Director of Major Gifts

Director Major Gifts

Location: New York, NY (Hybrid)

Department: Institutional Advancement

Reports to: Chief Institutional Advancement Officer

Job Type: Full-time

About Us:

The Orthodox Union (OU) is the largest Orthodox Jewish organization in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs for the disabled, localized religious study programs, and international units. The OU maintains a kosher certification service, whose circled U symbol is found on the labels of many kosher commercial and consumer food products.

Position Overview:

The Orthodox Union (OU) is seeking an experienced and passionate Fundraiser to lead our Major Gifts strategy. The Director of Major Gifts is a senior leadership role responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive campaign strategy to cultivate, solicit, and steward high-net-worth donors in support of the OU’s mission to strengthen Jewish life and promote Torah values across North America and beyond. This position will focus on securing six- and seven-figure gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporate donors to advance key programs, capital projects, and endowment growth.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, exceptional relationship-builder, and skilled fundraiser with a deep understanding of donor engagement and philanthropy. The Director of Major Gifts will work closely with executive leadership, board members, and lay leaders to expand OU’s fundraising capacity and ensure long-term financial sustainability.

Duties, Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Major Gift Strategy & Fundraising Leadership

• Personally manage a portfolio of approximately 150 major donors and prospects, ensuring tailored engagement strategies with a minimum fundraising goal of $500,000 in year one.
• Lead solicitation efforts for six- and seven-figure gifts, including preparing proposals and presentations to fund core OU initiatives such as the Executive Fellowship.
• Identify new high-capacity donors and develop initiatives to attract and engage these prospects.
• Work with the Chief Institutional Advancement Officer and executive leadership to set and achieve ambitious fundraising targets.

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship

• Create and oversee a Major Donor Society for donors of $25,000 to provide social and educational engagement opportunities that recognize, retain, and upgrade major donors.
• Develop and execute high-touch donor engagement plans, including personal meetings, exclusive events, and customized stewardship strategies.
• Partner with OU leadership to align donor interests with OU’s funding priorities.
• Provide high-level donor concierge service, ensuring a seamless giving experience.
• Assist in the planning of impactful initiatives, such as donor visits to events and institutions run by the programmatic departments, to enable donors to witness our impact first-hand.

Collaboration & Organizational Alignment

• Work closely with Marketing & Communications to craft compelling donor materials.
• Partner with Planned Giving to integrate legacy and endowment into donor conversations.
• Engage and train the OU’s lay leadership to support major gift fundraising efforts.
• Represent the OU at high-profile events, networking forums, and donor briefings to strengthen the organization’s philanthropic network.

Data-Driven Fundraising & Reporting

• Maintain accurate donor records, interactions, and solicitation strategies in the CRM system.
• Track and analyze fundraising metrics, providing regular reports on progress, trends, and opportunities to executive leadership.
• Leverage donor analytics to refine strategies and maximize giving potential.

Team Leadership:

• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior fundraising staff, volunteers, and lay leaders, ensuring that campaigns are executed efficiently and effectively.
• Present, as necessary, on major gifts initiatives at Fundraising Forum, the OU’s monthly professional development training program.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• 10 years of experience in fundraising, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing capital campaigns or major gifts.
• Proven track record of securing major gifts ($100,000 ) and managing high-value donor relationships.
• Strong understanding of fundraising strategies and donor psychology, major gift solicitation, and high-net-worth engagement within a religious setting.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including proposal writing and public speaking.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Familiarity with Orthodox Jewish values, culture, and community is a plus.
• High-level proficiency in donor management systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce).
• Willingness to travel for donor visits, events, and engagement opportunities.

Salary and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $200,000-$250,000, commensurate with experience.  

We offer employer sponsored healthcare, dental and vision plans. 

Other benefits include: 

• Paid sick days  
• Paid vacation days 
• Discounted continuing education
• Paid Jewish and most Federal holidays
• Short Fridays to accommodate for Sabbath
• Free life and disability insurance  
• 403(b) retirement plan which the OU will contribute 5% of your wage towards retirement savings after you contribute at least 2% (only eligible after 3 years of continuous service)