Seattle Development Director, Major Gifts

The Seattle Development Director, Major Gifts is responsible for building and leading the Seattle site’s inaugural major gifts program, securing significant philanthropic support for annual, multi-year, and campaign priorities. As the first hire dedicated to major gifts in the Seattle market, this role will establish systems, strategy, and a robust prospect pipeline while personally managing a portfolio of at least 75–100 high-net worth donors.

The Seattle Development Director, Major Gifts will work closely with the CDO, CEO, National Board of Directors, Seattle Advisory Board, and Development team to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors capable of making transformative gifts. This role requires a relationship-driven fundraiser who is both strategic and hands-on; someone excited to build a Seattle program from the ground up while delivering immediate fundraising results.

The position is based in Seattle and will focus on regional donors while contributing to the broader organizational fundraising goals.

• Lead the introduction and implementation of Juma Seattle’s Major Gift Program by adapting and localizing the HQ plan.
• Build and maintain an initial major gift prospect list through research, qualification, and relationship development.
• In partnership with the CDO, develop short- and long-term major gift strategies aligned with fundraising and campaign goals.

• Build a personal portfolio of approximately 75–150 high-net-worth individual donors and prospects.
• Manage a portfolio of 10–20 Seattle-based institutional funders.
• Serve as the primary relationship manager for assigned donors and funders, ensuring timely, meaningful, and personalized engagement.
• Develop and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and moves management strategies, with a focus on multi-year and five-, six-, and seven-figure gifts.
• Conduct 100–150 intentional, personalized interactions annually to support prospect discovery, field research, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Engage in strategic networking and relationship-building activities to identify and qualify new donor and funder prospects.
• Write and present tailored gift proposals and investment opportunities, and provide ongoing impact reporting and stewardship.
• Collaborate closely with the Senior Grants Manager and Senior Director of Institutional Giving by sharing funder insights and relationship notes to inform grant strategy and proposal development.
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure appropriate staff engagement with funders and donors, including volunteer opportunities or youth-facing activities when requested.
• Track and document all relationship activity, progress, and outcomes to ensure strong stewardship, accountability, and positive funding partner experiences.

• Conduct prospect research to assess donor capacity, philanthropic interests, and readiness to give.
• Actively participate in new donor discovery, including outreach, engagement, and qualification.
• Build a sustainable pipeline that supports annual, mid-level, and future major gift growth.
• Collaborate with the Senior Grants Manager and Senior Director of Institutional Giving to evaluate prospective Seattle institutional and corporate funders.

• Lead the development and execution of the Seattle Advisory Board, including planning and facilitating quarterly Advisory Board meetings.
• Partner closely with the Advisory Board Chair to ensure strong engagement, alignment with organizational priorities, and effective leadership of the Advisory Board.
• Own the creation of meeting agendas and facilitate meetings to drive meaningful engagement, accountability, and fundraising outcomes; collaborate with the Individual Giving Manager to develop board materials.
• Partner with the CEO, CDO, Seattle Advisory Board, and key volunteers to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects.
• Prepare briefing materials, talking points, and meeting strategies for leadership team and volunteer…