Director of Development, Major Gifts and Principal Gifts
The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Director of Development, Major Gifts and Principal Gifts
Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status
Job Overview Job Description Summary: The Director of Development ( DOD ), Major Gifts and Principal Gifts is a key leader within the George Washington University Division of Advancement and the GW Health and Medicine Advancement team, serving as the primary fundraising lead for the Milken Institute School of Public Health ( SPH ).
The Division of Advancement is responsible for leading the university’s alumni and fundraising efforts and seeks to promote a culture of philanthropy throughout the university community, including alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, corporations and foundations, patients and other friends. The Director is responsible for driving philanthropic support to advance GWU’s mission of excellence in Health and Medicine, with a focus on public health education, groundbreaking research, and scholarship.
Reporting and Collaboration Reporting and Collaboration:
Collaborates closely with and provides direct support to the dean, department heads, leadership, faculty and administrative staff of the School of Public Health and University to create and execute a sustainable program to meet fundraising goals and build affinity in support of philanthropic priorities.
Works closely with prospect research, development/alumni relations, Health & Medicine and Central Advancement colleagues in identifying, cultivating, and tracking major gift prospects.
Key Responsibilities
Portfolio Management:
Responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of up to 125 major gift prospects for SPH.
Strategy & Execution:
Develops and executes strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts up to and exceeding $1 million.
Prospect Engagement:
Requires active one-on-one engagement with the portfolio, completing 8-10 monthly prospect visits in pursuit of fundraising goals.
Relationship Building:
Plays a critical role in developing meaningful connections with alumni, community members, parents, and friends of the school while developing strategies to move them across the donor continuum to result in stronger engagement and philanthropic support, with a focus on major gifts.
Leadership Support:
Leads and collaborates on SPH prospect and donor strategy, prepares briefing materials for university leadership, manages prospect and donor activity in the portfolio, and participates in working group activities within SPH and University Advancement that further University fundraising goals.
Mission Critical Goals:
This role is essential for achieving ambitious goals for philanthropic support for faculty support, student support, academic programs, and capital priorities, and will handle sensitive and confidential information.
Mentorship:
Provides senior leadership and mentorship to other major gifts officers.
Accountability:
Self-management of personal metrics, including overall goal review in attainment, visits, pledge collection, and portfolio moves management.
Stewardship:
Stewards assigned donors, including pledge collection and management of endowment funds to ensure appropriate spending and communication to donors.
This is the highest non-management fundraising position at the university.
Performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.
Minimum Qualifications Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 6 years of relevant professional experience, or, a Master’s degree in a relevant area of study plus 4 years of relevant experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications: [none specified].
Preferred Qualifications
Experience working in a Higher Education environment with a focus on Public Health fundraising.
Benefits GW offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition, well-being and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, please visit https://hr.gwu.edu/benefits-programs.
Job Details Campus Location: Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.
College/School/Department: University Advancement
Family: Dev & Alumni Relations
Sub-Family: Major Gifts
Level: Level 4
Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time
Hours Per Week: 40
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5pm
Will this job require the employee to work on site? Yes
Employee Onsite Status: Hybrid
Telework: Yes
Required Background Check: Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search
Special Instructions to Applicants: Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status
Internal Applicants Only: No
Posting Number: S014092
Job Open Date: 03/16/2026
Job Close Date: [if temporary, grant funded, Sponsored Project funded or limited term appointment, position funded until:]
Background Screening Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire.
Posting Specific Questions
* Are you currently employed with The George Washington University?
No
Yes
* For current GW employees, have you completed your Introductory Employment Period (IEP)? (As a reminder, employees in their IEP are not eligible to apply for other internal university staff and research positions until the IEP is complete.)
Yes, IEP complete
No, still in IEP
N/a - not a current GW employee
* What is your expected salary range? (Open Ended Question)
Documents needed to Apply Required Documents
Resume
Cover Letter
Optional Documents
Human Resource Management & Development
2013 H Street, NW, 3rd Floor Washington, DC 20006
EEO Statement: The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.
