Manager of Personal Giving

Who We Are
Leader Dogs for the Blind, an international organization based in Rochester Hills, Michigan, has been empowering
individuals who are blind or have low vision for over 87 years. We provide comprehensive guide dog services and
orientation and mobility training, equipping individuals with lifelong skills for independent daily travel. Our
life-changing work is provided free of charge, and we are 100% philanthropically funded. Our mission is driven by
191 dedicated team members and more than 1,300 volunteers who advocate alongside our clients to create a more
equitable world.

Application Instructions
This position is being managed by Rooted Hire, a trusted recruitment partner.
Qualified applicants are encouraged to upload their resume and a cover letter summarizing interest in the position
and relevant skills/experience here: https://bit.ly/LeaderDogsManagerPersonalGivingApp
Application deadline is November 6, 2026. The position will remain open until filled. No phone calls, please.

The Role
The Manager of Personal Giving is a remote role, with required residence in the Dallas Metroplex region,
responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, negotiating, and stewarding Texas-based prospects and donors
with the capacity to make major gifts. The successful candidate thrives in relationship-driven roles and excels at
adapting messaging, building meaningful connections, and strategically aligning donor interests and philanthropic
goals deepening connection to the organization. The Manager of Personal Giving will focus on cultivating and
stewarding relationships with major donors in Texas through targeted outreach and engagement.
Portfolio & Relationship Management
● Strategically manages a personal portfolio of up to 150 major giving prospects in Texas.
● Executes a moves management process to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospective major
donors.
● Utilizes prospect research and wealth screening to create a strategic plan for donors in the portfolio,
including planned quarterly actions (calls, meetings, mailings, events, etc.) and solicitation goals.
● Builds relationships with existing major donors and encourages giving through various vehicles (cash, Donor
Advised Funds, IRAs, stocks, etc.).
● Maintains an active schedule of solicitations, cultivation visits, events, and stewardship activities resulting in
increased donations supporting the organization.
Major Gift Strategy & Solicitation
● Assists donors in evaluating gift opportunities, making recommendations that align with a donor’s giving
priorities and the organization’s strategic priorities and funding needs.
● Develops individualized solicitation strategies based on a donor’s interests, philanthropic priorities, capacity,
and relationship with the organization.
● Creates proposals and stewardship update reports and ensures donors receive documents in a timely manner.
● Develops customized funding opportunities and gift proposals in collaboration with organizational leaders
and program staff.
● Solicits and negotiates major gifts and corporate partnerships, utilizing a variety of giving vehicles and
philanthropic strategies.
● Creates and shares presentations with groups and individuals to communicate the organization’s mission,
impact, and opportunities for philanthropic investment.
● Tracks solicitation activity, goals, and outcomes adjusting strategies to maximize philanthropic support.

Stewardship, Collaboration & Development Operations
● Facilitates introductions and ongoing relationships between potential and current major gift donors with
members of the staff and volunteers.
● Engages in best practices (creating written solicitation strategies, documenting actions promptly and
accurately using the organization’s development database, and participating in regular prospect reviews).
● Provides timely, personalized stewardship communications and impact updates that demonstrate the
outcomes and impact of donor investments.
● Shares relevant donor insights, portfolio updates, and next steps with colleagues to support coordinated
donor engagement.
● Stays current on trends, best practices, and emerging opportunities in major gifts, philanthropy, and
charitable giving.
● Collaborates with Major Gifts team members during weekly meetings and other departments as required.
● Performs other duties as assigned.
Who You Are
● You are a highly motivated, strategically minded fundraising professional passionate about furthering the
mission of Leader Dogs for the Blind.
● Building relationships and forging deep connections with an array of individuals is your superpower.
● You are an excellent listener who can quickly identify interests, priorities and philanthropic goals.
● You leverage your strong communication skills to be a caretaker of client stories while sharing them in a
compelling and authentic way.
● Wearing multiple hats and managing competing priorities brings you to life.
● You seamlessly move between independent, head-down research and demanding, people-centered
engagements, including events, weekends, overnight travel and air travel
● You enjoy collaborating with staff, leadership, volunteers, donors, partners and other stakeholders to move
mission-focused work forward.
● You light up at the idea of providing people with low or no vision their independence.