Director of Leadership Gifts / Senior Principal Development Officer

Status: Full - Time, Exempt

Location: Philadelphia, PA; East Coast proximate (NYC-Washington, DC); or near major airport preferred. Remote work also be considered.

Application Deadline: February 7, 2025

For consideration, please attach your Cover Letter and Resume to the online application in addition to answering the Application Questions.

Summary of Principal Responsibilities

The Director of Leadership Gifts focuses on the cultivation and solicitation of individuals who have the greatest potential for supporting AFSC’s programs and supervises gift officers who also solicit leadership gifts (unrestricted and restricted). The Director of Leadership Gifts relates to donors who require the most deftly carried out cultivation leading to solicitation of major gifts, planned or blended gifts, including bequest intentions. The Director of Leadership Gifts will have some expertise in financial planning, estate planning, and life income gift issues and an interest in developing it further in concert with the Director of Planned Gifts. The Director of Leadership Gifts must coordinate the involvement of other development and program staff and volunteers in the cultivation process so that priorities are kept in view, deadlines are met, and duplication of effort or action at cross purposes is avoided.

In the role as Director of Leadership Gifts, they will lead conversations around individual giving (inclusive of major gifts, but also touching on grassroots, online, and other community-based fundraising), coordinate across program units, and play a significant role in conversations at the leadership level of the organization.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities: The key responsibilities of the Director of Leadership Gifts include the following:

1. Supervise gift officers who are soliciting annual, major and planned gifts, each of which has a portfolio of 120-150 donors.
2. Gather input from gift officers to inform unit decisions and recommendations to senior leadership.
3. As part of a personal portfolio, raise funds for all work of the AFSC through carefully planned cultivation and solicitation of individuals (from a pool of 25 - 50 or more individuals) who are identified as prospects to make major annual, blended or planned gifts, including bequest intentions.
4. Guide gift officers in utilize prospect research and through discussions with donors, staff and committee members, prospect research, and other resources to qualify donors’ capacity to make major gifts.
5. Lead strategy and the team in increasing current donors’ or potential donors’ interest in and financial commitment to the AFSC through visits, calls, letters, proposals, and other donor engagement activities. Interpret the work of the AFSC in articulate, compelling and creative ways.
6. Assist the team in interpreting the work of the AFSC in articulate, compelling, and creative ways. Develop written strategies for solicitations and participate in regular donor strategy sessions.
7. Lead strategy on overall individual giving for programs in concert with the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Director of Grants, Director of Planned Gifts, Director of Donor Operations, Regional Directors, and Program Directors, that may include grassroots or community-based fundraising, online fundraising, and other strategies.
8. Lead on major gifts strategy for future Campaigns that support the Strategic Plan priorities (2020-2030).
9. In collaboration with gift officers, review donors’ complex financial situations, to develop and present to donors with the most appropriate outright, planned, and blended gift options. When requested by donors, work with their advisors or families.
10. Involve program and senior administrative staff, committee members, and board members in the cultivation and solicitation of gift prospects.
11. Personally acknowledge gifts from assigned donors.
12. Maintain donor records in the Constituent Relationship Management system including notes on cultivation and solicitation actions and donors’ personal information of relevance to AFSC.
13. Provide coaching and support and travel with gift officers or volunteers as needed.
14. Work with finance team and AGS Advancement on financial projections for individual giving and major gifts as they are part of the operating budget.
15. Set qualitative and quantitative expectations and goals for unit staff. Actively use management approaches such as appropriate delegation, timely feedback, setting agendas, problem-solving, team-building, and skills improvement to achieve these results.
16. Update and monitor unit budget on regular cycles in consultation with AGS Advancement.
17. Keep informed and up-to-date about the program work of the AFSC through contacts with program staff, attendance of events, and reading Serve as conduit of information between development, external affairs and program departments.
18. Consult as necessary with Development colleagues, participate in conference calls, and attend national gatherings of all AFSC fundraisers.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent related work experience is required.

Experience:

1. Seven or more years of direct fundraising experience including three or more years’ experience in major gifts fundraising with individual Experience with capital campaigns preferred. Knowledge of AFSC or a social change organization is desirable.
2. Demonstrated experience in supervising staff and/or volunteers.

Other Required Skills and Abilities:

1. Ability to communicate professionally and persuasively both orally and in writing. Ease in initiating contact with persons not known, in person and by phone. Demonstrated ability to interpret effectively the programs and goals of an organization to a wide range of persons of different backgrounds. Convey credibility and expertise in advising donors on confidential and sometimes complex financial and estate planning matters.
2. Commitment to Quaker values and testimonies. Understanding of and compatibility with the principals and philosophy of the American Friends Service Committee including non-violence and the belief in the intrinsic worth of every individual.
3. Understanding of and commitment to the principals, concerns, and considerations of AFSC in regard to issues of race, class, nationality, religion, age, gender and sexual orientation, and disabilities. Demonstrated ability to work and communicate with diverse staff.
4. Sensitivity to Quakers with a range of perspectives.
5. Knowledge and interest in socially responsible investing and social impact.
6. Willingness and ability to travel as needed over a wide geographical area and to work some evenings and weekends. At times travel could be up to 25-30% of the role. Must possess a valid driver’s license.
7. Experience that demonstrates ability to organize time, give attention to detail, and carry out careful planning and follow-up. Demonstrated ability to use imagination and innovation within financial, physical, time or other limitations.
8. Ability to sustain workloads over extended periods during emergencies, special campaigns, holiday seasons and other situations.
9. Demonstrated administrative and supervisory experience and skills with staff and/or volunteers. Ability to work both independently and in a multi-layered team environment, establish objectives, determine priorities, set performance standards and establish a successful team approach to achieve fundraising goals.
10. Evidence of ability to exercise judgment consistent with and supportive of AFSC goals as well as demonstrated initiative, perseverance and ability to cope with pressure.
11. Ability to work cooperatively with committees and staff, and in an organization that is characterized by a high level of consultation.
12. Computer literacy required.

Compensation: Section Head - $95,000 - $120,000 – Exempt – Comprehensive medical and hospitalization plan; term life, accident and salary continuation insurances, defined benefit pension plan, plus fringe benefits; participation in unemployment and worker’s compensation and social security.

The American Friends Service Committee is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified persons are encouraged to apply regardless of their religious affiliation, national origin, race, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.

AFSC’s Central Office and some of its offices in the U.S. are unionized workplaces. This position is not represented.

The American Friends Service Committee is a smoke-free workplace.