Director, Major Gifts - Midwest

WHO WE ARE:

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society mobilizes people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS. To fulfill this mission, the Society funds cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education, collaborates with MS organizations around the world, and provides programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. We partner with volunteers to accomplish our work. Staff members engage volunteers through effective and timely communications, facilitating meaningful opportunities, and continually seeking and providing feedback for reciprocal growth and learning.

Main Responsibilities:

• Manage a regional portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, with a focus on securing six- and seven-figure transformational gifts that align with organizational priorities.
• Build and strengthen the portfolio proactively through strategic research, attendance at key events, and collaboration with colleagues and volunteers to identify and engage new prospects.
• Drive donor acquisition and long-term pipeline growth, leveraging internal partnerships and the Prospect Research team to expand and diversify the major gifts portfolio-recognizing acquisition as a critical component of sustainable revenue growth.
• Stay current on the organization's national and global funding opportunities and priorities to ensure informed, relevant, and strategic donor engagement.
• Support and execute the collective responsibility for national fundraising campaigns, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and contributing to shared revenue targets.
• Oversee all stages of the donor lifecycle-from identification through stewardship-ensuring meaningful and strategic engagement throughout.
• Partner cross-functionally with regional staff, internal key stakeholders, and volunteers to identify, cultivate, and advance relationships with new and existing major gift prospects.
• Participate in regular portfolio reviews to refine strategy and maximize donor potential, with a focus on growth and high-impact engagement.
• Collaborate with leadership and key internal stakeholders to craft compelling cases for support and develop tailored proposals in partnership with Donor Relations that inspire transformational giving.
• Align cross-functionally within Development to create a cohesive donor experience and facilitate major gift upgrades.
• Implement strategic stewardship plans in partnership with Donor Relations to retain donors, deepen engagement, and increase long-term investment.
• Provide fundraising insights and contribute to revenue forecasting, collaborating with the Individual Giving team and aligning efforts with national priorities.
• Utilize CRM and additional tools effectively for timely and accurate data management, ensuring adherence to organizational KPIs for accountability and performance evaluation.
• At this career level, you are leading by helping your peers understand a subject area.

What we're looking for:

• Demonstrated and relevant fundraising experience with advanced understanding of prospect qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Record of leadership and accomplishment in fundraising, including pipeline development, acquisition planning, and cross-functional revenue generation.
• Able to assess staff talent, mentor, and train others toward a shared vision, providing strategic guidance to ensure staff meet their designated revenue and activity goals.
• Proven ability to support broad and technical fundraising campaigns, collaborating effectively with staff and volunteers to secure major and principal gifts.
• Proven nonprofit leadership experience with increasing responsibility, successfully driving 7-8 figure gifts
• Track record of implementing innovative fundraising strategies that drive engagement and revenue growth.
• Strong ability to perform under pressure, handle criticism professionally, and consistently meet fundraising commitments.
• Exceptional project management, strategic planning, and negotiation skills to drive effective resource allocation and optimize fundraising outcomes.
• Advanced CRM expertise, leveraging data analytics to drive decision-making and implement data-driven fundraising strategies.

Location Requirement:

This is a field-based role supporting our Midwest Region, requiring 30%+ travel for events, training, regional meetings, and organizational gatherings. While the role offers flexibility in work location, to be considered a candidate must reside within the region the position supports (or have plans to relocate) to ensure strong local engagement and accessibility.

Compensation | Benefits:

The estimated hiring compensation range for this role is $140,000-$165,000. Final offers will be based on the candidate'sgeographic location, consider career experience and may vary from this range due to these and other factors.

You will have the opportunity for a highly competitive, comprehensive benefit package that the Society provides to employees. Your benefits include a considerable Paid Time Off Plan; Paid Holidays; 401k Retirement Savings Plan with Society match; Commuter Benefit Plan; Comprehensive Health & Welfare benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Flex Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, Disability Coverage, Spring Health Membership offering free therapy and professional coaching, as well as additional voluntary benefit offerings. Not to mention, you will join an incredible mission focused team of people!

We're committed to supporting the growth of every employee through a structured and transparent approach to career development. We use Talent Portraits to define clear expectations, development opportunities, and advancement paths - whether you're growing as a people leader or deepening your expertise as an individual contributor. Each role is thoughtfully placed within one of these pathways to help you understand how it fits into our broader organization and your potential career journey.

This position is classified as Specialist - Knowledge Leader.

The National MS Society is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We strive to create a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We need you and your unique talents and perspectives to help us write the last chapter on MS.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

We appreciate your consideration of our job opportunities and strive to make it as effortless as possible to apply for our positions. With only a few required sections and the option to use our resume parsing tool, we aim to streamline the application experience, saving you time and effort. Additionally, if you wish to include a cover letter with your application, please feel free to attach it along with your resume, and any other documents required, to the Resume/CV document upload section at the bottom of the My Experience page. We appreciate your interest in joining our team and look forward to receiving your application!

Important: You will not be able to modify your application after you submit it. The "My Experience" page is the only opportunity to add your cover letter and supporting document attachments. If you experience any trouble submitting your materials, please check out our FAQ & Contact Us page.