Director of Strategic Gifts

Position Title:

Director of Strategic Gifts

Department:
Advancement

Reports to:

Chief Advancement Officer

Category:
Full Time

Status:
Exempt

Remote Compatible:
No

Location:

Taliesin West, Scottsdale, AZ

Established by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1940, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is entering a new chapter of growth and impact. Our vision is a better world shaped by Wright's legacy and ideas, inspiring how we live, learn, and build. Our mission is to connect people to the continued relevance of Wright's architectural legacy; preserve the buildings, landscapes, and collections of Taliesin and Taliesin West;

and advance the impact of architecture and design. We embrace Wright's philosophy and transform it into action for a thriving future"

Position Summary:

The Director of Strategic Gifts leads the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s major-gifts and individual philanthropy program, building the strategy, team discipline, and donor experiences needed to deepen relationships and grow significant philanthropic investment. This is a builder role, with responsibility for helping create the best-in-class, donor-centric, relationship-driven fundraising operation envisioned in the Foundation’s strategic plan. The Director provides strategic leadership for prospect development, relationship-management portfolios, cultivation and solicitation planning, donor stewardship, and Taliesin Circle—the Foundation’s leadership donor society launching in FY27.

Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Director supervises frontline fundraising staff, manages a focused portfolio of high-priority donors and prospects, and partners with the Chief Advancement Officer, CEO, board members, and institutional leaders on principal and major-gift relationships. The role works closely with Membership and Conversion teams to create intentional pathways from member and annual donor participation into deeper philanthropic engagement, and with Engagement Operations, storytelling, and Advancement Operations colleagues to ensure that donor strategies are supported by strong data, communications, events, and follow-through.

Success will be measured by major-gift revenue and pipeline growth, donor retention and upgrades, portfolio health and movement, the effectiveness of Taliesin Circle, the quality and consistency of stewardship, and the performance and development of the frontline fundraising team.

Essential Functions:

Major-Gifts Strategy and Performance: Develop and lead a comprehensive major-gifts strategy aligned with the Foundation’s mission, institutional priorities, case for support, and annual and multi-year revenue goals. Establish fundraising priorities, activity and pipeline expectations, performance indicators, and regular review practices that drive donor movement and results.

Team Leadership and Supervision: Supervise, coach, and develop Strategic Gifts Officers (one at present) and other assigned staff. Set clear goals and portfolio expectations, conduct regular one-on-one and portfolio review meetings, support solicitation strategy, strengthen frontline fundraising skills, manage performance, and foster a collaborative and accountable culture.

Portfolio and Relationship Management:Manage a focused portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects through timely identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship as the Foundation’s senior dedicated individual major-gifts officer, partnering closely with the CEO and Chief Advancement Officer on principal-gift relationships. Build individualized strategies, secure meaningful donor visits, prepare compelling asks, document interactions and next steps, and move relationships toward increased and sustained philanthropic commitment.

Portfolio Management…