Director - Major and Principal Gifts

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $160,000-$180,000. Hiring offers will be determined based on the final candidate’s qualifications and experience.  The recruiter can share more information about what the anticipated hiring salary would be based upon your specific qualifications during the selection process.

The CIA offers a substantial benefits package that includes medical coverage available at no cost to qualifying employees, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, short and long term disability insurance, retirement savings plan with high employer contributions, a generous paid time off program, and more!

As the benefits package at the CIA results in a significant value above the base hiring salary for this position, we encourage you to apply so that our recruiters can share more information with you about the benefits of working for the CIA.

The Culinary Institute of America’s (CIA’s) Director of Major and Principal Gifts serves as a strategic partner to the Vice President – Development and Alumni Relations, and is responsible for building and activating a major and principal gifts portfolio in support of the CIA’s vision.  The Director brings an entrepreneurial approach to identify mission-aligned prospects and donors to whose philanthropic interests align with the CIA's global agenda to advance learning and development for the food, beverage and hospitality industry.   

The Director builds a major gifts and principal gifts program that is representative of the CIA’s innovation and leadership in training the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators globally.  The Director identifies and manages a diverse set of prospects representative of the active constituent groups, including food enthusiasts, friends, alumni, parents and other constituencies who may have an affinity for the mission of the CIA.  The Director of Major and Principal Gifts partners with Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations to build strategic solicitation strategies to raise six, seven and eight figure gifts in support of the CIA's academic priorities. 

• →Work strategically to advance cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of high net worth prospects who are mission-aligned and motivated to support the impactful work of the CIA. Shape and execute ambitious multi-year fundraising strategies while personally managing a portfolio of prospects.
• →Build, develop, and lead the CIA’s major and principal gifts program in support of institutional priorities and the CIA’s long-term vision. Work in partnership with academic leaders to advance cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• →Develop and actively manage a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and donors.
• →Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward mission-aligned prospects with the capacity and interest to make significant philanthropic investments in the CIA.
• →Develop strategies to secure six-, seven-, and eight-figure gifts in support of the CIA’s academic and strategic priorities.
• →Partner closely with the Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations to develop and execute comprehensive donor cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• →Identify new prospective donors whose philanthropic interests align with the CIA’s global agenda and its commitment to advancing learning and development within the food, beverage, and hospitality industry.
• →Expand and diversify the major and principal gift prospect pipeline across key constituent groups, including alumni, parents, food enthusiasts, friends of the CIA, and other mission-aligned audiences.
• →Build philanthropic relationships that reflect the CIA’s leadership in educating and developing the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry leaders.
• →Apply an entrepreneurial and strategic approach to prospect identification, donor engagement, relationship development, and fundraising.
• →Serve as a strategic partner to Development and Alumni Relations leadership in advancing major philanthropic opportunities and institutional fundraising priorities.
• →Foster a results-oriented, collaborative donor-centric culture.
• →Work collaboratively with advancement communications and stewardship to support production of proposals, donor correspondence and stewardship.
• →Work collaboratively with the Senior Manager - Development Communications to build direct mail, electronic communications and other approaches to communicating to prospect and donor audiences.
• →Develop and implement measurable goals and metrics to routinely monitor the impact of annual and leadership giving activities on the success of pipeline development, funds raised, donor retention and acquisition.
• →Establish and maintain tracking and testing methods for all solicitation initiatives and adjust strategies based on data analysis.
• →Work closely with stewardship team to build recognition activities that support donor retention.
• →Any and all other duties as assigned.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or significant work experience in lieu thereof.

Experience:

• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive experience in fundraising and development.
• Seasoned professional in managing high net worth donors and prospects and proven experience in closing six, seven and eight figure gifts.

• Advanced degree preferred.
• Experience engaging with global audiences and international constituents.
• Experience leveraging engagement strategies to support philanthropic outcomes.
• Experience working with a robust CRM system for donor engagement (i.e. Salesforce, Slate Advancement or Dynamics365).

• Exceptional relationship building, writing, communications, and presentation skills.
• Strong results-oriented focus.
• Ability to utilize knowledge of prospects’ philanthropic interests and design multi-step prospect strategies.
• Ability to design solicitation strategies that blend flexible current use support, with smart gift planning strategies.
• Serve as a resource, mentor for fundraising colleagues and partners.
• Strong understanding of relationship-building and prospect / donor engagement principles.
• Familiarity with hospitality, culinary, food, beverage, or service-related industries.
• Ability to build trust and strong collaborative working relationships.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills required, including the ability to form and mobilize intra-organizational teams to accomplish goals.
• Strong communication, presentation, facilitation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across complex organizations.
• Commitment to innovation and experimentation to build growth strategies.
• Strong knowledge in supporting organizational evolution work through major gifts.
• Demonstrated commitment to service, quality, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Strong computer experience, which must include the ability to work effectively with Microsoft Office suite products, including Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

• Must be available to work a flexible schedule, including nights and weekends as required due to business needs.
• Frequent overnight domestic travel as well as occasional international travel required.
• Regular work requires the use of a computer, sometimes in excess of eight (8) hours per day.
• Regular work may require walking and standing for extended periods.