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Job Overview Job Description Summary: The Director of Development ( DOD ), Major Gifts and Principal Gifts is a key leader within the George Washington University Division of Advancement and the GW Health and Medicine Advancement team, serving as the primary fundraising lead for the Milken Institute School of Public Health ( SPH ).
The Division of Advancement is responsible for leading the university’s alumni and fundraising efforts and seeks to promote a culture of philanthropy throughout the university community, including alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, corporations and foundations, patients and other friends. The Director is responsible for driving philanthropic support to advance GWU’s mission of excellence in Health and Medicine, with a focus on public health education, groundbreaking research, and scholarship.
Reporting and Collaboration Reporting and Collaboration:
Collaborates closely with and provides direct support to the dean, department heads, leadership, faculty and administrative staff of the School of Public Health and University to create and execute a sustainable program to meet fundraising goals and build affinity in support of philanthropic priorities.
Works closely with prospect research, development/alumni relations, Health & Medicine and Central Advancement colleagues in identifying, cultivating, and tracking major gift prospects.
Key Responsibilities
Portfolio Management:
Responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of up to 125 major gift prospects for SPH.
Strategy & Execution:
Develops and executes strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts up to and exceeding $1 million.
Prospect Engagement:
Requires active one-on-one engagement with the portfolio, completing 8-10 monthly prospect visits in pursuit of fundraising goals.
Relationship Building:
Plays a critical role in developing meaningful connections with alumni, community members, parents, and friends of the school while developing strategies to move them across the donor continuum to result in stronger engagement and philanthropic support, with a focus on major gifts.
Leadership Support:
Leads and collaborates on SPH prospect and donor strategy, prepares briefing materials for university leadership, manages prospect and donor activity in the portfolio, and participates in working group activities within SPH and University Advancement that further University fundraising goals.
Mission Critical Goals:
This role is essential for achieving ambitious goals for philanthropic support for faculty support, student support, academic programs, and capital priorities, and will handle sensitive and confidential information.
Mentorship:
Provides senior leadership and mentorship to other major gifts officers.
Accountability:
Self-management of personal metrics, including overall goal review in attainment, visits, pledge collection, and portfolio moves management.
Stewardship:
Stewards assigned donors, including pledge collection and management of endowment funds to ensure appropriate spending and communication to donors.
This is the highest non-management fundraising position at the university.
Performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.
Minimum Qualifications Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 6 years of relevant professional experience, or, a Master’s degree in a relevant area of study plus 4 years of relevant experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications: [none specified].
Preferred Qualifications
Experience working in a Higher Education environment with a focus on Public Health fundraising.
Benefits GW offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition, well-being and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, please visit https://hr.gwu.edu/benefits-programs.
Job Details Campus Location: Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.
College/School/Department: University Advancement
Family: Dev & Alumni Relations
Sub-Family: Major Gifts
Level: Level 4
Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time
Hours Per Week: 40
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5pm
Will this job require the employee to work on site? Yes
Employee Onsite Status: Hybrid
Telework: Yes
Required Background Check: Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search
Special Instructions to Applicants: Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status
Internal Applicants Only: No
Posting Number: S014092
Job Open Date: 03/16/2026
Job Close Date: [if temporary, grant funded, Sponsored Project funded or limited term appointment, position funded until:]
Background Screening Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire.
Posting Specific Questions
* Are you currently employed with The George Washington University?
No
Yes
* For current GW employees, have you completed your Introductory Employment Period (IEP)? (As a reminder, employees in their IEP are not eligible to apply for other internal university staff and research positions until the IEP is complete.)
Yes, IEP complete
No, still in IEP
N/a - not a current GW employee
* What is your expected salary range? (Open Ended Question)
Documents needed to Apply Required Documents
Resume
Cover Letter
Optional Documents
Human Resource Management & Development
2013 H Street, NW, 3rd Floor Washington, DC 20006
EEO Statement: The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.
#J-18808-Ljbffr