Director of Major Gifts

Director of Major Gifts

FAIRVOTE SUMMARY

FairVote, headquartered in Silver Spring, MD, is a nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is associated with FairVote Action, a 501 (c)(4) advocacy organization. Our focus is electoral reform that gives voters a greater choice, a stronger voice, and a more representative democracy.

Since 1992, FairVote has been the national leader in developing and distributing the educational tools and analyses necessary to increase public appreciation for the value of ranked-choice voting (RCV). FairVote also collaborates with partners to build, win, and sustain campaigns for RCV and proportional representation at every level—local, state, federal—and within political parties.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Major Gifts will serve as FairVote’s front-line fundraiser who is exclusively focused on cultivating and securing investments from high-net-worth individuals—particularly entrepreneurs, technologists, executives, and innovators who view ranked choice voting as a high-leverage solution to the structural democratic challenges the United States faces. This leader will own a significant portfolio of prospects and be responsible for moving donors through the full development pipeline: from research and outreach to solicitation, onboarding, and stewardship.

This role is critical to FairVote’s growth and will partner closely with the Director of Development, CEO, senior leadership team, and board members to raise general operating support and program-specific funding. The ideal candidate is a proven closer with a track record of securing individual gifts in a front-line fundraising role. We would expect successful candidates to have experience in one or more of the following sectors: political fundraising, private sector fundraising, or nonprofit major gifts.

POSITION TYPE:

This is a full-time exempt position. Exempt employees are expected to work the appropriate and necessary time to complete key assignments and related tasks on schedule. The Director of Major Gifts will report to the Director of Development.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Prospecting & Portfolio Management

• Identify and qualify new donor prospects with an annual giving capacity of $25,000–$250,000. Strengthen relationships with existing mid-tier donors ($5K–$25K) and guide them toward higher-capacity giving, aligning with their philanthropic goals.
• Build and manage a robust pipeline of 100+ individual prospects and investors, primarily non-institutional funders. The focus will be on donors with private-sector experience (e.g., entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, technologists).
• Lead top-of-funnel outreach, including personal email, warm introductions, events, conferences, and scheduling one-on-one meetings.
• Oversee prospect research and data tracking, delegating tasks as needed while collaborating with the development team. Every team member contributes to all tasks—no job is too small for our lean, hands-on team.

Donor Engagement & Solicitation

• Personally lead investor meetings, cultivate relationships, and secure gifts from individuals committed to innovation, impact, and systems change.
• Strategically develop customized pitches and messaging aligned with FairVote’s programmatic priorities and tailored to investor interests.
• Design and deliver compelling pitches using FairVote’s core collateral and investor-facing materials.
• Collaborate with the Director of Development, CEO and senior staff to prepare for and lead joint fundraising meetings.
• Maintain ownership of follow-ups, gift tracking, and stewardship activities.
• Leverage personal relationships with existing donors and board members to generate introductions to high-value prospects.
• Cultivate relationships across the political and ideological spectrum, engaging donors who identify as Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.

Strategy & Execution

• Drive fundraising strategy for high-net-worth individual investors, including tailored cultivation plans and events.
• Represent FairVote at conferences and events— both within the democracy space and in venues where target donors naturally gather.
• Travel up to 30% to meet donors in person, focusing on key markets such as Washington, D.C.; Seattle; Silicon Valley; and New York City.
• Align donor engagement with FairVote’s emphasis on unrestricted, multi-year giving.
• Provide feedback on donor-facing materials and contribute to the development of pitch decks, memos, and event content.
• Serve as a strategic partner in shaping FairVote’s fundraising plan alongside the CEO, Board, Leadership Team, and Development department.
• Ensures planning, measurement, evaluation and learning (PMEL) are integrated into the development and implementation of strategies and tactics.

Cross-Organizational Collaboration

• Partner with advocacy, program, and finance teams to share compelling stories and impactful updates on building, winning, and sustaining ranked choice voting and proportional representation.
• Work closely with development colleagues to ensure donor database accuracy, forecasts, and reporting.
• Support the Development department broadly—pitching in on board enablement, events, and other fundraising streams (e.g., foundations, digital, or planned-giving).
• Collaborate on webinars, retreats, and community-building events that deepen donor relationships.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong interest in FairVote’s core strategic priorities and demonstrates a deep commitment to its mission and values.
• We’re open to diverse backgrounds but expect a track record of securing investments in front-line fundraising roles from individual (non-institutional) donors. You may, for example, meet one of these illustrative profiles:

Profile 1: Political Fundraiser

• 7+ years raising max-out checks for political campaigns, PACs, or IEs
• Deep networks in the political donor ecosystem
• Experience making solicitations, hosting events, and bundling contributions

Profile 2: Private Sector Fundraiser

• 7+ years raising money from or for venture capital firms, angel investors, and/or family offices
• Familiarity with pitch decks, due diligence processes, and high-touch cultivation
• Ability to speak language entrepreneurs and executives are familiar with

Profile 3: Nonprofit Major Gifts Officer

• 7+ years in nonprofit fundraising, ideally at a national advocacy organization
• Track record of managing a major gifts portfolio and securing five- and six-figure donations from individuals
• Deep understanding of donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Exceptional Communication & Influence: Demonstrated ability to craft and deliver clear, persuasive messages—both written and verbal—to diverse audiences, including senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Skilled at leading complex, high-impact meetings with confidence, strategic insight, and the ability to drive decisions.
• Proven track record as a self-starter who takes full ownership of outcomes and thrives in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments.
• Advanced Digital & Analytical Proficiency: Expertise in productivity and collaboration tools (Google Workspace: Slides, Sheets, Gmail) and CRM platforms, with the ability to leverage data for strategic decision-making.
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively, with confidence in managing relationships across all levels—upward, sideways, and downward.
• Ability to appreciate and contribute to a work environment that values integrity, adaptability, reliability, cross-functional collaboration, and a commitment to learning.

LOCATION

The FairVote office is located in Silver Spring, MD. The role can be performed remotely.

SALARY & BENEFITS

This is a full-time, exempt position. FairVote offers a competitive benefits package for all full-time employees. The salary range for this position is $113,500 - $138,000 with the higher portion of the range for candidates who exceed listed qualifications.

HOW TO APPLY

A Cover Letter and Resume are required to consider an application complete. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Due to the volume of applications, we will unfortunately not acknowledge receipt of all applications. No phone calls, please.

FairVote is an equal-opportunity employer committed to maintaining a non-discriminatory work environment. FairVote places a high value on fostering an inclusive workplace, and we are committed to building a team as diverse as the American people. We do not make hiring or advancement, or other employment decisions based on race, religion, gender, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, political affiliation, pregnancy, disability, or any other status protected by law. Individuals from across all spectrums who are passionate about fixing our broken political system are strongly encouraged to apply.

Our competitive compensation package includes: paid holidays, paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid parental leave, medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, and a retirement program.