Director of Philanthropy and Major Gifts

Reports to: Executive Director
Location: Lansing, MI
Status: Full-time, Exempt
Compensation: $90K to $120K
Division: Workforce Development Institute (WDI), Michigan AFL-CIO

Position Summary

The Director of Philanthropy and Major Gifts is a high-impact, mission-driven fundraising leader who leads by example. As a key member of the senior leadership team, the Director is both a strategic architect and hands-on executor, bringing deep expertise in grant writing, planned giving, major donor cultivation, and fundraising operations.

This is not a sit-back-and-supervise role. The ideal candidate is a servant leader who is in the trenches — developing strategies, writing compelling proposals, building donor relationships, and setting the gold standard for their team. They are a former grant writer or program manager who has risen through the ranks and now guides others while still contributing meaningfully to day-to-day execution.

This position will play a critical role in growing the visibility, impact, and financial sustainability of the Michigan AFL-CIO’s Workforce Development Institute (WDI) Division, supporting social services, registered apprenticeship & apprenticeship readiness programs, and education initiatives that transform lives across the state.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

Design and implement a comprehensive, multi-year fund development strategy, including individual, foundation, corporate, and planned giving.

Serve as a servant leader, guiding team members through mentorship, accountability, and modeling a strong work ethic.

Supervise and support the Grants Manager and any future development staff and consultants.

Lead the Resource Development Strategy Committee, working closely with Board Members to engage them in fundraising efforts.

Develop and execute an annual revenue growth plan with clear quarterly targets segmented by source (foundation, corporate, individual, government).

Lead prospect research and pipeline development to identify and cultivate new institutional partners, including community foundations, unions, workforce boards, and corporate philanthropy programs aligned with WDI’s mission.

Collaborate with program directors to package fundable initiatives and create compelling investment cases that align with funder priorities.

Fundraising & Donor Engagement

Personally manage a portfolio of major donors, cultivating and soliciting gifts of $20,000+ and multi-year commitments.

Develop and lead planned giving and legacy gift strategies, ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

Write and co-write grant proposals, letters of intent, and donor communications, maintaining a personal connection to the work.

Steward existing funders through regular communication, reporting, and relationship management.

Expand the donor base by identifying new prospects and building a sustainable donor pipeline.

Establish and manage a major donor stewardship calendar including personalized touchpoints, recognition events, and impact reporting.

Develop a recognition and legacy society for major and planned giving donors to encourage multi- year commitments.

Integrate fundraising messaging into WDI’s communications calendar and campaigns

Grants & Development Operations

Oversee the full grant lifecycle, including proposal development, reporting, tracking, and compliance in collaboration with operations and finance leadership.

Lead the organization’s use of Net CRM for donor and grant management, ensuring data integrity and usage across teams.

Coordinate internally with finance, program, and communication teams to ensure aligned and timely deliverables for funders.

Monitor, evaluate, and report on fundraising performance and revenue against annual goals and KPIs.

Implement data-driven dashboards in CRM software to track fundraising metrics such as donor retention, grant success rate, and cost-per-dollar raised.

Marketing & Communications Collaboration

Support the development of annual reports, newsletters, donor collateral, and campaign materials in partnership with communications staff.

Contribute to brand and messaging alignment to ensure compelling and consistent donor engagement.

Lead signature fundraising events and campaigns (e.g., Solidarity Awards, Workforce Gala, or labor-industry partnership summits) to expand visibility and revenue.
Develop targeted giving campaigns (annual fund, matching gift drives, or labor movement donor appeals) to broaden grassroots and mid-level giving.

Qualifications

10+ years of progressive experience in fund development, with hands-on experience in grant writing and major donor cultivation.

Demonstrated success raising at least $1.5M annually through diverse revenue streams.

Deep knowledge of planned giving, legacy giving, and donor stewardship strategies.

Prior experience in writing and securing government, foundation, and corporate grants.

Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, supervise, and inspire teams.

Proven project coordination, time management, and organizational skills.

Experience with Network for Good or comparable donor management software.

Excellent communication skills — both written and verbal.

A proactive, self-starting, creative thinker who thrives in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.

A commitment to equity, inclusion, and the values of organized labor and workforce development.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree in nonprofit management, public administration, or related field.

Experience working in or with labor organizations, apprenticeship programs, or workforce development initiatives.
Familiarity with Michigan’s philanthropic, government, and labor ecosystems.
Demonstrated ability to develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising or development

strategy within the first 90 days of employment.

Proven track record of increasing contributed revenue, ideally from $1.5M to $3M+ over a 3–5-year Period.

Experience building and expanding major donor and legacy giving pipelines.

Success in diversifying grant revenue across government, foundation, and corporate sources.

Strong leadership skills with a history of supporting, engaging, and motivating team members to meet or exceed performance goals.
Experience securing at least $500K in new foundation or corporate funding commitments within an 18-month timeframe.
Demonstrated success managing a major donor portfolio of 50+ active donors contributing $10K+ annually.
Ability to establish and launch multi-year funding partnerships that support programmatic growth and sustainability

Benefits

Full health, dental, and vision coverage

Retirement plan with employer match

Paid time off, sick leave, and holidays

Professional development opportunities

To Apply

Submit your resume, cover letter, and one writing sample (preferably a successful grant proposal or donor letter) along with your portfolio [[email protected]]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

JEDI STATEMENT

Our JEDI commitment is reflected in our policies and practices across recruitment, compensation, professional development, and day-to-day workplace interactions. We strive to create an inclusive environment where:

All individuals are treated with respect and dignity,

Diverse voices are welcomed and heard, and

Every employee is empowered to contribute meaningfully.

All staff are expected to embody inclusive conduct and complete annual diversity training. Discrimination or harassment of any kind will not be tolerated and will be addressed in accordance with our organizational policies. We're focused on providing employment and training services to displaced workers and economically-disadvantaged adults to assist them with improving their lives and to help grow Michigan’s economy

ORGANIZATION: 

The Michigan AFL-CIO is a non-profit federation of more than forty labor unions that represents over 1 million working people across Michigan. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families—to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our state and the nation. Employees of the Michigan AFL-CIO may work in collaboration with one, or all, of our affiliated nonprofit organizations in the Federation including:  

Michigan AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute: our affiliated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to combat economic and environmental injustice by connecting the unemployed or underemployed with the training and resources necessary to find gainful employment and transition Michigan to a cleaner, greener economy. 

Michigan AFL-CIO Labor Foundation our affiliated 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization established to combat economic and social injustice by connecting the working people with resources within Michigan’s charitable, educational and legal systems.

Michigan AFL-CIO Advocates: our affiliated 501(c)(4) non-profit organization was established to unite labor leaders, policymakers, and the general public to educate and advocate for policies, programs, and projects to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to communities across Michigan.

Michigan-AFL-CIO

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Director of Philanthropy and Major Gifts