Director of Major Gifts and Leadership Giving

About Us:

Issue One is a leading cross-partisan democracy reform organization working to strengthen American democracy for the sake of freedom, fairness, and opportunity. We believe the biggest challenges facing our country cannot be solved until we address the political dysfunction that prevents the government from working effectively for the American people.

Through policy advocacy, coalition building, and strategic engagement with leaders across the political spectrum, Issue One advances solutions that strengthen democratic institutions, promote accountability, safeguard elections, and ensure government serves the public interest, not special interests.

Position:

The Director of Major Gifts & Leadership Giving is a senior frontline fundraising role responsible for helping design and execute Issue One’s 501(c)(3) major gifts strategy, managing a portfolio of high-capacity donor relationships, and driving revenue growth through strategic cultivation and solicitation. This role partners closely with the VP of Philanthropy, CEO, and Board leadership to engage individuals capable of making significant multi-year investments in the organization. The Director also serves as a strategic fundraising partner, helping identify, cultivate, and advance high-capacity donor opportunities through executive and board networks.

The Director of Major Gifts & Leadership Giving reports to the VP of Philanthropy and serves as the primary relationship manager for Issue One's major donor portfolio. The VP of Philanthropy maintains a portfolio of principal and transformational gift prospects, while the Director leads cultivation and stewardship efforts for donors with significant growth potential and supports engagement strategies for the organization’s highest-capacity prospects.

Responsibilities: 

Major & Leadership Gifts Portfolio Management (60%)

• Develop and execute strategies to grow revenue from leadership donors (individuals who give $50,000+ annually), including identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-capacity prospects.
• Lead and grow revenue from a portfolio of approximately 50-75 major and leadership donor prospects and donors, with emphasis on increasing the number of supporters making gifts of $50,000+ annually.
• Develop and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for each portfolio donor.
• Conduct donor research, wealth screening, and strategic segmentation to identify and qualify new major gift prospects.
• Lead and participate in high-touch donor engagement opportunities—including one-on-one meetings, small-group settings, and cultivation events—to deepen relationships and advance significant philanthropic investments.
• Draft compelling proposals, reports, and updates tailored to individual donor interests and organizational priorities.
• Track and manage the donor pipeline through strategic moves management, ensuring accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions, next steps, relationship strategies, and revenue projections in Salesforce.
• Monitor portfolio performance and fundraising results, regularly analyzing donor activity, pipeline health, and progress toward revenue goals to inform strategy and decision-making.
• Meet or exceed annual major-gifts and leadership-gifts revenue goals.

Executive and Board Partnership (35%)

• Build and manage a strategic pipeline of high-capacity prospects sourced through the networks of the CEO, Board of Directors, Executive Team, and other organizational stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain a coordinated engagement plan for the CEO, Board members, and Executive Team that identifies priority donor relationships, establishes clear next steps, and drives accountability for cultivation and solicitation activities.
• Develop and execute engagement strategies designed to move high-potential prospects from introduction to solicitation and long-term partnership.
• Partner closely with the VP of Philanthropy and CEO to identify, prioritize, and advance major donor opportunities through their personal and professional networks.
• Serve as a key accountability partner to organizational leadership by tracking engagement activity, recommending next steps, and ensuring momentum with priority donor prospects.
• Support the VP of Philanthropy in staffing the Board's Philanthropy Task Force, including preparing briefing materials, coordinating logistics, managing follow-up, and attending meetings as needed.
• Equip Board members, the CEO, and Executive Team members for fundraising success through donor briefings, meeting preparation, talking points, solicitation strategies, and follow-up plans.
• Facilitate introductions and connections between donors and organizational leadership.
• Represent Issue One in donor-facing settings alongside organizational leadership and help cultivate meaningful relationships with philanthropists, partners, and stakeholders.

Major Gifts Strategy and Program Development (5%)

• Analyze portfolio performance, donor trends, and fundraising results to identify opportunities for growth and increased donor engagement.
• Partner with the VP of Philanthropy to refine and strengthen Issue One's major and leadership giving strategies, systems, and fundraising practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve donor experiences, move management processes, and cross-functional collaboration in support of revenue growth.
• Stay informed on major gifts and leadership giving best practices and recommend innovations that strengthen fundraising effectiveness.
• Develop and share regular reports, forecasts, and insights on major gifts performance, donor trends, and pipeline health with the VP of Philanthropy and organizational leadership.

