Director of Major Gifts

Position Summary

The Director of Major Gifts, a key member of the development leadership team, is responsible for designing and executing strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors in support of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts (PPLM - 501c3) and the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts (PPAF - 501c4).

Reporting directly to the Chief Development Officer (CDO), the Director plays a pivotal role in advancing reproductive health and rights through high-level philanthropic partnerships, focusing on major gifts of $10,000+ (with a primary target on securing $25,000+ contributions).

The Director leads a growing team of Major Gift Officers (MGOs), manages a personal portfolio of highcapacity donors, and serves as a critical thought partner in shaping organizational fundraising priorities. This position requires a blend of frontline fundraising, strategic planning, cross-departmental collaboration, and direct engagement with executive leadership, board members, and development committees.

Your Day to Day:

Strategic Leadership & Team Management

• Lead the hiring, onboarding, and ongoing professional development of the MGO team, fostering a collaborative culture rooted in shared accountability, equity, and inclusion.
• Supervise and coach MGOs (each managing up to 120 donor households) on portfolio strategy, moves management, and impactful donor communication.
• In coordination with the Prospect Research Officer, oversee prospect pipeline management across all major gift portfolios.

Direct Fundraising & Portfolio Management

• Actively qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of 90–95 major donors and prospects, achieving monthly in-person donor visits, annual solicitation, and revenue goals.
• Partner with the CDO, CEO, Chief Executive Administrative Office (CEAO), and key leadership to execute high-level cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Support the CDO in managing their personal portfolio of up to 30 executive donor relationships.
• Support the planning and execution of high-level donor events.

Strategy & Collaboration

• Develop and execute a comprehensive major gifts strategy aligned with organizational goals for both PPLM and PPAF.
• Partner with the Director of Development Operations to ensure all major gift activity, moves management, and pledge tracking are accurately reflected in the donor database.
• Collaborate with national and affiliate Planned Parenthood major gift colleagues to share best practices, solicitation trends, and cross-portfolio strategies.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

• Attend and work occasional evening/weekend events/committee meetings.
• Other tasks and responsibilities as needed. 

Qualifications:

• 8+ years of fundraising experience with progressive responsibility, including 5+ years of major gifts (portfolio management and solicitation) and 3+ years directly supervising staff. 
• Proven success in personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts of $25,000 or more.
• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred; an equivalent combination of education and professional fundraising experience will be considered. 
• Deep commitment to PPLM and PPAF’s mission of reproductive health, rights, and advocacy, with the ability to authentically articulate this mission to donors.
• Working knowledge of planned giving concepts and vehicles.
• Proficiency with fundraising CRMs (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Salesforce) and donor database management best practices.
•  Exceptional written, oral, and presentation skills tailored for high-level donors, board members, and executive leadership. 
•  Strong discretion, organizational ethics, and sound judgment when handling confidential donor information.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and build high-performing fundraising teams.
• Must hold a valid driver’s license and have access to a vehicle.