What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sr. Director Leadership Giving position at Humane Society of Missouri?
The Humane Society of Missouri is seeking a seasoned fundraising leader to become our Sr. Director of Leadership Giving. This role combines hands-on relationship management with strategic oversight, including budgeting, reporting, forecasting, and donor engagement.
You'll also lead our vibrant Women's Leadership Circle (≈120 members) and provide high-touch support for stewardship events tailored to key supporters of Humane Society of Missouri. This position reports to our Chief Development Officer.
What You'll Do:
- Leadership Giving Strategy & Execution
- Manage a small personal portfolio of top-tier donors and prospects, cultivating and securing multi-year commitments.
- Lead the strategy and execution of leadership and planned giving programs, developing forecasts and managing budgets.
- Analyze performance metrics, set goals, and steer improvements in giving levels and donor retention.
- Team Leadership & Collaboration
- Supervise and mentor a team of leadership and planned giving officers (3 PT staff).
- Collaborate with President, Chief Development Officer, Finance, Program, and Development teams to align priorities and opportunities.
- Women's Leadership Circle (WLC) Oversight
- Direct and grow the 120‑member WLC through strategic cultivation and solicitation.
- Act as primary staff liaison, coordinating with volunteer leadership and members at large
- Develop and implement robust engagement, recognition, and stewardship plans for WLC members.
- Event & Stewardship Leadership
- Oversee planning and execution of high-impact stewardship events (dinners, lunches, receptions, educational sessions, donor briefings).
- Ensure events align with donor interests and reinforce relationships across donor segments.
- Reporting, Budgeting & Donor Insights
- Produce regular reports and dashboards on WLC engagement, leadership giving performance, and pipeline health.
- Develop annual budget and revenue projections; track ROI and variances.
- Provide strategic donor insights and briefings that inform executive-level decisions.
- Communications & Donor Relations
- Craft compelling proposals, donor-level stewardship materials, and case-for-support communications.
- Ensure accurate documentation and respectful stewarding in the CRM, Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT.
Who we are looking for:
- Demonstrated success in securing individual leadership gifts and overseeing teams in dynamic, high-volume environments.
- Minimum 7–10 years of major and planned giving experience.
- Expertise in move-management, donor pipeline development, forecasting, and data-driven decision-making.
- Background in giving programs or membership-based donor initiatives preferred.
- Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.
- Proficiency in CRM systems (Raiser's Edge) and Excel-based reporting.
- Passion for the mission and a track record of professional integrity and donor stewardship.
Why You'll Thrive Here
- Organizational impact: Lead meaningful philanthropy supporting HSMO's mission.
- Team leadership: Guide and grow a talented development team and volunteer network.
- Visibility & influence: Present data-driven insights to the President, board, Chief Development Officer and donors.
- Innovative environment: Opportunity to enhance strategic giving, events, and storytelling.