Senior Director OF Development

Job Summary The (Senior) Director of Philanthropic Partnerships is a senior frontline fundraiser whose primary mandate is to build IPA’s philanthropic pipeline and close major gifts. The role personally manages a portfolio that spans major gift relationships in the $25,000+ range and principal gift prospects with the capacity to make six- and seven‑figure commitments for unrestricted and core institutional funding priorities. The role carries explicit responsibility for opening new philanthropic markets and identifying, qualifying, and cultivating new prospects to grow IPA’s long‑term revenue base. This role is also central to IPA's multi‑year campaign, Building Evidence‑to‑Impact Ecosystems, which will fund the organization’s next phase of growth, including Embedded Evidence Labs and IPA's broader strategic priorities through 2030. The successful candidate will bring an established track record of personally closing gifts in the six‑ and seven‑figure range and will apply that experience both to grow IPA’s major gift revenue and to personally close major gifts. Responsibilities Frontline major and principal gift fundraising (approximately 50%) Lead the full donor cycle for portfolio relationships: identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, closing, and stewardship of donors in the $25,000+ range. Personally solicit and close gifts across the portfolio, with measurable annual revenue targets set jointly with the CPPO. Partner with the Chief Partnerships and Philanthropy Officer (CPPO) to advance and close principal gifts in the personal portfolio, including coordinating briefings, donor strategy, and meeting roles. Carry a meaningful portion of IPA’s $15 million capital campaign goal, with a personal portfolio aligned to campaign priorities and a multi‑year cultivation and solicitation plan. Move qualified prospects from the major gift range into the principal gift range over time, building IPA’s long‑term revenue. Prospect and market building (approximately 25%) Lead IPA’s prospect identification and qualification efforts, building a forward‑looking pipeline of new individual and family foundation donors aligned with IPA’s strategic priorities with a focus on unrestricted and core institutional funding priorities. Build IPA’s presence in priority new philanthropic markets, including artificial intelligence (AI company founders, executives, and aligned foundations), family offices, finance and hedge fund philanthropy networks, effective giving and evidence‑aligned communities, and the major donor philanthropic market in the United Kingdom. Position IPA’s evidence base for relevance to emerging philanthropic priorities in AI, including responsible deployment of AI in low‑ and middle‑income country development, and translate IPA’s research portfolio into propositions that resonate with AI‑sector funders. Build the prospect research and intelligence function required to support pipeline growth, including external advisory relationships and wealth‑screening capabilities. Develop and execute a written market expansion plan with quarterly milestones, in partnership with the CPPO. Align prospect and market‑building activity to the capital campaign timeline, ensuring that new markets and new prospects translate into campaign commitments within the campaign window. Team leadership and program oversight (approximately 15%) Directly supervise two managers responsible for philanthropy operations and the mid‑level and planned giving program, holding each accountable for the performance of their respective functions. Hold the team accountable to revenue targets, pipeline discipline, and documented moves‑management practices. Coach team members on frontline fundraising fundamentals, including qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and pipeline management. Identify and develop talent on the team, supporting growth into more senior frontline fundraising responsibilities over time. Set annual goals, conduct performance reviews, and partner with the CPPO on structural decisions about the team’s composition, capabilities, and growth. Senior leadership and external positioning (approximately 10%) With the CPPO, contribute to strategic planning, revenue forecasting, and resource allocation decisions. Represent IPA at external convenings with donors and prospects. Maintain a current and authoritative view of the international development funding landscape, especially in the United States and United Kingdom, and translate that intelligence into strategic decisions for the CPPO. Support board engagement in fundraising where appropriate, including activating board members as connectors and advocates for new prospect introductions. Qualifications Ten or more years of progressive frontline fundraising experience for the Director level, or fifteen or more years for the Senior Director level. Direct experience fundraising for an international development, global health, research, or higher education organization. Demonstrated personal track record of closing gifts in the six‑ and seven‑figure range, including documented examples of cultivating and securing transformational commitments. Demonstrated experience opening new philanthropic markets or donor segments, not solely sustaining established donor pipelines. Experience in one or more of IPA’s priority markets: the United Kingdom philanthropic market, finance and hedge fund philanthropy networks, artificial intelligence philanthropy networks, family offices, or effective giving communities. Track record of securing unrestricted or core institutional support, as distinct from project‑restricted grants. Experience managing fundraising managers, with direct accountability for the performance of their teams. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate research evidence into compelling donor narratives. Proficiency with Salesforce or a comparable customer‑relationship‑management (CRM) system, and with moves‑management and pipeline reporting practices. Willingness to travel approximately 20 percent of the time, including some weekends and evenings as needed. Right to work in the United States or the United Kingdom, depending on the location selected. Familiarity with randomized evaluations, evidence‑based policy, or development economics. (preferred) Experience contributing to or leading campaign fundraising, including multi‑year cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of campaign‑level gifts. (preferred) Location The duty station for this position is New York, NY; Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; or London, UK. The work arrangement is hybrid, with regular in‑office collaboration required. Travel of approximately 20 percent is expected, including some weekends and evenings as needed. Reports To Chief Partnerships and Philanthropy Officer Compensation The salary range for this position is $125,000–$165,000 annually for candidates based in the United States. Placement within this range reflects the level at which the successful candidate is hired (Director or Senior Director) as well as their location. IPA also offers a competitive benefits package including health insurance, retirement contributions, generous paid time off, and professional development support. #J-18808-Ljbffr