Deputy Director of Major Gifts

About American Immigration Council

The American Immigration Council is a non-profit organization established to increase public understanding of immigration law and policy, advocate for the just and fair administration of our immigration laws, protect the legal rights of noncitizens, and educate the public about the enduring contributions of America’s immigrants. We work to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration.

Position Summary

As Deputy Director of Major Gifts, you will bring a high level of creativity, passion, and leadership to secure, cultivate, and steward relationships with individuals, donor advisors, and family foundations to invest in the American Immigration Council’s campaigns and programming. You will serve as the business development lead for this channel of fundraising and a primary relationship manager. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer (CDO), the Deputy Director will be a thought partner in creating strategic solutions for growing revenue from major and planned gifts and effectively communicating the American Immigration Council’s value proposition to external stakeholders. 

The Deputy Director of Major Gifts produces organizational solicitation materials, proposals, reports, and other documents to major donors including prospects, working collaboratively with the Chief Development Officer and organizational stakeholders to set and achieve fundraising goals, plan and lead strategy, and develop and cultivate relationships with major donors, family foundations staff, and donor advised fund managers. Sustaining and expanding the Council’s existing major gifts base (individuals with the capacity to give $10,000+ gifts), are key components of this role. This role identifies new prospects, moves prospect donors up the pipeline, and makes sure outreach and asks are tracked in the database.

The Deputy Director of Major Gifts personally manages a portfolio of 75+ donors and prospects. They manage and track the assignments and moves of the organization’s major donors and prospects with relationship managers to ensure effective cultivation and excellent stewardship.

Essential Job Functions

• Take a supportive leadership role in ensuring the Council's success in meeting annual fundraising goals related to major gifts. 
• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising plan to significantly grow and scale giving from major gifts (high net worth individuals, family foundations), with annual and longer-term goals and objectives, strategies and key activities, performance indicators, and timelines to support the organization's mission and priorities.
• Oversee the prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycles for all major gifts’ revenue. 
• Collaborate with programs staff and the institutional giving team to gather updates and design asks around strategic scopes of work.
• In coordination with the CDO, provide support and strategic guidance to the Executive Director to manage their portfolios of principal and major gifts donors and prospects. 
• Manage a personal portfolio of up to 75+ relationships, ensuring effective cultivation, proper tracking, recognition, and stewardship, making a minimum of $250,000 in new, and/or increased donations from major donors within 12 months.
• Work collaboratively across the organization to cultivate and steward new major gifts consistent with the priorities established in the organizational strategic plan and team goals.
• Develop and maintain fundraising strategies consistent with best practices in the field.
• Stay current with trends among the Council’s audiences and draw data-informed insights from various internal and external source to inform pitches and campaign creation. 
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

• Six plus (6+) years of experience in successfully closing five- to seven-figure contributions from individuals, donor-advised funds, and/or family foundations.
• Ability to develop and manage work plan with multiple projects and deadlines. 
• Able to lead in a collaborative environment.
• Excellent project management and ability to prioritize.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication.
• A strong commitment to the Council’s mission.
• Proficiency using fundraising CRMs.
• Proficiency with MS Office and Word, Excel, and Outlook functions.
• Expert knowledge of major gifts fundraising in a nonprofit environment.
• Knowledge of operations and best practices to support fundraising and development.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. 
• Consistent attention to detail, accuracy, rigor, and thoroughness.
• Effective problem-solving skills and sound judgment. 
• Strong internal and external leadership.
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Proven record of accomplishment in cultivating, securing, and stewarding contributions of five- and seven- figures.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and high-performing teams in a fast-paced environment. 
• Ability to analyze and synthesize complex issues and present information to a general audience.
• Ability to foster positive working relationships with a diversity of internal and external stakeholders and collaborators
• Ability to maintain confidentiality. 
• Entrepreneurial with ability to work collaboratively as well as independently.
• Collaborates with Board and external partners in a manner that demonstrates expert knowledge of the organization. 
• Fosters positive internal and external relationships that build trust, confidence, and investment. 
• Utilizes diplomacy, innovation, and creativity when resolving non-routine matters that impact achievement of the Council’s goals and objectives.

The Council operates in a remote working environment. The Council will provide a laptop and related IT equipment for this role. The new hire is expected to provide all office furniture needed to perform the role.

This position requires regular travel. (>20%)

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent in the position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills of the employee. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.

American Immigration Council is an at-will employer and may terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without cause or notice.

All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.