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The Senior Director is a senior frontline fundraiser responsible for securing significant philanthropic support for Meredith College and leading the performance of the College's major gift fundraising program. Reporting to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, the Senior Director manages a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and donors while supervising and coaching frontline development officers who advance relationships and secure significant philanthropic commitments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Director provides oversight and leads the frontline fundraising team. The position establishes clear expectations for portfolio performance, provides regular coaching and prospect strategy guidance, participates in joint donor visits and solicitations, and holds gift officers accountable for meaningful donor engagement, solicitations, pipeline development, and fundraising results.

Working closely with the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, the Senior Director helps translate institutional and campaign priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities and executes strategies for high-capacity prospects. While the position carries significant responsibility for the performance of the major gifts program, the Senior Director is expected to remain actively engaged in direct fundraising and to model effective relationship-based fundraising for the development team.

Major and Principal Gift Fundraising - 50%
- Manage an active portfolio of approximately 50-75 major and principal gift prospects and donors, with responsibility for qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Develop and execute individualized strategies to move prospects toward significant philanthropic commitments.
- Maintain a robust schedule of substantive donor visits and demonstrate consistent progress toward established fundraising and portfolio goals.
- Personally solicit and close major, principal, planned, and campaign gifts in support of College priorities.
- Build long-term relationships with alumnae, parents, friends, and other constituents with significant philanthropic capacity.
- Identify opportunities to increase donors' philanthropic engagement over time, including multi-year, blended, and planned gift opportunities.
- Partner with the Vice President, President, trustees, faculty, and other College leaders when their involvement can advance significant donor relationships and solicitations.
- Model disciplined, donor-centered portfolio management and effective major gift fundraising practices for the development team.

Frontline Fundraising Leadership and Supervision - 25%
- Supervise, coach, and develop frontline major gift officers and other assigned development staff.
- Establish individual fundraising, solicitation, visit, and portfolio goals aligned with overall Institutional Advancement priorities, in consultation with the Vice President.
- Conduct regular one-on-one meetings and portfolio strategy sessions focused on prospect movement, pipeline development, solicitations, and fundraising results.
- Hold gift officers accountable for effective portfolio management, meaningful donor engagement, timely solicitations, and progress toward established goals.
- Provide ongoing coaching and professional development to strengthen fundraising skills and individual performance.
- Partner with gift officers on complex and high-value prospects while maintaining clarity regarding primary relationship management and portfolio ownership.
- Participate in joint donor visits and solicitations when senior-level involvement will strengthen a relationship or help advance a significant gift.
- Foster a collaborative, accountable, and donor-centered fundraising culture.
- Partner with Prospect Development to evaluate portfolio composition, identify new prospects, monitor pipeline health, and ensure appropriate deployment of frontline fundraising resources.
- Participate in recruitment, onboarding, and development of frontline fundraising staff as needed.

Campaign and Principal Gift Strategy - 20%
- Partner with the Vice President for Institutional Advancement to execute fundraising strategies for the College's comprehensive campaign and other major institutional priorities.
- Develop and implement strategies for high-capacity prospects connected to campaign priorities.
- Help translate institutional priorities into compelling and appropriately scaled philanthropic opportunities.
- Collaborate on major and principal gift proposals, naming opportunities, gift concepts, and donor-facing materials.
- Assist the Vice President in preparing the President and other senior leaders for significant donor meetings and solicitations.
- Work with trustees and campaign volunteers on specific prospect introductions, cultivation strategies, and solicitations.
- Partner closely with Senior Director of Planned Giving and other development colleagues to identify and structure blended and complex gift opportunities.
- Build the pipeline of future major and principal gift donors through disciplined qualification, cultivation, and engagement strategies.

Administration and Institutional Engagement - 5%
- Maintain accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions, strategies, proposals, and commitments in the College's advancement database.
- Monitor individual and team fundraising performance and provide the Vice President with regular assessments of progress, opportunities, and challenges.
- Represent Meredith College at donor meetings, alumnae events, campaign activities, and other College functions.
- Build productive relationships with academic and administrative leaders to understand institutional priorities and connect those priorities with donor interests.
- Maintain the highest standards of professionalism, confidentiality, ethical fundraising, and donor stewardship.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or CAP@/CFRE preferred.
- At least 7 years of progressive fundraising or related experience. Familiarity with higher education and single gender education is preferred.
- Demonstrated success closing six- and seven-figure planned or blended gifts.
- Knowledge of charitable tax law, estate planning, trusts, retirement assets, and non-cash gifts.
- Proven supervisory and coaching experience.
- Valid NC drivers license and a clear driving history is required.

Skills Needed:
- Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Ability to prioritize and handle multiple projects.
- Leadership and management skills with the ability to establish objectives and set performance standards.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- Understanding of donor recognition and stewardship.
- Ability to work independently while contributing effectively as a collaborative member of a team.
- Willingness to handle a heavy workload and irregular hours - including some weekends and holidays.
- Knowledge of Crescendo Gift Legacy, CresPrint, and CresPro platforms.
- Experience with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT or similar CRM platform preferred.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands:
- General office setting with moderate noise level.
- May have to travel long distances occasionally.
- May have to work nights and weekends.

Required Documents:
- Cover Letter
- Resume