Director, Development - Texas

College Possible Leadership Team•Austin, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Development leads College Possible Texas’s fundraising department, securing philanthropic investment to help students from low-income backgrounds access and complete college. The director leads the annual fundraising plan across individual, foundation, and corporate support; manages priority donor and funder relationships; builds the individual-giving pipeline; and oversees the Texas marketing and communications plan. Working with Texas leadership, the Advisory Board, and national advancement colleagues, the director strengthens renewals, develops new funding opportunities, maintains revenue forecasts, and ensures timely stewardship. The role combines strategic leadership with direct fundraising execution statewide across Texas. The director is a key leader at the Texas site, representing College Possible in business, academic, and philanthropic communities and building a collaborative, high-performing culture. The position is primarily computer-based and administrative in an office and/or remote work environment, with travel of up to 20% for funder meetings, events, and site visits. Regular computer use and participation in virtual and in-person meetings are required; occasional movement of office, program, or event materials may be required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Six or more years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, or equivalent demonstrated achievement.
At least three years of supervisory experience.
Strong written, oral, and presentation communication skills, including substantial experience developing clear, concise funding proposals and explaining program outcomes qualitatively and quantitatively.
Demonstrated ability to meet major-gift financial goals, with a track record of cultivating and securing gifts of five figures and above and experience in prospect research, outreach, and cultivation and solicitation strategies.
Strategic and creative thinking, excellent interpersonal skills, and a record of completing assignments, multitasking, meeting deadlines, and working with minimal supervision.
Ability to partner effectively with executives and board members and supervise staff or contractors when required by the role.
Commitment to helping historically underserved students earn college admission and persist toward degree completion.
Strong management abilities and significant supervisory experience.
Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and donor database software.
Ability to prioritize multiple projects and deadlines, facilitate collaboration with organizations and the community, maintain attention to detail, and follow projects through.
Comfort with data collection and analysis and a strong focus on results.
Ability to travel up to 20% for funder meetings, events, and site visits.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree and/or CFRE credential.
Experience with federal grant writing and compliance.
Salesforce experience.

Responsibilities

Lead the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and closing of major gifts of five figures and above from foundations, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals.
Develop and execute an annual fundraising plan, including revenue forecasts, financial modeling, donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
Analyze local data and monthly reports across outreach efforts and campaigns to assess effectiveness and progress toward goals; monitor program data reported to board members and donors.
Develop, write, and submit grant proposals, direct mail, and digital appeal campaigns; build proposal budgets and use financial modeling and forecasting to support proposals.
Use Salesforce and internal tracking practices to record application and reporting deadlines and ensure timely submission and compliance.
Lead prospecting and donor research to cultivate high-net-worth individuals and secure institutional support; develop strategies to convert prospective supporters into donors and grow annual-fund donors.
Plan and implement activities and events for major gift donors, such as volunteer experiences, tours, receptions, and friend-raisers; network to generate donor prospects.
Track and report relationship-management activity in Salesforce, including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, proposal submission, and stewardship.
Monitor weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual activity to meet performance measures, including meetings, proposals, and major-gift revenue, through a strong stewardship strategy.
Lead Texas communications, marketing, and public relations in coordination with the National Communications Team.
Oversee marketing efforts, including quarterly newsletters, social media, marketing slide decks, and website maintenance; manage newsletters and press releases and guide media-relations and social-media strategies.
Represent College Possible externally in Texas’s business, academic, and philanthropic communities and foster collaboration, excellence, and strategic leadership.
Perform other duties as assigned or required.

Benefits

Flexible work options and a work-from-home/hybrid environment with regular travel to meetings, events, and coworking opportunities.
Unlimited paid time off and a generous paid time off program.
Professional development, training, mentorship, career development, and growth opportunities.
Health insurance.
Dental insurance.
Life insurance.
Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
401(k) retirement plan.
Mission-driven opportunity to make an impact for students and in the broader country.
Collaborative, diverse, values-based organization.