Director of Major Gifts

About the Organization

The Alliance for American Leadership is a bipartisan coalition working to revitalize U.S. global leadership through strategic investments in international development. We believe foreign aid is one of the most cost-effective tools in policymakers' arsenal. It is less than one percent of the federal budget, yet it fights global poverty, strengthens U.S. national security, prevents pandemics, and bolsters the U.S. economy. Further, a study in the Lancet projects that 14 million people may die over the next four years if foreign aid is not restored. To prevent that, A4AL drafts policy, lobbies Congress, runs digital ad campaigns that reach millions of Americans, and supports the campaigns of Members of Congress who defend foreign aid.

Position Overview: The Director of Major Gifts owns the Alliance's relationships with five and six-figure individual donors and institutional foundations. The role is focused specifically on cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of the donors and funders capable of underwriting the Alliance's largest annual commitments. Distinct from the Fundraising Director, who owns the overall fundraising strategy and pipeline; the Director of Major Gifts is the relationship manager for the top of that pipeline. Also handles the donor relationships of individuals participating in the Endorsements Committees. Reports to the Fundraising Director. This is a remote, unpaid volunteer role.

Core Responsibilities:

Major Donor Cultivation & Solicitation

• Manage a portfolio of major individual donors capable of giving five and six-figure annual contributions.
• Develop cultivation plans for each major donor, including the cadence of contact, the substantive material that will move them, and the timing of asks.
• Make direct asks of major donors, in partnership with the Executive Director when appropriate.
• Steward existing major donors with regular updates, recognition, and thoughtful relationship management between asks.

Institutional Funder Relationships

• Manage relationships with foundations, family offices, and other institutional funders capable of supporting the Alliance.
• Identify new institutional prospects, develop concept notes and proposals, and shepherd grant requests through institutional processes.
• Track institutional grant cycles, reporting requirements, and renewal opportunities.

Endorsements Committees Donor Relationships

• Manage donor relationships for individuals participating in the Endorsements Committees on both the Democratic and Republican sides.
• Coordinate with the Endorsements Committees' founding members and political consultants on donor strategy specific to each committee.
• Ensure that the Endorsements Committees serve as a real donor cultivation vehicle, not just an organizational structure.

Coordination

• Coordinate closely with the Fundraising Director on overall pipeline strategy and prospect prioritization.
• Coordinate with the Executive Director on the largest relationships and the timing of the largest asks.
• Coordinate with the Development Operations Manager on documentation, pipeline tracking, and follow-up systems.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in major gifts fundraising, foundation relations, or comparable senior donor-facing roles.
• Track record of closing five and six-figure gifts.
• Strong existing network in the philanthropy, family office, or major donor community preferred.
• Comfort with sustained cultivation work where outcomes are measured in months and years, not weeks.
• Discretion — the role involves access to sensitive financial and personal information about donors.
• Commitment to A4AL's bipartisan mission and values.