Senior Director – Principal & Major Gifts

About the Role

The Senior Director, Principal & Major Gifts is a senior fundraising leader responsible for significantly expanding philanthropic support for The Jackson Laboratory through the development of principal and major gift relationships in the metro New York area. Based in New York and reporting to the Vice President, Advancement, this person will build and manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects while proactively cultivating new relationships and sources of philanthropic support.

The Senior Director will draw upon the uniquely vibrant ecosystem of New York philanthropic, private equity, venture capital, investment, family office, life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare, and entrepreneurial communities. The role combines significant personal fundraising and pipeline-development goals with leadership responsibility within the Advancement team.

New York, NY | Hybrid/Remote

Reports to the Vice President, Advancement

Salary Range: $157,563 – $228,467, based on years of related experience and internal equity considerations

What You'll Do

Fundraising Leadership

• Work the Vice President to set and achieve or exceed ambitious annual fundraising and pipeline-development goals.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, including six- and seven-figure opportunities.
• Partner with Advancement leadership, senior leaders, and scientists to engage and solicit JAX's highest-priority prospects.
• Partner with colleagues across teams to develop compelling philanthropic opportunities (and materials) that connect donor interests with JAX's scientific strengths and priorities.

Prospect Development

• Partner with the Vice President and Director, Prospect Development to proactively identify, source, qualify, and develop new major and principal gift prospects beyond JAX's existing donor base.
• Bring an entrepreneurial, results-oriented approach to prospect development, relationship management, and solicitation.
• Build relationships across private equity, venture capital, investment, family office, life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare, philanthropic, and entrepreneurial communities.
• Leverage established networks, referrals, market intelligence, events, and strategic relationships to expand JAX's pipeline of high-capacity prospects.

Strategic Relationships

• Build trusted relationships with leading philanthropists, investors, business and scientific leaders, advisors, and other influential stakeholders.
• Represent JAX within philanthropic, investment, scientific, business, and other high-value external networks.
• Work closely with scientific leaders to translate complex research into compelling conversations and philanthropic opportunities.

People & Performance Leadership

• Manage and develop other Advancement team member(s), establishing clear goals, performance expectations, and accountability.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and support to strengthen individual and team fundraising performance.
• Maintain a robust portfolio and pipeline with clear strategies, next actions, and expected outcomes.
• Operate with a high degree of collegiality, initiative, urgency, independence, judgment, and accountability.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in major/principal gifts, philanthropy, business development, investor relations, private capital, life sciences, or healthcare (12 years preferred).
• 6+ years of supervisory experience (8 years preferred).
• Demonstrated success developing new relationships and securing significant philanthropic investments or comparable high-value commitments.
• Established relationships within philanthropic, investment, life sciences, healthcare, or business communities strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of biomedical research, biotechnology, life sciences, healthcare, or the investment ecosystem surrounding these sectors strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to engage credibly with high-net-worth individuals, investors, senior executives, and scientific leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and motivate high-performing professionals.

About JAX:

The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center and nearly 3,000 employees in locations across the United States (Maine, Connecticut, California), Japan and China. Its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health.

Founded in 1929, JAX applies over nine decades of expertise in genetics to increase understanding of human disease, advancing treatments and cures for cancer, neurological and immune disorders, diabetes, aging and heart disease. It models and interprets genomic complexity, integrates basic research with clinical application, educates current and future scientists, and provides critical data, tools and services to the global biomedical community. For more information, please visit www.jax.org​​​​​​​.

EEO Statement:

The Jackson Laboratory provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, national origin, veteran status, and other classifications protected by applicable state and local non-discrimination laws.