Senior Director or Director, Principal Gifts

ABOUT NIA TERO

Nia Tero is a global bridging organization that brings Indigenous Peoples and allies together to advance what we call Indigenous Peoples’ guardianship. Our partnerships with Indigenous Peoples’ are explicitly structured to honor self-determination, respect time-honed knowledge and ways of being and build trust while upholding the sacred value of reciprocity. To achieve this, we work in solidarity with Indigenous peoples to safeguard their ancestral thriving territories and ways of being, collaborating on essential global efforts towards a vibrant and habitable future Earth.

• Our vision is that Indigenous Peoples’ guardianship is enabled everywhere possible on Earth as part of a just and vibrant future.
• Our mission is to directly support Indigenous Peoples’ guardianship and elevate the role and influence of Indigenous Peoples as essential to ensuring planetary health and habitability.

Our team is international and based across South America, the Pacific Islands, Asia, and North America, with a large contingent at our Seattle headquarters. We speak many languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and a wide range of Indigenous Peoples’ languages.

Nia Tero is in year two of our five-year strategy and is seeking candidates who thrive in a fast-paced environment, adapts quickly to change, and seeks to strengthen the impact of a mission-driven organization.

SUMMARY

Nia Tero seeks a highly accomplished and experienced fundraising professional to assume the role of Senior Director or Director, Principal Gifts. This pivotal position is designed to expand Nia Tero’s donor base, cultivate major gifts, and diversify strategic giving. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in principal gift fundraising, a strong executive presence, and the ability to operate effectively in varied environments, from boardrooms to Indigenous communities. This role offers the opportunity to make a profound impact on the organization's financial sustainability and strategic growth. The Senior Director / Director reports directly to the Chief Development Officer and serves as a key member of the Development leadership team. The title offered will reflect the selected candidate's experience and qualifications.

In all areas of work the role will be rooted in our organizational values and strategy.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Portfolio Management & Fundraising

Leading 25-50 principal and major gift prospects with capacity for gifts of $1 million or more, with a goal of closing $5-10 million+ annually

• Lead all phases of the donor cycle for assigned prospects including; discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship
• Develop individualized engagement strategies for each donor that reflect both Nia Tero's mission and the donor's philanthropic values
• Identify and qualify new prospects through research, referrals, events, and relationship mapping
• Help diversify the donor base and new financial pathways by identifying new constituencies including next-generation donors, family foundations, and impact investors aligned with Nia Tero's mission

Collaboration & Partnership

• Partner closely with the CEO, CDO, board members, and program staff to develop compelling cases for support and to engage donors in Nia Tero's work
• Prepare high-quality briefings, proposals, gift agreements, and stewardship reports for donor meetings and solicitations
• Collaborate with the Communications team to develop donor-facing materials that accurately represent Nia Tero's Indigenous-led approach
• Work with other internal functions to explore complex gift vehicles (donor-advised funds, planned gifts, multi-year commitments, planned giving, noncash assets)

• Represent Nia Tero at cultivation events, conferences, and community gatherings as appropriate

  Candidate Profile: The ideal candidate will possess intrinsic motivation and a passion for fundraising. They will demonstrate confidence and presence, capable of navigating diverse settings from formal board meetings to on-the-ground community engagement. Strong collaboration skills are essential given the team size. The candidate must have several decades of proven fundraising experience, particularly with high net-worth donors at a principal gift level. Experience with the complexities of Indigenous communities is valued. An understanding of the full funding landscape and a desire to build either a team or a donor portfolio are key. 
  

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 8–12+ years of progressive fundraising experience, with a demonstrated track record of securing major or principal gifts of $500K or more
• Deep commitment to Indigenous rights, environmental justice, or related mission areas
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex programmatic work into compelling donor narratives
• High emotional intelligence and cultural humility; experience working respectfully across diverse cultural contexts
• Experience working with senior volunteers, board members, and organizational leadership as fundraising partners
• Proficiency with CRM platforms (Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, or equivalent)
• Willingness and ability to travel 30–40% of time, including international travel

Preferred

• Experience fundraising for an Indigenous-led, global, or environmental organization
• Familiarity with complex gift vehicles including donor-advised funds, planned giving, and multi-year commitments

*A combination of education, training, and experience which has provided theoretical and practical knowledge will be evaluated for equivalency.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND TRAVEL

Location: We are flexible on location, our main office is in Seattle, Wash.

Travel Requirements: 

30-40% global travel.

Physical Requirements: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• Visually or otherwise identify, observe, and assess distance, color and depth; Required to regularly communicate with others and exchange accurate information.
• Able to operate a computer and other office productivity equipment; able to remain stationary at a computer for extended periods of time and move around his/her assigned workspace.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you are a highly experienced and motivated fundraising professional with a proven track record of securing principal gifts and a desire to contribute to a dynamic organization focused on diversifying its funding, Nia Tero encourages your application. Nia Tero has partnered with Chaloner for this search. Please submit your resume and cover letter here.

Nia Tero is an Indigenous Peoples serving global organization that strives to have an inclusive, equitable, and diverse work culture. We encourage people from historically excluded groups to apply.

Nia Tero offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $175,000–$200,000 for Director level and $200,000-$225,000 for Senior Director Level, with the final offer reflecting qualifications and title level. Our compensation program is U.S. based and pay ranges are representative of compensation in the U.S. market.  For positions outside of the U.S., pay rates are determined based on the applicable local regional market.

This is a full-time permanent position and qualifies for healthcare benefits (medical, dental and vision), 401K and paid time off (including vacation leave, sick leave, and personal days).