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The Catholic University of America is hiring a Director, Principal Gifts. The role involves identifying and cultivating donor prospects capable of $1M+ gifts, managing principal gift fundraising efforts, and providing personalized donor engagement to build long-term philanthropic partnerships aligned with the University's strategic priorities.

Highlights

Identify, qualify, and build a portfolio of principal-level prospects at $1M+ and $5M+ levels
Personally solicit and close complex, multi-year gifts at the $1M+ level
Provide high-touch, personalized concierge-level engagement to top donors
Partner with school/unit fundraisers and academic leadership to coordinate strategies and donor relations
Maintain disciplined portfolio management and pipeline forecasting
Bachelor's degree required, master's preferred; 10+ years of fundraising experience with demonstrated success securing seven-figure gifts
Strong relationship-building skills with high-net-worth individuals and experience in complex pipeline development
Proficiency with CRM systems and excellent communication, proposal development, and analytical abilities
Compensation range: $90,000 - $100,000
Role requires travel and emphasizes collaboration, strategic decision-making, and organizational reliability

Director, Principal Gifts Full Description

Posting Title: Director, Principal Gifts Overview:

The Director, Principal Gifts, reporting to the Executive Vice President of University Advancement, is primarily responsible for identifying and engaging (in concert with other divisional colleagues) donor prospects at the $1M+ level in support of campaign priorities. The Director is also responsible for tracking all activity at the $1M+ level and supporting the EVP’s work with the highest-level donors. This role focuses on the University’s highest-capacity prospects and provides highly personalized, concierge-level engagement to build long-term philanthropic partnerships. The Director is charged with proactively identifying, qualifying, and cultivating new principal-level prospects. Working across schools and programs, the Director partners closely with unit-based fundraisers and academic leadership to advance shared prospects and align donor interests with the University’s most strategic priorities. This is also a frontline fundraising role with clearly defined performance expectations, including visit activity, pipeline development, and revenue generation.

The projected salary or hourly pay range for this position, which represents the full range of anticipated compensation, is: $90,000 - $100,000.

Responsibilities:

Portfolio Development & Pipeline Building

• Identify, qualify, and build a portfolio of principal-level prospects
• Develop long-term cultivation strategies for high-capacity individuals

• Expand the University’s pipeline of $1M+ and $5M+ prospects

• Partner with colleagues to build principal-level prospect constituencies for priority projects.

Principal Gift Fundraising

• Personally solicit and close gifts at the $1M+ level

• Manage complex, multi-year gift strategies • Advance prospects through all stages of the giving cycle

• Maintain disciplined portfolio management and forecasting

Concierge-Level Donor Engagement

• Provide high-touch, highly personalized engagement

• Serve as a trusted partner to donors and prospects

• Coordinate meaningful experiences that deepen donor connection

• Provide input into principal donor stewardship plans and actions

Institutional Collaboration

• Work in partnership with school/unit fundraisers to support strategy development and leadership access for principal-level prospect relationships

• Ensure transparency and avoid duplication of effort

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree required, master’s preferred.

10+ years of fundraising experience, including major/principal gifts
Demonstrated success securing seven-figure commitments, preferably in a higher advancement institution setting
Strong track record of building relationships with high-net-worth individuals
Experience building a pipeline in complex environments
Excellent communication and proposal development skills.

Proficiency with CRM systems; technical literacy, demonstrable writing and analytical abilities.
Mission focused; Collaborative & Communicative; Organized & Reliable; Creative & Inventive; Strategic & Decisive. Must be comfortable with travel.

Original Job Description