Major Gifts Manager

WHO WE ARE

For forty years, Thousand Currents has learned from and invested in grassroots groups and movements in Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Asia and the Pacific. These movement formations– working for solutions in food, climate, and the economy–have shaped our path and demonstrated what transformation truly looks like. We support our movement partners with core, flexible, long-term grants and value-added services, and we’ve invested over $60 million in more than 650 grassroots groups and movements across 85 countries.

OUR VALUES

At Thousand Currents, we envision a world in which self-determined and connected peoples share and uphold the abundance of life. To realize this vision, we embrace and practice a clear set of values:

• Courage - We confront injustice and inequality with love, strength, conviction, and integrity.
• Humility - We are part of a greater whole. We are one among many currents. We recognize our place among many forces for good and change that exist in the world.
• Experimentation - In order to take principled actions together, we prioritize learning, commit to self-reflection, embrace trial and error, and honor multiple ways of knowing.
• Creative collaboration - We share power, practices, and resources to reimagine new ways of living.
• Interdependence - With our futures intertwined, we respect all beings and build authentic relationships to move forward together.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Thousand Currents seeks a highly experienced and results-driven Major Gifts Manager to lead an individual donor portfolio and support our efforts in securing transformative philanthropic support. You will have significant experience securing 6+ figure gifts, building authentic relationships with a diverse portfolio of high-net-wealth individuals, and a network of philanthropic connections. You bring insight into donor psychology and the strategic approaches that inspire significant, sustained giving, specifically in the US philanthropic sector. Reporting to the Director of Donor Organizing, you will play a pivotal role in expanding and diversifying Thousand Currents' donor pipeline base, building and stewarding long-term relationships, and moving donors through the major giving pipeline. You will act as the primary contact for many donors, strategically motivating and inspiring their new and continued contributions to our work.

Deadline to Apply: By 5pm ET on Monday, October 27, 2025

Key Details: Compensation, Location, Travel, & Benefits

Title: Major Gifts Manager

Position: Full time, Exempt

Team: Philanthropic Partnerships & Influence (PPI)

Location: Remote, US

Supervises: No direct reports at this time

Travel: Up to 25%

Position Reports to: Director, Donor Organizing

Compensation: $97,000

Benefits:

• 100% of employee and dependent cost for Health, Dental, and Vision for employee + medical travel insurance for employee
• 10 paid annual holidays + open paid time off policy allowing flexible time off
• Up to 16 weeks of paid parental leave
• Up to $1,000 stipend to set up work space, $2,000 per year wellness stipend, $1,500 per year work from home expenses, and up to $2,000 per year for learning and development
• Retirement contribution allowance of 4% of gross salary
• Life Insurance + Long and Short Term disability insurance
• Possibility of sabbatical leave after seven years of employment

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Planning (25%)

• Implement a comprehensive major gift strategy to grow 4- to 6-figure gifts, assisting in raising at least $5 million annually by 2030, with a focus on securing 6- and 7-figure gifts.
• Manage a pipeline of current and prospective donors through research, identification, and multi-year cultivation strategies to expand the major gift portfolio.
• Leverage existing and new relationships to diversify and grow funding sources, strategically increasing visibility in philanthropic networks.
• Engage with current fundraising systems and processes, recommending and implementing improvements to enhance efficiency, alignment with organizational goals and values, and strategic insight to inspire significant, sustained giving, specifically in the US philanthropic sector.

Donor Management & Cultivation (25%)

• Maintain a portfolio of high-net-worth individuals, including principal-level donors, with tailored engagement, solicitation, and stewardship plans reflecting donor interests in food sovereignty, climate justice, and economic justice.
• Cultivate and expand institutional donor relationships to strengthen the organization’s funding base, increasing grant acquisition and long-term financial support.
• Effectively support donors to deepen their engagement in philanthropic and donor organizing and fundraising, including but not limited to within Thousand Currents’ own programming.
• Develop a deep understanding of Thousand Currents’ programmatic work and effectively communicate its impact to donors, ensuring communications embody the values of interdependence, equity, and justice.

Communication, Operations, & Reporting (20%)

• Collaborate with the Director of Donor Organizing, VP of Philanthropic Partnerships & Influence, CEO, senior leadership, and Board of Directors to cultivate and solicit major gifts.
• Partner with the Director of Communications to develop compelling storytelling materials that resonate with diverse donor audiences and enhance engagement efforts.
• Assist in preparing executive and board-level reports, aligning revenue with budget forecasts, and supporting grant reporting processes.
• Ensure donor database (Salesforce) is consistently updated and organized to support timely reporting, research, and targeted campaign development.
• Assist in planning and executing appeal campaigns, including the annual appeal.

