Director of Philanthropy, Major Gifts

Mar 6

National Brain Tumor Society
Washington, DC

Anticipated Start Date: 5/1/26 - 6/1/26

Description

The Director of Philanthropy will collaborate with the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Philanthropy to identify, cultivate and steward a portfolio of $10K+ donors for the National Brain Tumor Society. Additionally, they will drive high-level philanthropic investment for the NBTS Brain Tumor Investment Fund (BTIF). This role is designed for a strategic, independent fundraiser capable of navigating complex gift discussions and engaging executive leadership to secure transformative support for brain tumor research and treatments. This is a front-facing role and the candidate will thrive in building relationships and making solicitations in a direct, face-to-face manner.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to exercise good judgment and professionalism in a variety of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, organizational and people skills, and the ability to balance multiple priorities. The individual must have the ability to work independently and collaboratively on projects, from conception to completion, and work under pressure to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion. The Director of Philanthropy, Major Gifts will have the opportunity to work with a fiercely dedicated and supportive team of development professionals, committed to improving the lives of brain tumor patients.

Responsibilities

Revenue Generation: Support the AVP of Philanthropy to identify and close funding opportunities that meet or exceed annual fundraising goals, including a minimum of $500K in new revenue for the NBTS Brain Tumor Investment Fund (BTIF) annually.
Strategic Development: In collaboration with the AVP and Chief Development Officer, develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy for achieving annual fundraising goals.
Portfolio Ownership: Manage a select portfolio of high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional partners with the capacity for 5 and 6-figure investments.
Stewardship: Design and execute personalized stewardship plans for assigned portfolio to ensure donors are informed of the impact of their philanthropy.
Prospecting and Cultivation: Conduct prospect research on highly qualified prospective donors on an ongoing basis to identify at minimum two viable prospects for research and discussion each month.
Moves Management: Build out sophisticated moves management plans that engage NBTS leadership, BTIF leadership, and cross departmental collaboration as needed.
Proposal Leadership: Independently facilitate the end-to-end proposal development process, inclusive of collaborating with colleague departments as needed, and lead solicitations for funding.
Mission Advocacy: Translate complex programmatic goals into compelling philanthropic opportunities while exercising the ability to represent NBTS’s values and mission.
Reporting & Accountability: Participate in internal fundraising strategy meetings, providing a detailed report out on current opportunities, stewardship, and cultivation activities.
Executive Liaison: Act as the bridge between prospective donors and NBTS leadership ahead of key solicitations.
Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent prior work experience required.
7-10 years of professional fundraising or business development experience required, with at least 3 years specifically in major gifts or venture philanthropy.

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

Proven Track Record: Demonstrated experience closing $50K-$100K+ gifts, ideally within life sciences, venture philanthropy, or health-related nonprofits.
Donor Relationship Management: Building and maintaining strong relationships with current and new donors, both individual and institutional, is vital. This includes effective communication, stewardship, and donor recognition.
Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to distill clinical or investment-heavy information into a persuasive case for support. Demonstrated ability for writing for a development audience, with strong proofreading and editing skills.
Strategic Mindset: Ability to build a "road map" for a donor that spans several years and multiple touchpoints with executive leadership. Demonstrated ability to meet fundraising goals, to plan moves management strategies, and to interact effectively with a wide range of constituents.
Initiative: Demonstrated ability to independently facilitate proposals while maintaining alignment with a larger development team, and manage multiple projects and activities simultaneously.
Teamwork: Ability to work cooperatively and cross functionally, and to communicate effectively in a virtual team environment.
Organization: Strong organizational skills, ability to prioritize work, attention to detail, and ability to think strategically and execute plans to completion.
Flexibility: Proven flexibility to effectively respond to changing circumstances and priorities.
Professionalism: Ability to maintain confidentiality of records and information, diplomacy, tact, and professionalism in actions and appearance.
Strong computer competency, including all MS Office and data-gathering tools; familiarity with events platforms and Salesforce or equivalent fundraising and constituent relationship management software (CRM) a plus.
Valid driver's license required. This role involves national, regional and local travel to meetings, events and donor visits requiring access to a car.

Work Environment

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Location: Remote/Hybrid (Boston-based)

Work primarily performed in a remote home office environment, which must be located in the Eastern Time Zone of the United States. Candidates local to the greater Boston area preferred.

Remote work must be performed in the employee’s state of residence at time of hire.

Normal hours for this role are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Occasional attendance at NBTS events or meetings may be required on the weekend or outside of normal hours.

Valid driver's license required. This role involves local travel to meetings, events and donor visits requiring access to a car.

Domestic travel by car and/or plane is required at least 2x per month, up to 20% of the time. Travel may be inclusive of day travel for meetings, overnight travel for events or a combination of both.

This role is largely sedentary and requires sitting or standing in a stationary position for extended periods of time. This role frequently involves communicating on the phone and operating a computer for at least 70% of the work day.

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

The anticipated compensation range for this role is $90,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year, plus benefits.

Final offers are based on relevant compensable factors. These may include the candidate’s skills and experience, the role’s expectations and level of responsibility, geographic location, and a careful comparison of internal pay equity factors for similarly situated positions within our organization.

Benefits

HMO and PPO Health Insurance, Dental and Vision Insurance
Employer-funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - medical and dependent care accounts available
100% employer-paid Group Term Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability Insurance, and Long-Term Disability Insurance - 401(K) plan with 3% employer match (4-year vesting schedule applies)
Employee Assistance Program
Financial Planning and Wellness Assistance Program
11 paid holidays, 20 vacation days, 10 sick days, 2 personal days, and 2 floating holidays per year; competitive parental, family and medical leave policy
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workgroup - Employer-paid membership in MassBio, a leading life sciences professional organization
Flexible work environment with remote and hybrid work options available for most roles
Positive, collaborative, and transparent organizational culture with a commitment to continuous feedback, high performance, and career development

NBTS provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

How to Apply for this Job

Email your resume to careers@braintumor.org, or apply through the NBTS Jobs page on LinkedIn. Cover letters are encouraged, but not required.

About the Organization

National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS) unrelentingly invests in, mobilizes and unites our community to discover a cure, deliver effective treatments, and advocate for patients and their care partners. NBTS is a leading policy advocacy and research organization as well as a convener of brain tumor research leaders including industry, regulators, funders, clinician researchers and patient advocates. The organization also delivers timely information and support to patients and families.

Through collaborative leadership with partners, our results include paradigm shifting research discoveries, increased federal funding for brain tumor research, innovative new clinical trials, opportunities for entrepreneurship and venture philanthropy to benefit brain tumor research, and empowering collaborative advocacy that results in reforms and advances to health care and the development of treatments.

While we have seen significant progress in terms of scientific understanding of brain tumor biology, we are unsatisfied with the status quo of today’s treatment options. NBTS is committed to investment in new ideas and research poised to incent the development and realization of treatments that dramatically increase survival and quality of life for patients.

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