Senior Director of Principal Gifts   Email     Print   PDF

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the Senior Director for Principal Gifts is responsible for obtaining leadership commitments mainly at the $500K+ level from individuals and related foundations.  He/she will manage the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of a discrete number of prospects.  As a senior member of the Principal/Major Gifts team at WHOI, he/she will play a significant role in developing strategies for and ensuring the success of the overall fund-raising program.

• Develops and implements strategies for identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of ~ 100 principal donors/prospects capable of making gifts in the $500K range.  Works directly with donors and prospects one-on-one in the field and at WHOI. 
• Solicits prospects through personal meetings, alone or with senior administrators, and/or members of the scientific staff. 
• Works closely with high-level volunteer groups to engage and solicit prospects. 
• Works closely with WHOI trustees to continue to engage their support at a major level; work closely with CDO to build cultivation strategies for key trustees. 
• Oversees in-depth research requirements and prepares briefing materials, proposals and other documents for senior administrators. 
• With CDO and other senior directors, participates in high-level administrative planning and evaluation of fund-raising programs.  Sets annual personal revenue goals. 
• Works with scientific staff to develop and write lead proposals requesting support for priority initiatives. 
• Staffs 1 Institute and 2-3 funding initiatives. 
• Increases principal gifts prospect pool by identifying and creating involvement opportunities for prospects.  Participate in outreach events as appropriate. 
• Organizes periodic national focus meetings for Trustees and major donors to inform them and solicit their input about ongoing fund-raising priorities. 
• Refines and enhances personal stewardship opportunities for donors.
• Represents the Institution to the public. 
• Works with the CDO in responding to strategic institutional  priorities by planning, setting, and monitoring annual goals in support of those priorities. 
•  Maintains tracking of assigned prospects.

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree desirable.  Minimum of 10 years demonstrably successful direct major gift fund-raising experience.  Strong communication skills, both written and oral.  Good organizational skills with facility for managing many projects simultaneously.  Ability to work independently within established guidelines and to meet frequent deadlines.  Ability and willingness to travel extensively, including occasional weekend travel.  Understanding of and appreciation for WHOI’s special scientific mission and the capacity to project that mission and the value of scientific research to donors and prospects.