Event Support & Engagement (15%)

• Organize and support intimate donor events, high-impact webinars, and in-person gatherings to deepen donor engagement and showcase Thousand Currents’ mission and impact.
• Support key programmatic events and partner visits to strengthen relationships and deepen understanding of partner work.

Participate in organization-wide learning, cross-program partnership and administrative efficiency: 5%

• Show up fully for organizational activities, including staff meetings, retreats and training.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues as necessary for cross program activities and functions;
• Support organization-wide activities, such as the Thousand Currents Academy, annual events, etc.
• Manage regular personal administration, including timely submission of receipts, reimbursement requests, scheduling, travel planning, filing HR paperwork etc.
• Take up additional responsibilities as assigned.

Thousand Currents is committed to responding flexibly to changing circumstances and priorities which means that the expectations of every position are dynamic. This description reflects the assignment of essential functions, but does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Skills & Attributes

Passionate advocate for Thousand Currents’ mission and values. You believe in the power of leveraging resources, knowledge, and relationships to strengthen social justice movements in the Global South.

Compassionate, warm, inviting, clear communicator, especially but not limited to when talking about money. You have excellent listening skills, showing empathy and curiosity in any relationship you’re building. You exude comfort and confidence when asking for money, are able to be clear and bold. You are able to graciously accept a ‘no’ and are impeccable at ensuring good closure and next steps from any conversation.

Movement-centered. You center the voice and vision of social justice movements in all aspects of your work. You tune in to movement priorities to design bold strategies, plan with precision, and manage with integrity.

Bridge and connector. You are connected to social justice movement networks. You bring deep political analysis and experience in supporting movement-building. You have seen what is possible when communities define their own food systems, protect their land, forests, and rivers, and define their own goals for a just energy transition. Your insights, analysis, and relationships in movement networks make you a trusted ally.

Strategic thinker and pragmatic implementer. You have a sharp political and analytical mind, turning ideas, critiques, and visions into coherent strategies and impactful programs. You are skilled at navigating complexity, managing diverse relationships with both diplomacy and courage, trust and accountability. You hold long-term purpose and vision while .

Justice advocate. You understand that every funding decision is a choice about whose voices are amplified, whose futures are resourced, and which systems are challenged or sustained.

Flexible, mature, and helpful team member. You are at home in a fast-paced environment with the ability to stay focused and nimble in the face of growth and change. You adapt to changing circumstances, pitch in where needed, and bring strong judgment and discretion in handling sensitive information. You are able to receive feedback and act on it with humility and care.

Role Requirements & Desires

• 5 to 7 years progressive fundraising experience, with at least 3 years experience overseeing a comprehensive major gift strategy.
• Experience managing US-based donor pool/philanthropic entities, with familiarity in US-based philanthropic networks, corporate foundations, family offices, and private philanthropists. International donor experience is a plus, but not required.
• Proven track record securing major gifts of 6+ figures or more from high-net-worth individuals.
• Skilled communicator with a clear, comfortable, and approachable style, adept at engaging donors and confidently making fundraising asks.
• A strong commitment to social justice, with experience in feminist, community-centered, or social justice-oriented fundraising approaches.
• Expert in utilizing a variety of software and technologies to succeed, such as Google Apps, Slack, CRM (Salesforce experience strongly preferred), and project management software.
• Cross-cultural competency. Prior experience working in and with multi-national or international organizations is a plus.
• Ability to work effectively in a virtual environment, building authentic relationships with diverse stakeholders while working remotely. This includes but is not limited to Slack or comparable complex virtual workplace chat-spaces.
  • Please note: We are unable to provide visa sponsorship or relocation assistance.
• Maintain a valid passport for national and international travel, ability up to 25% of the time.
• Written and spoken English fluency required and proficiency in additional language(s) is an asset.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands of this position are light and may require walking or standing to a significant degree. The position requires frequent computer use at a workstation. As Thousand Currents staff work in a number of locations and come together for meetings on occasion, all staff must be able to travel by car and plane to meetings at locations nationally and internationally. Availability to travel and maintenance of a valid passport is required. National or international travel represents approximately 30% of the time for this position. Thousand Currents will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This job description and its physical requirements will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Thousand Currents is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions.

Benefits:

• 100% of employee and dependent cost for Health, Dental, and Vision for employee + medical travel insurance for employee
• 10 paid annual holidays + open paid time off policy allowing flexible time off
• Up to 16 weeks of paid parental leave
• Up to $1,000 stipend to set up work space, $2,000 per year wellness stipend, $1,500 per year work from home expenses, and up to $2,000 per year for learning and development
• Retirement contribution allowance of 4% of gross salary
• Life Insurance + Long and Short Term disability insurance
• Possibility of sabbatical leave after seven years of employment

Fully fluent written and spoken English