VP, Major Gifts

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We are advocating for policies to protect them. We are working to radically improve the health care they receive. We are pioneering research to find solutions. We are empowering families with programs, knowledge and tools to have healthier pregnancies. By uniting communities, we are building a brighter future for us all.

We are dedicated to hiring a diverse workforce that fosters opportunities for personal and professional development. We provide a collaborative and supportive environment built upon our fundamental core principles where each employee is valued. Join us in the fight for healthy moms and strong babies.

SCOPE:

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, March of Dimes is seeking a VP, Major Gifts to be an integral member of the development leadership team. The incumbent will lead and oversee the Major, Principal and Planned Giving practice while creating, managing and leading all stewardship activities. This position will be accountable for significantly growing the major individual giving and planned giving programs at March of Dimes through innovative, entrepreneurial approaches and strategic pipeline development.

The role requires a dynamic leader who will be responsible for all high-value donor programmatic delivery, develop annual and multiyear major gifts strategies, plans and fundraising goals that align with the organization's Strategic and Growth Plans. This position will work closely with peers across the organization to develop and execute innovative and collaborative development strategies to achieve short- and long-term development goals to grow the major gifts portfolio to $20M and beyond.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy & Leadership

• Establishes and directs comprehensive plans for the Major Gifts and Planned Giving programs, recommending strategic changes to better align value delivery where higher-gift capable donors are positioned at the "Highest and Best" level for March of Dimes
• Develops and coordinates a world-class Principal giving program to steward, engage, solicit, and close 7+ figure transformational gifts
• Creates and provides staff support for a high-level volunteer to support principal giving initiatives
• Manages the stewardship practice and donor events with key team members, ensuring exceptional donor experience and retention
• Coach and partner with Regional Leaders to drive strategy and revenue, positioning March of Dimes for significant revenue increase through entrepreneurial and innovative approaches

Capital Campaign Leadership

• Plans, develops, and launches comprehensive capital campaigns, including feasibility studies, case development, volunteer recruitment, and multi-year execution strategies
• Manages all phases of campaign implementation, from quiet phase through public launch and completion, ensuring goal achievement and donor engagement
• Coordinates campaign communications, events, and recognition programs to maximize participation and gift levels
• Develops campaign-specific stewardship and recognition strategies to maintain donor engagement throughout multi-year commitments

Driving Revenue & Pipeline Development

• Rejuvenates and aggressively grows the major giving program through entrepreneurial strategies and innovative approaches to donor engagement
• Partners with Direct Response and Direct Marketing teams to create integrated pipeline development strategies that identify, qualify, and move donors from lower-level giving to major gift prospects
• Develops sophisticated donor journey mapping that leverages direct mail, digital campaigns, and telemarketing data to identify major gift potential
• Creates systematic processes for upgrading direct response donors through personalized cultivation strategies and targeted stewardship programs
• Implements data-driven approaches to prospect research and identification, utilizing direct marketing analytics to predict giving capacity and inclination
• Develops planned giving infrastructure that supports identification, cultivation, and capture of planned giving expectations to support future revenue
• Personally, manages a portfolio of select national-level donors and prospects, developing personalized strategies for each and orchestrating initiatives designed to move them toward readiness for substantial gifts
• Coordinates solicitation of leadership gifts from Board of Trustees members and other key stakeholders

Donor Operational Effectiveness & Innovation

• Partners with Chief Development Officer, Sr. Vice President, Markets and other key revenue leaders to provide consultation, evaluate performance, develop tools and support to increase likelihood of significant income growth in major giving
• Develops and leads business processes and initiatives that deliver comprehensive stewardship process performance monitoring, including activity tracking, automated triggers, and digital outreach prioritization
• Creates performance management systems that assess stewardship process delivery and drive continuous improvement
• Implements efficiency enhancements and technology solutions that streamline development processes and relationship building
• Establishes metrics and KPIs that measure success across the donor pipeline from direct response through major gifts

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum 10+ years of leadership experience in individual and major giving with demonstrated success in personal cultivation, solicitation, stewardship and closing of major gifts ($25K+)
• Proven experience in Transformational Giving (7+ figures) and asset-based giving programs
• Experience planning, launching, and managing capital campaigns with goals of $10M+
• Demonstrated success working with direct response fundraising and direct marketing teams to build robust major gift pipelines
• Deep knowledge of planned gifts, including gifts of assets and programs designed to support current and deferred gifts of assets

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Strategic Leadership

• Visionary thinking with ability to develop long-term strategic plans and translate them into actionable initiatives
• Change management expertise with proven ability to transform and scale programs
• Entrepreneurial mindset with demonstrated success in launching innovative fundraising approaches

Revenue Generation & Analytics

• Data-driven decision making with expertise in fundraising analytics and pipeline management
• ROI optimization across multiple fundraising channels and donor segments
• Predictive modeling and prospect identification using integrated data sources

Relationship Management

• Executive presence with ability to engage C-suite leaders, board members, and high net worth individuals
• Cross-functional collaboration skills to work effectively with marketing, communications, and program teams
• Volunteer management expertise with proven ability to recruit, train, and retain high-level volunteers

Communication & Influence

• Superb written and verbal communication skills with ability to craft compelling cases for support
• Presentation skills for diverse audiences from individual donors to large groups
• Negotiation and influence skills with demonstrated success in closing complex, multi-year commitments

Operational Excellence

• Project management expertise with ability to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously
• Technology proficiency with fundraising databases, CRM systems, and marketing automation platforms
• Process improvement orientation with focus on scalability and efficiency

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

• Creative problem-solving with ability to identify and capitalize on new opportunities
• Risk assessment and management in launching new programs and initiatives
• Market research and competitive analysis to inform strategic positioning

March of Dimes provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.