Director of Philanthropy and Major Gifts

Director of Philanthropy and Major Gifts

Reports to:

Executive Director

Location:

Lansing, MI
Status:
Full-time, Exempt
Compensation: $90K to $120K
Division:
Workforce Development Institute (WDI), Michigan AFL-CIO

The Director of Philanthropy and Major Gifts is a high-impact, mission-driven fundraising leader who leads by example. As a key member of the senior leadership team, the Director is both a strategic architect and hands‑on executor, bringing deep expertise in grant writing, planned giving, major donor cultivation, and fundraising operations.

This is not a sit‑back-and‑supervise role. The ideal candidate is a servant leader who is in the trenches — developing strategies, writing compelling proposals, building donor relationships, and setting the gold standard for their team. They are a former grant writer or program manager who has risen through the ranks and now guides others while still contributing meaningfully to day‑to‑day execution.

This position will play a critical role in growing the visibility, impact, and financial sustainability of the Michigan AFL‑CIO’s Workforce Development Institute (WDI) Division, supporting social services, registered apprenticeship & apprenticeship readiness programs, and education initiatives that transform lives across the state.

• Design and implement a comprehensive, multi‑year fund development strategy, including individual, foundation, corporate, and planned giving.

• Serve as a servant leader, guiding team members through mentorship, accountability, and modeling a strong work ethic.

• Supervise and support the Grants Manager and any future development staff and consultants.

• Lead the Resource Development Strategy Committee, working closely with Board Members to engage them in fundraising efforts.

• Develop and execute an annual revenue growth plan with clear quarterly targets segmented by source (foundation, corporate, individual, government).

• Lead prospect research and pipeline development to identify and cultivate new institutional partners, including community foundations, unions, workforce boards, and corporate philanthropy programs aligned with WDI’s mission.

• Collaborate with program directors to package fundable initiatives and create compelling investment cases that align with funder priorities.

• Personally manage a portfolio of major donors, cultivating and soliciting gifts of $20,000+ and multi-year commitments.

• Develop and lead planned giving and legacy gift strategies, ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

• Write and co‑write grant proposals, letters of intent, and donor communications, maintaining a personal connection to the work.

• Steward existing funders through regular communication, reporting, and relationship management.

• Expand the donor base by identifying new prospects and building a sustainable donor pipeline.

• Establish and manage a major donor stewardship calendar including personalized touchpoints, recognition events, and impact reporting.

• Develop a recognition and legacy society for major and planned giving donors to encourage multi‑year commitments.

• Integrate fundraising messaging into WDI’s communications calendar and campaigns.

• Oversee the full grant lifecycle, including proposal development, reporting, tracking, and compliance in collaboration with operations and finance leadership.

• Lead the organization’s use of Net CRM for donor and grant management, ensuring data integrity and usage across teams.

• Coordinate internally with finance, program, and communication teams to ensure aligned and timely deliverables for funders.

• Monitor, evaluate, and report on fundraising performance and revenue against annual goals and KPIs.

• Implement data‑driven dashboards in CRM software to track fundraising metrics such as donor retention, grant success rate, and cost‑per‑dollar raised.

• Support the development of annual reports, newsletters, donor collateral, and campaign materials in partnership with communications staff.

• Contribute to brand and messaging alignment to ensure compelling and consistent donor…