Director, Principal Gifts, Pratham USA

Position Title: Director, Principal Gifts

Reports to: CEO + Global Executive, Pratham USA

Position: Full-Time, Exempt

Location: United States (Remote); candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. without  future sponsorship requirements

Travel: Approximately 50%, primarily for donor meetings and events across the U.S., with occasional international travel

Salary: $160,000–$190,000 with comprehensive benefits and generous PTO

One Pratham

Pratham is committed to helping build future-ready schools and communities where every child, youth, and woman has the education, skills, and opportunities to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Founded in India in 1995, Pratham is one of the world's leading education nonprofits, known for its award-winning, evidence-based approaches to improving learning outcomes. Working in partnership with governments, communities, parents, teachers, and volunteers, Pratham develops and scales innovative solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges in the learning landscape worldwide.

Today, Pratham's work reaches millions of children and young people annually across India and is being adapted in 30 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Pratham USA

Pratham USA is part of the global Pratham network and serves as the organization's fundraising and engagement arm in the United States. Through 14 chapters and a nationwide community of donors, volunteers, corporate partners, and advocates, Pratham USA raises awareness and mobilizes resources to support Pratham's mission and impact globally.

Together, Pratham's global network is working to ensure that children, young people, girls, and women have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in an ever-changing world. For more information about Pratham USA, visit prathamusa.org

Pratham’s Focus

Children & Learning: Engages children ages 3–14 to improve their basic reading and math skills.

Youth & Skilling: Promotes economic self-sufficiency for young adults through training and job placement.

Girls & Women’s Empowerment: Assists female dropouts over the age of 14 in completing their secondary school education and earning their 10th-grade diploma.

Research & Advocacy Efforts: Measures and provides reliable data on children’s learning.

Digital Solutions: AI offers a way to reimagine learning for students who lack access to high-quality educational resources. Pratham’s innovation enables children to verify and deepen their knowledge beyond textbooks while strengthening teacher effectiveness at scale.

The Role

Pratham USA is looking for a strategic and relationship-driven Director of Principal Gifts to play a critical role in growing philanthropic support from high-net-worth individuals and families across the United States and beyond. Reporting to the CEO, the Director will build on Pratham’s existing work by establishing and managing a portfolio of principal donors and prospects, developing tailored donor engagement and stewardship strategies, and securing significant philanthropic investments that advance Pratham’s mission. Over time, the role will also have the opportunity to explore other strategic growth initiatives.

With oversight of a small team, the Director will focus on cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors with the capacity to make gifts of $100,000 and above. Working closely with the CEO, National Board members, chapters, volunteer fundraisers, and others, the Director will identify and advance new opportunities, build a strong pipeline of principal gift prospects, and develop compelling funding opportunities and products. The Director will also help strengthen Pratham’s capacity to effectively engage and steward more principal-level donors and support the successful closure of six- and seven-figure gifts.

While the initial focus will be on expanding principal-level philanthropy and fundraising initiatives across the United States, over time, the role may also support the development of fundraising capacity and strategic growth opportunities across Pratham’s global fundraising network.

The ideal candidate is a highly skilled relationship builder with a proven track record of securing transformational gifts, navigating complex donor relationships, and working effectively with executive leaders and influential volunteers. They will also be a strategic thinker, team player, and organization builder who can help Pratham at this critical stage of its evolution.

This role offers the opportunity to help shape the future of one of the world’s most impactful education organizations while building meaningful relationships with donors committed to creating lasting social change.

Impact Areas

Major Gifts Portfolio Management

• Manage and grow a portfolio of major donors and prospects with giving capacity of $100,000+.
• Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans that strengthen relationships and increase philanthropic investment.
• Conduct donor visits, qualification meetings, and ongoing engagement activities to advance prospects through the donor pipeline.
• Maintain strategic moves management plans and ensure accurate tracking of donor activity and progress.

