Development Director - Arizona & Southwest US

Vitalant • Scottsdale, AZ

10d • $83,500 - $110,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Vitalant is seeking a Development Director to advance its mission to unite blood and biologics donors, talent, and innovation to save and improve lives. The role leads philanthropic fundraising across Arizona and the southwestern United States and builds relationships with current, former, and prospective donors to expand support for Vitalant’s work. As a frontline fundraising professional and Foundation ambassador, the Development Director identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards donors to secure annual and major gifts, grow philanthropic support, and achieve fundraising goals.

The position is hybrid, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, with three onsite workdays per week and two days working from a home office. Local and regional travel, with occasional national and overnight travel, is required for donor engagement. Occasional evening and weekend work is also required. Compensation is $83,500–$110,000.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, sales, business, or a related field.
• Five to seven years of progressive nonprofit fundraising, business development, relationship management, or related fundraising experience.
• Demonstrated success in achieving fundraising, revenue-generation, or donor-engagement goals.
• Experience managing donor or constituent portfolios and moving prospects through a defined relationship-development process.
• Experience qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors through phone, virtual, and in-person engagement.
• Experience building relationships with donors, foundation representatives, board members, community stakeholders, and organizational leaders.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to synthesize scientific concepts for donor audiences.
• Proficiency in donor databases and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to develop and execute strategic donor-engagement and fundraising plans.
• Ability to build credibility and effective working relationships with donors, volunteers, executives, board members, clinicians, researchers, and community leaders.
• Ability to analyze donor information, giving history, and engagement trends to identify philanthropic growth opportunities.
• High degree of initiative, professionalism, and discretion; highly organized, self-motivated, and detail-oriented.
• Ability to travel locally and regionally, with occasional national and overnight travel for donor engagement.
• Availability for occasional evening and weekend work.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.
• Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) credential.
• Experience within a nonprofit, healthcare, research, academic, or similarly mission-driven organization.

Responsibilities

• Identify, research, and qualify prospective donors through targeted outreach, discovery visits, and personalized engagement.
• Manage a strategic portfolio of donors and prospects, developing and executing tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
• Build relationships with donors, philanthropic advisors, foundation representatives, community stakeholders, and internal partners to advance fundraising initiatives and campaign priorities.
• Develop proposals and fundable narratives connecting donor interests with Foundation priorities, in partnership with executive leadership, providers, scientists, and other subject matter experts.
• Lead gift solicitations independently and collaboratively with Foundation leadership, development staff, clinical and scientific leaders, and board members.
• Coordinate donor tours, site visits, recognition events, and personalized experiences that showcase Vitalant’s mission, patient impact, and innovation.
• Create customized stewardship plans, donor communications, impact reports, and recognition materials to demonstrate fulfillment of donor intent and strengthen donor retention.
• Maintain accurate donor database records, document interactions and next steps, track portfolio progress, and report regularly on fundraising performance and goals.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior