Senior Director of Philanthropy, Major Gifts - San Jose - Fistula Foundation

Description

About Fistula Foundation

Fistula Foundation combines the dynamism of a lean startup with the stability of a mature organization. We are demonstrating to the world that a new approach to women's health can change the trajectory of women's lives and have a profound impact on local communities.

An estimated one million women in Africa and Asia suffer from obstetric fistula, a debilitating childbirth injury that leaves a woman incontinent and, as a result, too often abandoned by her family and shunned by her community. Surgery is the only cure, which we deliver through partners in more than 35 countries across Africa and Asia. Since 2009, we have provided more than 100,000 free, life-transforming surgeries to women in need.

Each year since 2006, we've received the highest rating from every nonprofit sector watchdog group. Charity Watch gives us an "A" grade and lists us as a Top-Rated Charity, and GuideStar has awarded us Platinum Participant status—the highest designation available to charities. We have also earned the recognition of leaders such as Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof, Grammy winner Paul Simon, and internationally renowned ethicist Peter Singer.

The Opportunity

As the world's largest private funder of fistula repair, Fistula Foundation stands alone in ensuring life-changing care to women suffering from one of the most devastating yet treatable injuries in maternal health. Today we provide more of these surgeries to more women than any other organization, including the U.S. government and United Nations.

The engine of our growth is our ability to raise funds. We are a dogged fundraising organization with exceptional marketing acumen and an unrelenting drive to advocate on behalf of some of the world's most marginalized women. We've grown from supporting 500 surgeries in 2009 to providing more than 18,500 in 2025. While our revenue has increased by a factor of 7, our surgery total has increased by a factor of more than 30. Laser-focused on one measurable outcome—the number of women we can help, we send 85% of our revenue to the field to support our core "business"—fistula surgeries.

The Senior Director of Philanthropy, Major Gifts will play a pivotal role in this work, serving as a frontline fundraiser responsible for managing and growing a portfolio of major donors and prospects at the $10K+ level. Major donors collectively contribute more than half of the Foundation's annual revenue from individual giving, and this role will manage a significant portion of this critical donor segment.

Reporting to the Chief Partnerships Officer, the Senior Director of Philanthropy will be a key member of the Philanthropy team, helping advance a dynamic major gifts program. The major gift portfolio has seen tremendous growth between and this role will help us continue to build this momentum. This role blends relationship-based fundraising, strategic donor engagement, and personalized stewardship with a commitment to measurable results.

The ideal candidate will be an exceptional communicator, a thoughtful relationship-builder, and a highly organized fundraising professional motivated by the opportunity to help some of the world's most vulnerable women access life-transforming care.

Responsibilities

Major Donor Portfolio Management

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 100–150 major donors and prospects at the $10k-25,000 level, with clear goals for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develop individualized donor engagement plans with targeted strategies for each prospect, advancing them through the donor pipeline toward increased giving.
• Conduct regular donor outreach, including personal meetings, calls, emails, and written updates, with a focus on deepening donor connection and loyalty.
• Solicit gifts ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 coordinating closely with Chief Partnerships Officer, CEO, and other senior leaders as appropriate.

Donor Cultivation & Engagement

• Identify new major donor prospects through research, referrals, and portfolio analysis, actively expanding the pipeline of high-capacity supporters.
• Create compelling cultivation experiences, such as donor briefings, small gatherings, personalized updates, and behind-the-scenes content aligned with donor interests.
• Communicate the Foundation's mission and impact with clarity, passion, and a data-informed approach.
• Work collaboratively with marketing, program, and leadership teams to craft donor materials, proposals, presentations, and stewardship reports.

Stewardship Excellence

• Ensure all major donors are thanked, recognized, and meaningfully engaged throughout the year.
• Partner with program and philanthropy teams to ensure timely and meaningful impact reporting.
• Monitor donor preferences and giving history to ensure a personalized and thoughtful donor experience.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with the Chief Partnerships Officer to align portfolio strategy with organizational priorities and revenue goals.
• Participate in regular major donor planning processes, including quarterly portfolio reviews and moves management meetings.
• Coordinate with the marketing and communications team to ensure donor communications and updates are aligned, consistent, and timely.
• Work with program and finance teams to gather information needed for proposals and stewardship materials.

Development Operations & Data Integrity

• Maintain meticulous records of donor interactions, next steps, and pipeline movement using the CRM (Raiser's Edge).
• Use data to track progress toward fundraising goals, assess portfolio performance, and inform strategic decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with all fundraising best practices, internal processes, and ethical standards.

Qualifications

• A genuine passion for Fistula Foundation's mission.
• 7+ years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a strong emphasis on major gifts.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and closing six-figure+ gifts.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to authentically connect with donors, listen well, and communicate with purpose and warmth.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex global health outcomes into compelling donor narratives.
• Experience with donor portfolio management, moves management systems, and CRM platforms (Raiser's Edge preferred).
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple relationships and priorities simultaneously.
• Strong strategic thinking paired with excellent hands-on execution.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across teams in a fast-paced, high-performance environment.
• High emotional intelligence, professionalism, integrity, and discretion with donor information.
• Demonstrated interest in international development, women's health, or global social justice strongly preferred.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or fundraising certification (CFRE) a plus.

Location

This is a full-time position. While our preference is to have this position based at our headquarters in San Jose, CA (with flexibility to work from home 1-2 days per week), we are open to remote work in the U.S. for the right candidate. There would be an initial onsite training period and quarterly in-person team gatherings. The position will also have a light travel schedule for donor engagement and to experience the work firsthand in the field.

Salary: $130,000-$150,000 based on experience.

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to We carefully review each application and encourage you to share why this role and mission resonate with you personally. All submissions that include a cover letter will receive a response.