Director, Major Gifts

ABOUT PRIZMAH

Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools is the network for Jewish day schools across North America. We partner with day schools, yeshivas, philanthropists, and communities from all denominations, helping them grow their reach and impact and tackle the challenges on their paths to success.

Educating our children is the most important investment we can make in their future. Jewish day schools inspire and nurture young people, prepare them for remarkable and meaningful lives, and enable them to thrive.

Prizmah enhances the ability of schools to excel. Prizmah is building networks for schools and their supporters to connect, learn, and drive impact — deepening talent by investing in professional and lay leaders; catalyzing resources to generate funding for schools to flourish; and accelerating educational innovation, to foster teaching and learning opportunities that empower students.

At Prizmah, we see what is possible for Jewish day schools, and we’re passionate about making that vision a reality.

POSITION SUMMARY

Prizmah seeks a motivated and experienced Director of Major Gifts who will work in close collaboration with the development team to surpass campaign goals through identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major gifts. Reporting to the Senior VP of Development, the Director of Major Gifts will collaborate across teams to develop multiple strategies for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, and implement all aspects of moves management. With a focus on five- and sixfigure gifts, the Director of Major Gifts will oversee a portfolio of foundations and individual donors and prospects and provide support to both the Senior VP of Development and the CEO in managing their specific donor portfolios. In addition, the position is responsible for planning and implementing small scale events for donors and prospects.

The Director of Major Gifts will have experience collaborating with both senior-level professionals as well as engaged lay leaders and board members. The ideal candidate is an entrepreneurial, energetic, collaborative, and goal-oriented fundraiser who doesn’t shy away from a challenge. They have an ability to deeply empathize with donors, a growth mindset, communicate Prizmah’s work in a compelling manner, and effortlessly move from high-level strategic thinking to frontline solicitation.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy

• Partner with Senior VP of Development to design strategies to surpass campaign goals.
• Design and implement an effective major gift donor program, including a detailed donor stewardship plan, setting goals and strategies to expand, cultivate, solicit, and steward the donor base.
• Facilitate the work of the Development Committee, including training and initiating lay leadership engagement programs for Prizmah.

Donor Relations 

• Establish and maintain ongoing donor and prospect relationships both in-person and virtually.
• Create and execute personalized communications and engagement plans for each donor and prospect.
• Manage a portfolio of 50+ major gift prospects.
• Develop, build, and deepen positive relationships with diverse internal and external constituents.
• Organize compelling funder briefings (Zoom, written, and visual) in collaboration with the program, marketing, and development teams.
• Assist the CEO, Senior VP of Development, Board, and Prizmah team members with their portfolios and solicitations (e.g., provide portfolio development support, strategic thought partnership, and help with donor communications).
• Plan and support donor events, including in-person and virtual parlor meetings, investor trainings, and engagement opportunities.

Administration 

• Utilize Prizmah’s CRM to capture the relevant constituent information and plan moves management activities.
• Use tools (I-Wave, RelSci) to screen and prepare profiles of current and prospective donors.
• Work with the Development team to refine research, data entry, and acknowledgment processes as needed.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate for this position will bring:

• Minimum of 8 years of nonprofit experience, including successful relationship-building with high-level donors.
• Proven track record as a frontline solicitor, with demonstrated success in closing five-figure gifts and above.
• Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in major gifts fundraising, including donor research, cultivation, and stewardship.
• Well-organized multi-tasker who thrives in a fast-paced bias-towards-action environment.
• Strong public speaking and written communication skills using donor-centric language.
• Experience with donor database management software and prospect research/wealth screening engines.
• Proven understanding of the Jewish community’s philanthropic landscape in the US and Canada.
• Passion for Prizmah’s mission.
• Ability to travel up to 25% within the US, and to work occasional evenings and weekend hours.

WHAT WE OFFER 

• Prizmah offers an excellent benefits package that includes comprehensive health insurance with a range of plans to select from, matching contributions to 401k, flexible spending accounts, vacation and sick time, and parental leave.
• Prizmah is committed to and supports individual and professional development.
• Early close on Fridays for Shabbat and on the Erev (eve) of other Jewish holidays. Closed for Jewish Holidays.
• Flexible hours.
• A work environment that prioritizes building a strong work-place culture. We value learning and professional development. You will be a part of a great team that cares deeply about the work we do and each other.
• Competitive salary in the non-profit field in the range of $100,000 - $118,000. Prizmah’s salary ranges are based on education, experience, and skill set required for each role. If your salary expectations are different and/or you have more experience than required, let’s talk.
• Prizmah values the health and safety of our community. We also prioritize the need for opportunities for our team to meet and work in-person. Prizmah staff are required to show proof of full vaccination (including a booster shot) for Covid-19.

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to employment@prizmah.org. Please include the job title, Director, Major Gifts in the subject line.

You can also view our job posting here: https://www.prizmah.org/join-prizmah-team