Director of Development

Institute for Humane Studies

. Lead IHS’s major gifts fundraising strategy and portfolio-level revenue planning for the individual-giving pipeline .

Posted 10/23/2026full-timeArlington • Virginia • United StatesLead💰 $130,000 - $145,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in leading major gifts fundraising strategies, managing donor pipelines, and developing frontline fundraising staff. Proficient in CRM systems, particularly Salesforce, with a strong ability to engage diverse donors on policy and economics.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Major Gifts FundraisingDonor Pipeline ManagementCRM ProficiencyTeam LeadershipMoves Management

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Fundraising StrategyPortfolio ManagementSolicitation StrategyData IntegrityClosing Six-Figure CommitmentsBuilding Major Gifts ProgramsMoves ManagementDonor Engagement

Soft Skills

Exceptional Communication SkillsStrong Judgment

Tools & Technologies

SalesforceCRM Systems

Industry Keywords

Think TankUniversityPolicy-Oriented NonprofitClassical Liberal Intellectual Tradition

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead IHS’s major gifts fundraising strategy and portfolio-level revenue planning for the individual-giving pipeline
Own the frontline gift pipeline across qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
Establish moves-management standards and portfolio expectations for gift officers
Translate institutional fundraising goals into portfolio-level plans and benchmarks
Personally manage a select portfolio of high-priority donors and prospects
Lead the full gift cycle for principal- and major-gift commitments
Direct prospect assignment, portfolio segmentation, and solicitation strategy across the gift-officer team
Oversee relationship handoffs across prospecting, mid-level, and major-gift portfolios
Lead, coach, and develop the major gifts team
Review and approve solicitation strategies, gift proposals, and portfolio plans
Coordinate with Development Operations, Communications & Marketing, Programs, and Executive leadership
Represent IHS in high-value donor meetings, cultivation gatherings, and institutional engagement
Travel for donor and partner events and programmatic convenings
Partner with the Director of Development Operations on pipeline reporting, data integrity, and fundraising infrastructure
Directly supervise 1–2 direct reports

Requirements

What you’ll need

6+ years of progressively responsible experience in major gifts or individual-giving fundraising
Documented record of closing six-figure commitments
Seven-figure fundraising exposure preferred
Demonstrated success leading and developing frontline fundraising staff
Experience setting fundraising strategy and managing a multi-stage donor pipeline across cultivation and solicitation
Strong judgment engaging donors across diverse professional and ideological backgrounds
Proficiency with CRM systems
Salesforce experience preferred
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
Experience fundraising within a think tank, university, or policy-oriented nonprofit preferred
Experience building or scaling a major gifts program preferred
Substantive knowledge of and appreciation for the classical liberal intellectual tradition preferred
Ability to engage donors substantively on policy, economics, and related ideas central to the IHS donor community preferred
Experience with moves management across multiple giving tiers preferred
Ability to work Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET

Benefits

Comp & perks

Annual performance-based incentive compensation
Flexible, professional, open office environment
Opportunities for professional growth
Health insurance coverage
Dental insurance coverage
100% of health and dental insurance premiums paid for individuals
Health savings accounts
Long-term disability insurance
Life insurance
403(b) retirement savings program
Parking permit
12 free tuition credit hours annually at George Mason University