What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Major Gifts & Advancement Events position at YWCA and Careers?
Position Summary:
The Director of Major Gifts & Advancement Events is an advancement leader responsible for designing and executing YWCA Richmond’s major gifts strategy while overseeing the planning, production, and stewardship of high-impact fundraising and leadership events. This role advances YWCA Richmond’s mission to empower women and eliminate racism by cultivating meaningful, long-term relationships with individual, corporate, and foundation investors and by elevating the visibility and impact of YWCA programs through strategic events.
This position contributes to the full organizational vision and fundraising strategy and works collaboratively across senior leadership, advancement, and programs teams. The Director leads with a clear commitment to equity as both a process and an outcome and fosters a culture that advances YWCA’s mission across fundraising practices, donor engagement, and organizational systems.
The ideal candidate is both a strategic fundraiser and a hands-on leader—able to manage major gift portfolios, mentor staff, engage the Board of Directors, and execute complex events—while leveraging data, systems, vendors, and best practices to achieve ambitious and sustainable revenue goals.
Role & Responsibilities:
Organizational Leadership & Equity
- Demonstrates leadership within an organization committed to empowering women and eliminating racism.
- Advances equity-centered fundraising practices and integrates equity into donor engagement, events, partnerships, and internal systems.
- Leverages YWCA Richmond’s mission and assets to move beyond traditional fundraising models and develop innovative, mission-aligned partnerships.
Major Gifts, Prospecting & Revenue Growth
- Directs and manages a portfolio of 50 major gift investors annually and oversees an additional portfolio of individual, corporate, and foundation prospects (75 total).
- Builds and manages a comprehensive moves management system, including qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
- Develops individualized donor engagement strategies grounded in donor values, interests, and long-term relationship building.
- Moves donors from first-time giving to multi-year and leadership-level investment, closing gifts of $2500 .
- Uses data analytics to forecast revenue, monitor donor behavior, and strengthen donor acquisition, upgrade, and retention efforts.
- Responsible for growing and sustaining $3M–$6M in annual philanthropic revenue.
Fundraising Best Practices & Ethical Standards
- Aligns fundraising strategies with YWCA Richmond’s strategic plan, program priorities, and equity commitments.
- Apply ethical fundraising standards consistent with nationally recognized best practices, including donor confidentiality, informed consent, and responsible data use.
- Ensure timely, transparent, and meaningful stewardship and impact reporting for all investors.
- Integrates legacy and planned giving conversations into major gift strategies in partnership with senior leadership.
- Establishes realistic revenue projections, pipeline forecasts, and performance benchmarks to support long-term sustainability.
Events Strategy & Management
- Oversees and produces donor, leadership, and community events including OWA, Leadership Forum Breakfast, and other signature initiatives.
- Designs events as relationship-building and stewardship opportunities aligned with fundraising and mission outcomes.
- Drives sponsorship solicitation, activation, and fulfillment, ensuring strong return on investment and mission alignment.
- Manages event budgets, timelines, shared calendars, vendors, and internal workflows to meet attendance, revenue, and engagement goals.
- Coordinates with the Director of Operations on approvals and logistics for events hosted at YWCA Richmond facilities.
- Integrates storytelling, marketing, and stewardship into event design to elevate YWCA Richmond’s visibility locally and statewide.
Board Engagement & Governance Support
- Serves as a primary staff partner to the Board of Directors on advancement strategy, major gifts, and fundraising performance, in collaboration with the CEO.
- Prepares and supports Board members as philanthropic ambassadors through training, coaching, and clear fundraising roles.
- Develop individualized Board engagement plans aligned with members’ strengths, networks, and comfort levels.
- Partner with the CEO to set expectations for Board giving and participation consistent with organizational policies and values.
- Provides regular, data-informed reports to the Board on fundraising progress, pipeline health, and event outcomes.
- Ensure Board fundraising efforts reflect equity-centered, donor-centered, and relationship-based practices.
Collaboration, Supervision & Cross-Functional Partnerships
- Provide leadership, coaching, and supervision in developing and executing annual fundraising plans, campaigns, and special projects.
- Ensure systems, structures, and processes are in place to track, forecast, and report fundraising progress.
- Collaborate with the Grants team to build sustainable funding opportunities, including endowments and corporate partnerships.
- Partner with the program leaders to align fundraising with program impact and community engagement.
- Cultivate strong relationships with staff, volunteers, partners, and community stakeholders.
Donor Stewardship & Operations
- Oversee donor stewardship strategies for targeted audiences.
- Ensure timely gift acknowledgment, pledge management, and donor data integrity within the donor database.
- Maintain high standards of donor communication, relationship management, and investor experience.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education
- Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent nonprofit fundraising experience.
- Master’s degree preferred.
Experience
- Minimum of 5–10 years of experience in major gifts fundraising, donor stewardship, and major fundraising events.
- Demonstrated success managing six-figure or higher donor portfolios and closing $5,000 gifts.
- Proven track record of collaborative leadership, mentoring, and coaching staff.
Skills & Requirements
- Strong leadership, analytical, and relationship-building skills.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including content creation and editing.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment with sound judgment and attention to detail.
- Knowledge of media and marketing strategies to elevate fundraising events and organizational visibility.
- Experience with Raiser’s Edge or similar donor databases.
- Understanding of business, finance, and nonprofit fundraising best practices.
- Successful completion of criminal/CPS background checks and illegal drug test.
- Thrives in a fast-paced environment and embraces YWCA Richmond’s core values: Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Collaboration.
YWCA Richmond staff demonstrate their understanding of the critical role volunteers play in achieving the mission by providing meaningful engagement, training, and respect, while clearly communicating the impact of volunteer contributions.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. The incumbent is expected to perform other duties necessary for the effective operation of the department.
The YWCA Richmond provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.
Salary : $75,000 - $85,000