Principal Gifts and Transformational Giving

• Partner closely with the CEO and Leadership Team to develop and execute strategies for principal gift prospects.
• Support the cultivation and solicitation of donors capable of making six- and seven-figure commitments, adding at least 5–7 new $100,000+ donors each year, with an expectation of securing a transformational gift of $1 million+ every two years. Specific targets will be established together by the Director, CEO, and National Board of Directors.
• Build a pipeline capable of generating sustainable six- and seven-figure philanthropic commitments over multiple years.
• Develop compelling funding opportunities, donor presentations, and proposals aligned with organizational priorities.
• Coordinate donor briefings, strategy sessions, and stewardship plans for gifts of $1 million and above.

Volunteer and Leadership Partnership

• Leverage the National Board, volunteer networks, and community relationships to expand Pratham’s donor pipeline and steward major gift prospects in close collaboration with the Pratham USA Leadership Team.
• Prepare volunteers and organizational leaders for donor meetings, solicitations, and stewardship activities.
• Strengthen engagement among key stakeholders who play a role in fundraising success.

Strategic Donor Engagement

• Design and execute personalized donor engagement and stewardship strategies that deepen relationships, strengthen donor retention, and increase long-term philanthropic commitment.
• Lead the continued development and evolution of Pratham’s LEADers Circle, including its value proposition, engagement strategy, stewardship approach, recognition benefits, and opportunities for deeper donor involvement.
• Develop and oversee a comprehensive donor recognition and stewardship program that ensures donors are acknowledged consistently and meaningfully.
• Build and implement Pratham USA’s planned giving strategy and program, including the development of a qualified prospect pipeline, donor education and outreach, marketing materials, internal processes, and long-term stewardship plans.
• Develop a strategic framework for naming opportunities and other major donor funding products, working with program, finance, legal, and leadership colleagues to ensure opportunities are compelling, appropriately valued, and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Support cultivation events, chapter gatherings, donor briefings, and other stewardship opportunities that strengthen donor relationships and enhance the overall donor experience.
• Identify opportunities to align donor interests and philanthropic goals with Pratham’s programs, strategic priorities, and funding needs.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to donors and prospects throughout the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship lifecycle.

Fundraising Strategy and Organizational Collaboration

• Partner with the CEO and colleagues across philanthropy, marketing, communications, and programs to advance fundraising priorities, as well as identify new opportunities for strategic growth, including strategic investment in and growth of Pratham fundraising entities outside of the United States.
• Partner and collaborate effectively with all members of the Pratham USA Leadership Team to identify critical organizational capacities needed for more effective donor stewardship, as well as opportunities for strategic growth.
• Utilize donor insights, fundraising metrics, and portfolio performance data to inform strategy and decision-making.
• Contribute to revenue forecasting, pipeline management, and annual fundraising planning.
• Serve as an ambassador for Pratham USA, effectively communicating the organization’s mission, impact, and vision to donors and stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• 12–15 years of fundraising experience, including responsibility for developing and managing relationships with major and principal donors.
• Demonstrated success in securing gifts of $100,000+ and building relationships with high-net-worth donors.
• Demonstrated experience developing fundraising strategy and building or scaling major and principal gift programs.
• Experience managing donor portfolios and advancing prospects through the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycle.
• Experience partnering with executive leaders, board members, peers, and volunteers to achieve fundraising goals.
• Ability to travel nationally and potentially internationally for donor meetings and events.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong major gifts fundraising and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to demonstrate results directly and independently, while also coaching and leveraging a small direct and matrixed team.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation communication abilities.
• Ability to engage and influence donors, volunteers, and community leaders.
• Strategic thinker with strong organizational and project management skills.
• Collaborative team player who works effectively with peers, team members, and volunteers.
• Experience developing donor strategies, proposals, and stewardship plans.
• Proficiency with Salesforce or similar CRM platforms.
• High degree of professionalism, discretion, emotional intelligence, and cultural sensitivity.
• Passion for Pratham’s mission and commitment to educational opportunity and social impact.
• Experience working within international nonprofits, global organizations, or cross-border philanthropy is strongly preferred. Familiarity with India or South Asia is an advantage but not required.

Application Process

Pratham USA has engaged Charity Search Group to manage the recruitment process for this position. To apply, please submit your application through the provided link.

For questions or accommodation needs during the application process, please contact Mariya Yurukova at mariya@charitysearchgroup.com or visit www.charitysearchgroup.com.

Pratham USA is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, veterans, and individuals from historically underrepresented communities.