Director, Major Giving Operations

Position: Director, Major Giving Operations

Location: Remote/Nationwide

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary: The estimated salary range for this role is $102,310 - $133,000. This represents UUSA's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual pay will vary based on various factors, including but not limited to organizational budgets, qualifications, experience, specialized skills, and training.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice President, Major Giving (VP), the Director of Major Giving Operations is a strategic leader responsible for driving the operational excellence and infrastructure that powers the Major Giving program at UNICEF USA. This role strengthens frontline fundraising capacity through effective systems, processes, staffing, and cross-functional collaboration, all in service of UUSA’s aspirational goal to generate $1 billion in annual impact.

The Director oversees a team of administrative professionals (Senior Associates) and leads a broad range of operations, including budgeting and revenue tracking, portfolio and pipeline strategy, internal communications, knowledge management, and strategic planning. This role collaborates closely with partners across Philanthropy, Global Programs, Finance, Legal, IT, and other departments to ensure seamless support of major gifts fundraising.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Management (50%)

• Lead, manage, and develop a team of Senior Associates supporting major giving operations and frontline fundraisers.
• Set expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and conduct performance evaluations.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the team.
• In partnership with the VP, design and facilitate team retreats, knowledge-sharing sessions, and onboarding programs tailored to the major giving function.

Operational Leadership (20%)

• Design and implement tools, templates, and operational workflows that increase efficiency and support consistent adoption across the Major Giving team.
• Manage annual planning cycles, income tracking, budget management, and performance dashboard integrity.
• Oversee teamwide adherence to data protocols, including BBCRM usage, contribution form processing, and interaction reporting.
• Lead training and onboarding for new MG staff in collaboration with HR and Philanthropy Coordination.

Portfolio & Pipeline Strategy (10%)

• Oversee adoption and standardized use of systems and standards for portfolio and pipeline management in collaboration with Prospect Development.
• Develop and monitor KPIs and metrics to assess portfolio health, revenue performance, and donor movement.
• Support strategy execution by analyzing trends and surfacing insights to inform decision-making and pipeline development.
• Build team fluency in key systems such as BBCRM and PowerBI to support data-informed decision-making.

Cross-Functional Collaboration (10%)

• Serve as operational lead on cross-departmental initiatives affecting major giving, such as donor engagement and stewardship, and other relevant special projects.
• Liaise with partners across Finance, Legal, Donor Revenue Management, IT, and others to ensure compliance, data accuracy, and frontline enablement.
• Coordinate with Philanthropy Coordination and Marketing to prioritize and deliver strategic support for fundraisers.

Internal Communication & Knowledge Management (10%)

• Lead internal communications for the Major Giving team to ensure alignment and transparency on goals, tools, and priorities.
• Maintain a centralized knowledge management system for resources, templates, and processes using platforms like Box, Slack, and Trello.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum of 8-10 years professional experience preferred in a fundraising role at a major not-for-profit organization, preferably within a human rights organization 
• Prior supervisory experience required 
• Knowledge of the donor cultivation cycle and major gift fundraising model, strategy, and techniques 
• Advanced data entry skills, including accurate data creation and maintenance 
• Demonstrated ability to follow nuanced procedures and processes 
• Ability to audit work products for accuracy and thoroughness 
• Ability to seek out learning opportunities and proactively seek feedback to develop and grow
• Ability to maintain open communication, ask powerful questions to acquire insights across departments, teams, and management levels
• Highly organized individual with ability to prioritize and manage deadlines, and follow through on commitments. 
• Strong oral and written communication skills, interpersonal skills 
• Commitment to the mission and growth of UNICEF USA 
• Excellent technical and computer skills, including experience working with a relational database (preferably BBCRM), as well as the Microsoft Office suite of products (particularly Excel).  
• Ability to work in a team environment with all types of staff, including remote workers.  

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Familiarity with CRM technologies 
• Experience with international development or humanitarian organizations a plus 
• Employs active listening techniques in order to empathically meet clients’ needs in a manner that provides satisfaction for the client within the resources that can be made available.  
• Proficiency in transforming, translating, and communicating data-based information clearly to end users. 
• Drives own learning and takes initiative towards meeting annual professional development goals.  
• Ability to deal with highly sensitive information, maintain confidentiality, and exercise a high degree of judgment and discretion.  
• Understands key constituent, prospect, and proposal data elements (assignments, ratings, stages, etc.) as a whole. Ability to utilize this knowledge in a relational context, understanding and proactively accounting for the impact of updates on other prospect data points

Must possess current and valid US Work Authorization and be eligible to work for any US employer without sponsorship.

Don’t meet every single requirement? That’s okay. UNICEF USA values diverse experiences and we’re always looking for people who will add to our culture and further our mission. If you are excited about this role and unsure about whether your past experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

Must possess current and valid US Work Authorization and be eligible to work for any US employer without sponsorship.

Due to the high volume of applications received, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. UNICEF USA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer

We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. UUSA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at peopleandculture@unicefusa.org.