Senior Manager of Major Gifts

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Manager of Major Gifts develops and executes fundraising strategies that increase philanthropic support for the mission and strategic priorities of Girl Scouts of Connecticut. This position is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors and prospects, with a particular focus on securing gifts of $5,000–$10,000+.

The Senior Manager of Major Gifts manages a portfolio of major donors and prospective donors and supports broader fundraising initiatives, including alumnae giving, foundation and corporate partnerships, grants, sponsor ships, annual giving, and special campaigns. The position builds strong donor relationships, develops compelling cases for support, and creates personalized cultivation and stewardship strategies that increase donor engagement and long-term philanthropic investment.

Working closely with the Chief Development Officer, CEO, Board members, volunteers, and staff, the Senior Manager of Major Gifts uses prospect research, relationship management, data, and storytelling to build a strong fundraising pipeline and advance donors through identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors and prospects capable of making gifts of $5,000–$10,000+.
• Manage and grow an assigned portfolio of major gift donors and prospects.
• Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies based on donor interests, giving capacity, and organizational priorities.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective donors through research, referrals, events, networking, and relationship development.
• Develop compelling cases for support, donor proposals, impact reports, presentations, and personalized communications.
• Collaborate with the Chief Development Officer, CEO, Board members, and volunteers on donor cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Conduct donor meetings, presentations, tours, and other engagement activities designed to strengthen donor relationships.
• Develop strategies to increase donor retention, upgrades, recurring giving, and long-term philanthropic support.
• Support legacy and lifetime giving initiatives, including engagement and stewardship of members of the Council's Lifetime Giving Society.

• Develop and implement fundraising strategies aligned with Council priorities and annual revenue goals.
• Support diversified fundraising efforts, including major gifts, annual giving, alumnae giving, grants, corporate sponsor ships, planned giving, and special campaigns.
• Identify opportunities to increase philanthropic support from individuals, alumnae, corporations, foundations, and community partners.
• Establish and monitor fundraising activity, pipeline, and performance metrics.
• Use donor and fundraising data to identify opportunities, evaluate progress, and strengthen donor retention and engagement.
• Assist in the development and implementation of fundraising campaigns and initiatives.

• Conduct prospect research to identify individuals, foundations, corporations, and other potential funding partners.
• Evaluate donor interests, giving history, philanthropic priorities, and capacity to identify potential major gift opportunities.
• Maintain accurate donor records, contact reports, cultivation activity, and moves management information in Raiser's Edge or the Council's designated CRM.
• Monitor portfolio activity and donor pipeline progress and provide regular reports on fundraising activity and opportunities.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding donor, financial, and organizational information.

• Research foundation and corporate funding opportunities aligned with Council priorities.
• Assist with developing grant proposals, letters of inquiry, reports, and supporting documentation.
• Develop and maintain relationships with corporate partners and sponsors.
• Identify and develop sponsorship opportunities that align with organizational programs, events, and strategic…