Managing Director, Major and Principal Gifts

Position Title: Managing Director, Major and Principal Gifts

Position Classification: Regular; Exempt; Full-Time; 40 hours/week

Reports to: Chief Advancement Officer 

Location: Employees in this role can work from our Boston, MA office, remotely within the U.S. or a hybrid of these two options.

Travel: 10% travel, domestic and international

Position Overview:

The Managing Director, Major and Principal Gifts (MGPG) will lead a high-performing national fundraising program that secures $60+ million annually from major and principal donors. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO), this leader is responsible for driving strategic growth and building a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration, and data-driven decision making across the MGPG program. The Managing Director will set and monitor ambitious revenue goals and key performance indicators, analyze fundraising data and portfolio performance to inform strategy, and ensure systems and processes—including CRM and other fundraising tools—are leveraged to maximize efficiency, insight, and results. This leader will partner closely with colleagues across the Resource Generation Branch and the Board Strategy and Engagement Team to align strategies, optimize donor engagement, and strengthen the MGPG program’s reach, sophistication, and impact. This is a pivotal leadership role for an experienced and inspiring fundraiser and people manager who brings a proven record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts; building strong, data-informed teams; and driving growth through insight and strategy.

 Responsibilities:

Program Development and Performance Management (40%)

• Design and implement a national MGPG strategy to drive sustained and diversified growth in revenue.
• Set annual and multi-year revenue targets and KPIs grounded in rigorous analysis, ensuring alignment with broader organizational fundraising goals.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen donor acquisition, engagement, portfolio management, and cultivation practices for the MGPG portfolio.
• Partner closely with the Prospect Management & Research team; Strategy & Operations teams; and Business Information Systems team to design and continuously improve reporting tools, dashboards, and processes that enhance visibility into performance, pipeline health, and donor engagement.
• Partner closely with the Managing Director of Board Strategy & Engagement to unify strategies, align priorities, and optimize board member engagement in fundraising.
• Develop and implement MGPG program-wide initiatives, such as strategies with Donor Advised Funds and philanthropic advisors. 
• Analyze fundraising data, portfolio performance, and donor trends to inform strategy, forecasting, and mid-course correction.
• Promote a data-driven culture across regional teams, ensuring that metrics and insights are consistently used to inform strategy, optimize portfolios, and strengthen donor engagement.

Leadership & Team Management (30%)

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a distributed team of ~15 fundraisers across four regional teams, including direct management of four Regional Directors.
• Build and sustain a strong, inclusive, and high-performing team culture that emphasizes accountability, learning, collaboration, data-informed decision-making, and joy in fundraising.
• Partner with internal data, strategy, and operations teams to ensure fundraisers are equipped with actionable insights, tools, and reports that strengthen donor strategies and team performance.
• Foster professional growth and retention through coaching, goal setting, and data-backed performance management practices.
• Collaborate with the Chief Advancement Officer and senior leaders to ensure MGPG strategy and culture are well-integrated across the broader