Senior Director, Major Gifts

Responsibilities

• Reporting directly to the Chief Development Officer you will be responsible for:
• Major Gifts Portfolio Management and Solicitation
• Manage a portfolio of 100-150 major donor prospects across Connecticut and Rhode Island
• Develop and execute tailored engagement strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward donors who can contribute $10,000+ annually or $50,000 over five years
• Conduct regular donor meetings, school visits, and cultivation events to deepen relationships with Achievement First's philanthropic partners.
• Prepare compelling proposals, donor briefings, and stewardship reports in alignment with RI and CT leadership
• Track donor engagement and maintain accurate records of strategy, outreach, and revenue pipeline in the Salesforce CRM system
• Prospect Identification and Pipeline Development
• Identify and cultivate new philanthropic prospects across Connecticut and Rhode Island.
• Expand Achievement First's donor network through referrals, community engagement, and strategic prospect research.
• Partner with the development operations and foundation teams to build a strong pipeline of prospective major donors.
• Track portfolio performance and adjust cultivation strategies to meet revenue goals.
• Participate in external events and community gatherings to expand philanthropic relationships, and lead internal events and visits to do the same.
• Regional Leadership and School Collaboration
• Partner with the Rhode Island and Connecticut Executive Directors, Managing Directors of External Affairs, and school leaders to align fundraising priorities with regional strategy.
• Coordinate school visits, donor briefings, and leadership engagement opportunities.
• Work with regional leadership to identify compelling philanthropic opportunities and funding priorities.
• Ensure donors experience the impact of their philanthropic investment through meaningful engagement with students, educators, and programs.
• Team Leadership and Development
• Supervise and mentor the Senior Associate, Development Marketing and Communications, supporting their professional growth and development.
• Guide the development of donor communications, engagement campaigns, and stewardship initiative

Additional Information

About Achievement First Achievement First (AF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting 39 public charter schools across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. For more than 25 years, AF has been recognized as one of the top tuition-free public charter school networks in the country. We are committed to creating schools of academic excellence within nurturing environments - schools that prepare students to be college-ready and to pursue and succeed in whatever paths they choose in life. The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families, many of whom will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Across our network, we employ more than 2,200 staff members - 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color - who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence and Cranston, RI. Our mission is to prepare every student to excel in college, career, and life; deepen their understanding of self and community; and lead lives of purpose. We believe in the limitless potential within our students and their power to shape a more just society. That belief drives our deep commitment to student achievement: we aim to set a high bar for learning and create warm, demanding classrooms where rigorous instruction is paired with the care, encouragement, and consistency every student deserves. Achievement First seeks a dynamic and relationship-driven Senior Director, Major Gifts to join our development team

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