valid driver's license required.

Nice To Haves

Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) or comparable philanthropic fundraising certification strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

In collaboration with the Chief Development Officer and Development Leadership Team, develop and implement comprehensive data-driven strategies to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors.
Personally build, manage, and grow a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, including identifying new prospects, qualifying potential donors, and strategically advancing relationships toward significant and transformational gifts. These prospects should have the capacity for a one-time major gift of $10,000/annual or more.
Develop and execute individualized moves management plans for each donor in the portfolio, ensuring intentional cultivation, timely solicitation, and meaningful stewardship.
Conduct regular face-to-face visits in-person to deepen relationships and secure major gifts aligned with ministry priorities.
Lead and equip a team of Major Gift- Philanthropy Advisors to achieve or exceed annual fundraising goals and deepen donor engagement.
Oversee portfolio strategy and performance management across the team, ensuring disciplined activity metrics, pipeline growth, and revenue achievement.
Partner with the Chief Development Officer and Senior Leadership Team to prepare for high-level cultivation and solicitation visits, proposals, and presentations.
Collaborate closely with Donor Services, Stewardship, and Prospect Development to strengthen pipeline development, donor qualification, and advancement to higher levels of giving.
Ensure excellence in proposal development, impact reporting, and stewardship communications that inspire transformational giving.
In partnership with Development Leadership and Prospect Development, support the creation and execution of annual and multi-year major gift revenue plans aligned with organizational strategic priorities.
Establish and monitor leading performance indicators, including face-to-face donor meetings, qualification activity, proposals submitted, pipeline movement, and revenue attainment. Analyze fundraising data and trends to inform strategy adjustments and optimize results.
Stay current on major gift fundraising trends and best practices, incorporating innovative approaches to deepen donor engagement and expand philanthropic investment.
Provide leadership and oversight to the Major Gifts team in accordance with ministry policies and applicable laws, including interviewing, hiring, training, coaching, performance management, and professional development.
Model strong portfolio discipline and fundraising effectiveness, setting the standard for excellence across the team.
Provide ongoing individualized coaching and strategic guidance to Major Gift – Philanthropy Advisors, strengthening their portfolio strategy, donor engagement, solicitation effectiveness, and overall performance to achieve and exceed revenue goals.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and relational excellence within the team.
Alongside Development Operations, the Chief Development Officer, and Finance, track and forecast major gift revenue and manage departmental budgets with strong stewardship and fiscal responsibility.
Champion a culture of philanthropy across the organization by equipping internal partners to engage effectively in donor relationships.