Job-Related Experience

• 7-10+ years of progressive experience in major gifts fundraising, donor relations, or relationship-based sales
• Demonstrated success managing a portfolio of major donors or high-value clients and cultivating and securing five- and six-figure gifts, or supporting high-capacity donor strategies within a sophisticated fundraising environment.
• Comfort operating in high-touch, donor-facing environments and representing an organization in one-on-one and small-group settings.
• Experience with political advocacy, nonprofit fundraising, or democracy reform is highly preferred. Candidates should be comfortable with Issue One's bipartisan approach to democracy reform and able to authentically engage donors across the political spectrum.
• Deep familiarity with the donor lifecycle and successful execution of moves management strategies
• Experience working with donor databases (Salesforce preferred) and research tools (iWave)
• Demonstrated success partnering with executives, board members, or other senior leaders to identify, cultivate, and solicit high-capacity donors.
• Experience developing fundraising strategies that leverage leadership and board networks to generate and advance major gift opportunities.

Job-Related Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to connect authentically with high-net-worth individuals
• Strong written and verbal communication with ability to craft compelling donor narratives and proposals
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage complex donor pipeline
• Strategic thinking with comfort, making independent decisions about donor engagement
• Self-motivated with ability to work independently while collaborating across teams
• Comfort with metrics-driven approach to fundraising and portfolio management
• Understanding of  fundraising best practices, moves management, and philanthropic trends 
• Exceptional ability to influence, manage up, and drive accountability across senior leaders and volunteer stakeholders in support of fundraising goals.
• Strong political acumen and judgment, with the ability to navigate complex relationships involving executives, board members, and major donors.
• Ability to develop actionable fundraising strategies for others and effectively coach non-fundraising leaders in donor engagement and solicitation.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders around high-priority donor opportunities.
• Familiarity with democracy reform and the U.S. political system

Work Coordination and Supervision

This role is managed by the VP, Philanthropy, who provides strategic direction and oversight. The Director is expected to work independently and bring proactive recommendations to leadership for review and input.

Strategic Responsibilities

• Establish goals and lead strategies to grow revenue from major and leadership donors, with particular focus on expanding the organization's base of $50,000+ supporters and strengthening the pipeline of future leadership donors.
• Develop and maintain a strategic pipeline of high-capacity prospects sourced through executive and board networks.
• Position the CEO, Board members, and Executive Team for fundraising success by providing strategy, preparation, and relationship management support.
• Represent the Philanthropy team in cross-functional leadership meetings.
• Provide thought leadership on major gifts fundraising, donor engagement, and leadership giving best practices.

Structure and Location

This role is a full-time, fully benefited position requiring 40 hours per week. It’s preferred that the candidate reside in the Washington, DC area and participate in IO’s hybrid work environment. This arrangement allows staff to come to the office two days a week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and work remotely on the other three days. While the opportunity to work outside of the DC area is possible, it would require additional conversations between the hiring manager and applicant before an employment offer is made.

Physical Demands 

• Most work is done in an office-like environment, where tasks are completed at a desk for extended periods and work is done on a computer. 
• The employee may occasionally be required to lift, push, and/or carry items weighing more than ten (10) pounds. 
• Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the job.

Tentative Recruitment Timeline

• August 24-September 7: The position is posted, and resumes are collected
• September 8-11: Resumes are screened and top candidates are identified for interviews
• September 14-18-: First-round panel interviews take place
• September 21-24: Second-round panel interviews with finalists take place
• September 25: Preferred candidate named and the role offered (contingent on a background check and verification of all educational credentials)
• October 15: New candidate begins (flexible start date)

Special Note: While our organizations will do their best to follow the above timeline, there are instances where the selection process is shortened or delayed due to circumstances beyond our control. The organizations will do their best to update all selected candidates on any changes to the timeline. In addition, while resumes may be submitted after September 7, there’s no guarantee they will be screened for a potential interview.

DEI Philosophy and Self-ID Questionnaire 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) drive everything we do. We celebrate each individual's unique perspectives and experiences to our team. Your voice matters to us, and we're committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.

As part of our ongoing DEI efforts, we invite all applicants to complete our self-identification questionnaire voluntarily. Rest assured, your responses are confidential and have no impact on your job application. This survey helps us better understand our diverse community, ensuring everyone has equal success opportunities.

Due to the volume of applications, we will, unfortunately, be unable to acknowledge receipt of all applications. No phone calls, please. 

Issue One is committed to the principles of equal employment. We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities and all other employment laws and regulations. We intend to maintain a work environment that is free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation because of age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity or expression), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), reproductive health decisions, marital status, personal appearance, matriculation, political affiliation, credit information, employment status, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran status, uniformed service member status, status as a victim or family member of a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking, homeless status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. Issue One is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, fringe benefits, and other compensation, the application of disability and/or temporary disability policies, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.