Senior Regional Director of Major Gifts

Phillips Exeter Academy•Exeter, NH

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Supports the mission of Institutional Advancement by being responsible for the regional management of the philanthropic relationship between Exeter and major and principal gift prospects and donors as well as for the coaching, mentorship, and strategic visioning for the Regional Directors of Major Gifts.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
5+ years’ relevant experience in various aspects of development or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
Demonstrated experience in fundraising, preferably in a private secondary school or college is highly desired or transferrable experience managing client relationships.
Demonstrated success in all phases of cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts from individuals and private foundations and a demonstrated ability to establish long-term relationships with donors, faculty and prospects.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with emphasis on writing.
Ability to communicate with officers, faculty, administrators and donors.
Ability to present complex information in a clear and compelling manner in writing and in person.
Ability to document meetings, write briefings, proposals and stewardship reports.
Respect for diversity of identities and experiences, an orientation toward equity and inclusion, and cultural competency in all aspects of Academy life.
Ability and willingness to travel extensively.
Demonstrated success in managing extensive and often complicated travel arrangements, including ability to set itineraries, arrange meetings and travel logistics.
Knowledge of planned giving instruments.
Persuasive, persistent and motivational ability.
Successful experience in working with senior institutional leaders.
Ability to effectively leverage the time of senior volunteers and academic and administrative staff in contacts with donors including strong preparation and good judgment about the extent to which cultivation can effectively be staff driven.
A passion for excellent customer service and commitment to exceptional quality.
Ability to coach support team in all aspects of work, but particularly with regard to preparation of written materials.
Initiative, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Strong interpersonal skills with ability to develop and maintain collegial relationships.
Demonstrated ability to work with students by building trust and credibility.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills as well as a strong customer focus.
A strict adherence to confidential policies is required.
Ability to work independently and handle multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
Proficient in MS Office.
Willingness and ability to learn additional applications as needed.
High degree of organizational skills with the ability to be flexible and multi-task with accuracy.
Ability to follow verbal and written directions, maintain a professional demeanor and restraint at all times, including stressful situations.
Successfully complete a criminal background check (reviewed every 5 years).
Clean Driving record (reviewed annually).

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Campaign experience preferred.
Experience working with adolescents in an educational setting preferred.

Responsibilities

Manages and advances the Academy’s philanthropic relationship with approximately 150-180 major and principal gift prospects and donors (as defined by gift capability of $100,000 and higher).
Travels extensively to off-campus locations as determined by the regional assignment for individual visits and small group cultivation events.
Schedules approximately 135 face to face visits/year.
Works with the Director of Major and Principal Gifts to establish and achieve annual goals.
Assesses capacity and interest, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding assigned major gift prospects and donors.
Works with Institutional Advancement colleagues and volunteers to coordinate annual, capital, and planned giving approaches to the major gifts’ prospects.
Maintains prospect management tools including documentation of visits and all communication.
Adheres to privacy, confidentiality and budget requirements.
Develops and executes a donor-centric plan for each assigned donor in collaboration with the Director of Major and Principal Gifts, the Director of Institutional Advancement, the Principal, Trustees, Exeter Fund colleagues, Finance and/or faculty.
Prepares briefing materials, correspondence, proposals, telepresence/phone calls, and related communication.
Keeps informed of the Academy’s strategic plans, institutional priorities, funding needs, specific case and objectives of gift opportunities.
Works independently and collaboratively within a team to build successful relationships.
Serves as a mentor, coach, and strategic partner for 2 regional directors of major gifts.
Responsibility for coordinating strategy through collaboration with the Principal, Trustees, Regional Major Gift Officers, and the Directors of the Exeter Fund, Alumni Relations, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Family Engagement and Giving, Advancement Communications, and others who may become involved in the essential communications and relationship building that will lead to the cultivation and solicitation of principal and major gifts.
Ensure that appropriate systems and procedures are in place to cultivate, solicit, and acknowledge major donors; monitoring and evaluating progress at regular intervals.
Define and develop international and domestic major prospect markets throughout the world, overseeing cultivation and solicitation strategies throughout team’s regions.
Implement appropriate steps to ensure that principal and major gifts efforts are coordinated with other departments within Advancement; work closely with the Annual Fund staff to ensure coordination of all annual giving solicitations of the Academy’s top prospects.
Coordinate portfolios and workload of the Regional Directors of Major Gifts.
Providing the Director of Principal and Major Gifts input on evaluating Major Gifts staff.
Assists with the supervision of administrative staff.