Manager of Major Gifts & Partnerships

Manager of Major Gifts & Partnerships Girlstart turns 30 in November 2027, and you will build the leadership giving program at the center of that anniversary. Our current individual giving program (STEM Society) starts at $500. The 30 for the 30th Founders Circle, 30 households each giving $10,000 or more, adds the leadership tier above it. As our Manager of Major Gifts and Partnerships, you will lead it from the first conversation to the final thank-you, grow our major donor base in Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston, and partner with our board on a 30-company Corporate Champions program. Most of your time goes to the Founders Circle and your wider major gifts portfolio, with the rest split between corporate partnerships and the reporting that keeps the campaign honest. Lead the 30 for 30 Founders Circle and major gifts (roughly 70%)Own strategy, pipeline, solicitation, and stewardship for 30 households giving $10,000 or more, payable over up to three years: $300,000 goal, asks from January to October 2027, commitments closed by October 31, 2027.Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects through every stage: identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. Find new individual philanthropists, family foundations, and community leaders in Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin, alongside the Executive Director and the Board of Directors. Plan and make lead asks and donor visits with the Executive Director, and use the Anniversary Working Group for introductions. Steward every Founders Circle household through the anniversary year and beyond. Partner on Corporate Champions (roughly 15%)Work with our board corporate lead to close 30 companies across four tiers ($50,000, $25,000, $10,000, and $4,000), sold from January through September 2027.Support our North Texas board lead in turning the April 22, 2027 Dallas Anniversary Reception into new corporate relationships, with a goal of 8 new North Texas prospects. Connect corporate partners with sponsorship, engagement, and employee volunteer opportunities, working with program staff. Track, report, and align (roughly 15%)Keep donor and pledge records current in Salesforce and DonorPerfect, and collect pledge payments on schedule. Report monthly on one dashboard that separates campaign giving (net-new donors, increases over FY2026 giving, new or larger corporate support, event revenue above baseline) from annual fund giving, so the Executive Director and board see any overlap early. Prepare benchmark reports and income projections for the Executive Director, board, and Development Committee. Work with the Development Operations Manager on data and appeals, and with the Grants Director so foundation asks and individual asks are sequenced together. Coach board members to open doors, make introductions, and serve as Girlstart ambassadors. You are the donor-facing lead on a small team, backed by a contracted campaign manager, engaged board members, and colleagues who own grants and data. You have asked for $10,000-plus gifts before; you can build a pipeline from relationships rather than from a handed-over list, and you like working beside an Executive Director and a board.5+ years of progressive nonprofit fundraising, with a track record of major gift solicitations of $10,000 or more. Corporate partnership experience, such as securing sponsorships, is a strong plus. Donor relationships in Dallas–Fort Worth or Houston, or the ability to build them quickly. You must live in one of those metro areas. Poise and authenticity with individual philanthropists, corporate executives, and community leaders, and excellent written and verbal communication. Self-direction. You prioritize high-return activities, keep your pipeline moving without daily oversight, and ask the Executive Director and board for help when it matters. Comfort with donor databases and Google Workspace. We use Salesforce and DonorPerfect; experience with either is fine.