Senior Director, Major Gifts

Job Description

Cross Catholic Outreach is a Catholic ministry with an ecumenical staff of Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox believers working in unity to provide food, water, housing, education, orphan support, medical care, micro-enterprise, and disaster relief, and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ to the poorest of the poor in more than 30 countries around the world. We believe strongly in unifying Christians in this mission of mercy, and we believe that creating a welcoming work environment for all Christian faiths is essential to achieving our ministry goals.

Position Title: Senior Director, Major Gifts
Department: Major Donors
Reports to: VP for Development
Position Location: Remote

Position Summary:
The Senior Director of Major Gifts leads Cross Catholic Outreach's major gift fundraising strategy and directs leadership annual giving initiatives. The role oversees a high-performing team responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding leadership-level donors. Reporting to the Vice President for Development, this role partners closely with senior leadership to set priorities, develop compelling giving opportunities, and advance major gift initiatives aligned with the organization's mission and long-term goals. The Senior Director manages a principal gift portfolio, supports the President and Executive Team in donor engagement, and ensures disciplined execution of gift strategies that drive sustainable revenue growth.
The role also emphasizes cross-functional collaboration and a seamless donor experience. The Senior Director works closely with Planned Giving, International Programs Group, Prospect Research, and Marcom stakeholders. The role is also a key partner with the emerging Transformational Giving area to ensure alignment, clear donor pathways, and effective handoffs as donors move into higher-impact, multi-year giving. With responsibility for financial oversight, reporting, and data-informed decision-making, this leader ensures major gift efforts are mission-aligned, operationally sound, and positioned to support both near-term priorities and long-term impact.

Educational or Certification Requirements:
• Bachelor's degree
• CFRE or associated certifications preferred

Experience Requirements:
• Minimum 10 years of experience in non-profit development
• Proven success in senior leadership
• Demonstrated experience in major gift fundraising and leadership in annual giving

Knowledge, Skills, & Character Required:
• Is a consistent witness for Jesus Christ; maintains a courteous, Christ-like attitude in dealing with people within and outside of the ministry.
• Feels a calling to serve God through serving Cross Catholic Outreach in this capacity.
• Believes in and supports the mission and ministry of Cross Catholic Outreach and agrees with the conduct policies and conduct expectations of Cross Catholic Outreach.
• Leadership: Demonstrated leadership in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, with the ability to motivate and lead teams towards communicating and achieving organizational goals.
• Commitment to professional ethics in working with highly confidential, sensitive information.
• Experience in Christian-based fundraising and a sound working knowledge of fundraising principles, strategic planning, and execution of major giving programs.
• Communication: Excellent oral and written communication skills, in English, as well as superior interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Technical: Proficiency in MS Office Suite and fundraising software; knowledge of donor database management systems and online fundraising tools is required
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate vision into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.
• Financial Acumen: Strong budget management skills and ability to analyze financial data.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and resolve problems quickly.
• Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to respond adeptly to rapidly changing priorities, and the ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to travel domestically for meetings and individual donor visits and gatherings, and to accompany donors and staff on international vision/mission trips in developing countries.

Duties:
Strategic Leadership for Major Gifts
• Manage department leadership team charged with day-to-day operations and management of leadership annual giving, major giving, donor stewardship/engagement, and department administration.
• Lead major gift fundraising teams and collaborate with the Vice President for Development on goal setting for the department, ensuring clear communication of goals and role assignments.
• Partner with the VP to establish internal processes that enhance messaging of the strategic vision for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding six and seven-figure gifts.
• Develop giving opportunities aligned with strategic goals and spearhead special major gifts projects as assigned.
• Analyze donor giving patterns to identify opportunities for major gift solicitation.
• Serve as a liaison between the Major Donor Department and the VP for Development, sharing donor feedback and monitoring trends.
• Partner with the emerging "Transformational Giving" area to ensure alignment, clear donor pathways and handoffs, and a seamless donor experience as donors move into higher-impact, multi-year giving that advances the long-term mission of the ministry.
Fundraising, Stewardship, and Donor Relations
• Manage a principal giving donor portfolio, focusing on soliciting and closing major gifts of $100,000 and above annually.
• Support the President and the Executive Team's fundraising activity with principal giving donors
• Manage principal giving officer and collaborate with major gift officers on all $500,000+ solicitation strategies.
• Collaborate with the Planned Giving Department to secure blended gifts
• Collaborate with the Ministry Strategy Committee to identify key organizational initiatives for fundraising priority and develop multi-year proposals that will provide significant investment in these priorities.
• Optimize donor segmentation and ensure engagement, solicitation, and stewardship strategies enhance donor retention and increase the lifetime value of leadership annual giving and major donors.
Financial Management, Reporting, and Analysis
• Oversee the departmental budget and financial resources, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Provide accurate financial reports to support budgeting, income projections, and planning processes.
• Monitor compliance with protocols for donor records and data governance.
• Ensure all complex gifts adhere to the gift acceptance policy.
• Track monthly, quarterly, and annual activities to achieve major gift revenue goals and deliver timely pipeline reports for budgeting projections.
• Collaborate closely with Donor Programs Services to ensure departmental fundraising activity is data-driven.
• Collaborate with the Vice President for Development and Chief Financial Officer to ensure strategies include a balance of restricted and unrestricted giving.
• Other duties as assigned.

About the Employer

We mobilize the global Catholic Church to transform the poor and their communities materially and spiritually for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Our
Vision
All Catholics around the world united in overcoming material and spiritual poverty