Director of Development, Major Gifts

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

United Way of Greater Atlanta (UWGA) is in the midst of transformational change and is embarking on new and different ways to raise and earn revenue so that it can accelerate and scale its mission to drive sustainable and equitable improvements in the well-being of children, families, and individuals in greater Atlanta. The mission remains the same: To bring together people and resources to drive sustainable and equitable improvements in the well-being of half a million lives across Greater Atlanta. The value proposition is to Unite Greater Atlanta to create, amplify and accelerate solutions that promote child well-being by addressing our communities’ most complex social challenges.

These solutions and the backbone behind them are all in service of the organization’s bold growth ambition: Triple unrestricted revenue by 2029 to be the best-in-class investor in child well-being in Greater Atlanta, ultimately eliminating the barriers of one’s zip code as a hindrance to future success. This transformation will unleash the next generation of UWGA, putting UWGA on a growth pathway that will significantly amplify its impact by increasing its investment in solutions that can make a lasting difference for Child Well-Being in Greater Atlanta.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Major Gifts team plays a vital role in fostering meaningful philanthropic connections across our community. At United Way of Greater Atlanta, we are committed to sharing validated, data-driven insights that demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of our mission to improve child well-being. As ambassadors of this mission, our Major Gifts team leads with purpose—building trusted relationships with donors, aligning their passions with our work, and offering compelling reasons to invest in lasting change. While we are proud to be leaders in major and transformational giving, we recognize that successful fundraising is a shared responsibility. Every member of our organization contributes to creating the conditions that inspire generosity and ensure accountability to our donors. We are servant leaders who hold ourselves—and one another—to the highest standards, driven by a personal commitment to excellence and a deep dedication to the children and families we serve.

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Development role is dedicated to supporting the fundraising objectives set forth by the Office of Development (OoD), with a focus on donors and prospects within the Major Gifts Team.  The DOD is a key member of the United Way of Greater Atlanta’s Office of Development.  Following internal policies and best practices relating to portfolio management and fundraising, the DOD will work collaboratively with multiple Development Teams and other UWGA staff to build and manage a fluid portfolio of 125-150. The DOD has primary responsibility for working to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicitate, and steward donor prospects of $10,000.00 and above within a dynamic, fast-paced fundraising environment.   

The position will work closely with the major gifts team, the corporate relations team as well as colleagues across departments, volunteers, boards, community leaders and a variety of others, and must be collaborative, professional, innovative, responsible and more while maintaining a strong work ethic and attention to detail.  It is also essential that the DODR be well versed in both the art and science of individual fundraising and have significant experience identifying new high-capacity prospects, closing major gifts, collaborating with others to close gifts, and managing individual portfolios. The DOD will spend approximately 50% of their time each month on personal visits with prospects and will report on at 8-10 substantive visits per month.   

The DODR will be responsible for the following goals, duties, and responsibilities: 

• Securing 80-100 approved face-to-face visits per year, no fewer than 8 monthly.  

• Qualifying 30 new portfolio-level prospects.   

• Submitting a minimum of 8+ major gift solicitations per year at a level required by