Assistant Director of Major Gifts

Project Bread connects people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible—so that no one goes hungry. To assist us in meeting our mission, Project Bread is seeking an Assistant Director of Major Gifts to join our team.

At Project Bread, we have a deep commitment to creating positive social change and recognize that hunger and racism are inextricably linked. We work in a fast-paced environment that values learning, innovation, and diverse perspectives. Knowing its centrality to our work, Project Bread is committed to equity and inclusion. We aspire to build a diverse team, including groups that are traditionally underrepresented among our sector leadership. We strongly encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Supervisor: Vice President of Individual Giving

Salary Range: $80,000-$85,000

The Role: The Assistant Director of Major Gifts is a strategic role on Project Bread’s Individual Giving team. Rather than serving as a frontline fundraiser at the outset, this position will play a critical behind-the-scenes role in building and strengthening the organization’s major gifts program.

The Assistant Director will develop and implement strategies to deepen engagement with existing major donors, identify and qualify new prospects, and support leadership—including the CEO and Vice President of Individual Giving—in managing and advancing key donor relationships. They will also lead the development of a moves management system to support long-term growth and sustainability of major giving at Project Bread. While not initially a frontline role, this position offers a clear path to managing a portfolio of major donors as the program grows.

This role is ideal for a strategic thinker with a strong understanding of donor engagement and a passion for developing authentic donor relationships, designing systems, tools, and experiences that inspire generosity and build lasting relationships.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Vice President of Individual Giving to develop and execute strategies to retain, upgrade, and inspire continued giving from existing major donors.
• Build a sustainable prospect pipeline by identifying and qualifying new major gift prospects through research, internal referrals, and analysis of donor data.
• Create personalized stewardship plans and engagement strategies tailored to donor interests, values, and giving history.
• Develop and manage a moves management system to track donor engagement and ensure timely, meaningful touchpoints.
• Support the Vice President of Individual Giving in preparing for donor meetings, including briefing materials, strategy development, and follow-up.
• Collaborate with colleagues across Development, Programs, and Communications to align major donor messaging with organizational priorities and impact stories.
• Draft donor-facing communications such as acknowledgment letters, updates, proposals, and personalized stewardship reports.
• Track key metrics and contribute to major gift revenue forecasting and reporting.
• Maintain accurate donor records and activity tracking in Raiser's Edge.
• Take on progressive responsibility for managing a portfolio of major donors and prospects.

Organizational Responsibilities:

• Participate in planning and evaluating the annual Walk for Hunger, including working as event staff the weekend of the Walk (first weekend in May), and attending pre-Walk events as assigned.
• Attend organization-wide events and meetings.
• Act to promote, sustain, and grow Project Bread’s positive, productive, and inclusive working environment.

Qualifications:

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We know people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. That said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below.

• Commitment to Project Bread’s mission to connect people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible.
• 5+ years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or philanthropy strategy, with exposure to major gifts or mid-level giving programs
• Strong strategic and systems-thinking skills, with the ability to design and execute processes that support donor engagement and retention
• High emotional intelligence and excellent relationship-building skills
• Strong relationship management skills, with the ability to build trust, support donor engagement behind the scenes, and work in close partnership with leadership on donor strategy
• Exceptional writing and communication abilities, with an eye for personalization and storytelling
• Proficiency with fundraising databases (Raiser’s Edge/NXT preferred), research tools, and prospect tracking systems
• Experience building or supporting moves management frameworks

Additional Requirements:

Working Location: Project Bread follows a hybrid remote/in-office model. This role requires in-office presence in East Boston on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with flexibility for additional in-person work as needed.

COVID-19 Vaccine Policy: For the safety and protection of Project Bread Staff & Constituents we do have a COVID-19 Vaccine Policy that requires all staff to be fully vaccinated per the CDC definition. Accommodation requests will be considered through our normal request process.

Benefits:

Benefits include Blue Cross Blue Shield health and dental, flexible spending accounts, retirement plan with match after one year, life and long-term disability, contributions to commuting costs and wellness expenses, and flexible paid time off.

How to Apply:

Please apply here by completing our application form and uploading your resume and cover letter in MS Word or PDF format.

Review of applications will begin July 10, 2025 and continue until the position is filled.

Project Bread is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services. Please contact us at jobs@projectbread.org if you would like to request special accommodations during the interview process.