Lead and grow a national major gifts program: manage and coach fundraisers, cultivate and solicit donors giving $25,000+, maintain donor strategies and revenue projections, develop complex and planned gifts, partner across teams for prospecting, reporting, and mission-aligned fundraising.
About us (and you)
At State Policy Network, we're building an America where personal freedom, innovation, and opportunity empower everyone to thrive. We’re a national nonprofit—but more than that, we’re the connector and champion behind a growing movement of state-based think tanks and partners working toward a freer society.
That’s where you come in. In this role, you won’t just be a spectator—you’ll be in the thick of it, working alongside bold leaders to ignite durable, state-level freedom movements. Together, we’ll help high-performing, independent think tanks make a real impact—one state at a time.
How you’ll make impact
State Policy Network is seeking a Director of Major Gifts who thrives in an entrepreneurial, mission-driven environment and is motivated by building meaningful relationships that advance freedom and self-governance.
The ideal candidate has experience leading major gifts programs, coaching frontline fundraisers, and managing complex donor strategies that align philanthropic goals with organizational impact. The right person for this role is a strategic thinker, people developer, and relationship-builder who consistently delivers results while fostering a positive and accountable team culture.
This role requires someone dedicated to advancing SPN’s mission by ensuring donors are meaningfully engaged and that fundraising strategies are both ambitious and realistic. The ideal candidate is able to balance big-picture strategy with hands-on execution, managing both people and a personal donor portfolio.
The Director of Major Gifts will report to the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, serve on the development leadership team, and manage two Strategic Partnership Advisors, with potential for team growth as revenue expands.
This role includes a competitive salary commensurate with experience, plus benefits. Much of SPN’s staff are remote, and this position is eligible to work remotely from a virtual office anywhere in the United States.
Your Day-to-Day
- Lead and manage the major gifts program, ensuring fundraising goals are met and exceeded.
- Coach and mentor a team of frontline fundraisers to build long-term, sustainable donor relationships.
- Host donor strategy meetings and provide ongoing performance feedback and professional development.
- Ensure each major donor and prospect has a clear, customized engagement strategy.
- Maintain accurate revenue projections and adjust strategies as donor circumstances evolve.
- Partner with Development Operations to ensure timely and accurate data entry and reporting.
- Collaborate with Strategic Partnership Advisors and senior leaders to expand and strengthen prospecting efforts.
- Prioritize general operating support while also securing funds for special projects.
- Partner with internal teams to identify and solicit donors for RFPs, special initiatives, and a mission campaign.
- Manage a personal portfolio of major donors and prospects nationwide.
- Cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts of $25,000+, with a focus on $50,000+ donors.
- Develop and structure complex and planned gifts aligned with donor interests and SPN priorities.
- Maintain deep knowledge of SPN’s programs, funding priorities, and strategic objectives.
- Participate in opportunities to share fundraising best practices with affiliate development leaders to help the Network raise more money.
TLDR? We’re looking for...
- 5+ years of development experience, including at least 3+ years closing major gifts of $25,000+
- Demonstrated experience managing and coaching fundraising staff
- A strong commitment to advancing SPN’s mission
- An entrepreneurial, results-oriented mindset
- Excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment
- Comfort balancing multiple priorities and deadlines
- Proficiency in MS Office; Salesforce experience is a plus
- Ability and willingness to travel up to 40%
Are YOU a good fit?
- Are you Mission-Bound? Everything we do at SPN is in service to the restoration of individual rights and self-governance. We pursue excellence in our work and set aside our pride and differences to commit ourselves to this end.
- Are you Candid and Humble? We give and receive honest and respectful feedback with the assumption of positive intent. We deal with problems and conflict directly with the individuals involved. We are open to challenges, eager to learn, and willing to acknowledge mistakes to improve.
- Are you Entrepreneurial? We seek opportunities, embrace innovation, and take prudent risk with a bias toward action. We test, fail small, and scale our successes. We’re resilient but also nimble, looking for the potential in every challenge.
- Are you Relational? Trust and respect are built over time through competence, reliability, and integrity. We establish credibility through meaningful relationships, demonstrating value before expecting influence or partnership.
Sound like you?
Qualified candidates should submit a resume and cover letter detailing your interest in the position, SPN’s mission, compensation requirements, and travel availability.
There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Similar Jobs
Social Impact
Lead and grow a major gifts program: manage a high-value donor portfolio, secure $25K+ gifts and 6-7 figure donations, coach a small team, optimize CRM and moves management, coordinate cross-functional stewardship and compliance, and drive strategic pipeline and revenue planning.
Top Skills:
MS OfficeSalesforceWealth Screening Tools
Edtech
Implements fundraising strategies to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of ~115 West Coast prospects, closing gifts exceeding $100,000. Plans and attends cultivation events, partners with faculty and campus teams, tracks progress against goals, and travels regionally (25%).
Top Skills:
WindowsPhoenixSalesforce
Edtech
Lead major gifts fundraising across Connecticut and Rhode Island, managing a 100–150 prospect portfolio to generate $1.0M–$1.5M annually. Cultivate, solicit, and steward $10,000+ donors; prepare proposals and stewardship reports; supervise a mid-level pipeline and one direct report; partner with regional leaders, boards, and schools; track engagement and pipeline in Salesforce; and represent Achievement First at events and donor visits.
Top Skills:
Salesforce
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
With vibrant neighborhoods, great food and more affordable housing than either coast, Chicago might be the most liveable major tech hub. It is the birthplace of modern commodities and futures trading, a national hub for logistics and commerce, and home to the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association. This diverse blend of industry influences has helped Chicago emerge as a major player in verticals like fintech, biotechnology, legal tech, e-commerce and logistics technology. It’s also a major hiring center for tech companies on both coasts.
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
