Director of Major Gifts

The Opportunity

Aim High has recently completed a new three year strategic plan that will dramatically expand the organization’s impact. This expansion will require new philanthropic investments to not only grow our traditional program, but also launch new program service lines capable of reaching significantly more students and teachers each year. Working closely with the Vice President of Philanthropy and Marketing, Chief Executive Officer, and Board of Trustees, you will play an integral role in enabling the organization to raise more than $40m through 2026. You will own and cultivate a portfolio of individual donors capable of giving at the six-figure level, develop strategies to engage the Board of Trustees and a newly created fundraising Board in cultivating strong relationships, and regularly solicit new donors to invest in our impact.

If you value authentic relationships and the providing the opportunities to invest in a mission-driven, high-impact organization, this could be the ideal role for you. You’ll have opportunities to build meaningful relationships, approach the challenges related to growing revenue from a solutions-oriented perspective, work with passionate and like-minded colleagues, and play a significant role improving the lives of students across the country.

Areas of Ownership and Responsibility

• Own the organization’s major gift strategy, ensuring Aim High builds its capability to inspire individual donors to make significant investments in the potential of the students and teachers we serve.
• Manage a pipeline of individual donors capable of giving at the six-figure level through a moves management process that culminates in personal solicitation.
• Work closely with the Chief Executive Officer to maximize their role in fundraising and securing major gifts.
• Work closely with the Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Philanthropy and Marketing to build and execute a fundraising strategy for the Board of Trustees and National Philanthropy Council.
• Raise the profile of Aim High by growing the base of major gift donors and proactively cultivating new prospective donors.
• Support the Vice President of Philanthropy and Marketing in the development of the organization’s philanthropic strategy.
• Provide strategic thought partnership on the organization’s strategic planning. Proactively advise on strategic and tactical efforts to create a long-term sustainability plan for the organization.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across the organization. 

Other duties as needed. 

Qualifications 

You will be successful in this role if you…

• Possess a deep commitment to the mission of Aim High and the newly created strategic plan (through 2026)
• Have a proven track record of successful fundraising and supporting an organization’s revenue growth and scale; able to meet aggressive growth targets and securing six-figure gifts from individuals
• Can demonstrate a strong ability to develop and steward long-term relationships with high net worth individuals; extensive experience communicating with high net worth donors effectively, efficiently, intelligently, and passionately.
• Are an outstanding problem solver with an independent and entrepreneurial spirit that allows you to make quick, sound decisions and the ability to juggle multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Possess strong attention to detail, strong organizational and communication skills, and the ability to operate with considerable independence to effectively establish priorities and work accurately under time constraints.
• Have strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills to optimize collaboration among internal departments and individual team members.
• Have a strategic mindset paired with the execution skills that allow you to lead and manage projects, groups, or organizations to achieve goals/ objectives. 
• Have experience managing, tracking, and reporting donor and revenue data.
• Have worked with a donor CRM (Salesforce ideally or something similar) previously
• Are proficient using computers and software such as Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
• Highly developed capacity to accurately and objectively evaluate the effectiveness and outcomes of programs and to make appropriate judgments on articulating the data in proposals and reports.
• Have a positive, can-do attitude with a solutions-oriented mindset
• Are humble enough to learn, and confident enough to lead
• Share our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as possess a high level of cultural competence

Job Details

• Reports To: Vice President of Philanthropy and Marketing
• Location: Greater Bay Area, CA
• Classification: Full-Time (1FTE), exempt, salaried
• Travel: This position will require regular travel throughout the Bay Area and Tahoe 
• Pay range: $125K-160K depending on experience
• Benefits: 100% employer-paid health insurance (medical/dental/vision) for employees, retirement match, and generous paid time off time including a winter closure. 

VACCINATION POLICY:

Aim High strongly encourages everyone to obtain the available COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters. The COVID-19 vaccine may be required for certain school sites and Aim High will comply with those policies. Aim High will review and consider requests for reasonable accommodations as needed.

At Aim High, we recognize that striving to be a truly anti-racist, diverse, equitable, and inclusive (A.D.E.I.) organization requires deep and long-term commitment. We know that we will make mistakes, and we are dedicated to learning from them. We ask our broader Aim High team – including staff, educators, board members, and supporters – to encourage, challenge, and join us in living out our commitment to A.D.E.I.

Aim High is an equal opportunity employer. Aim High seeks diversity in its community and affords equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, citizenship status, medical condition, or any other legally protected status.