Director, Development - Texas

College Possible Leadership Team • Austin, TX

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Development leads College Possible Texas's fundraising department and secures 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; personally manages priority donor and funder relationships; develops the individual-giving pipeline; and oversees the Texas marketing and communications plan. In partnership with Texas leadership, the Advisory Board, and national advancement colleagues, the director strengthens donor renewals, develops new funding opportunities, maintains revenue forecasts, and provides timely stewardship. The position combines strategic leadership with direct fundraising execution statewide across Texas.

The director serves as a critical leader at the Texas site and represents College Possible in business, academic, and philanthropic communities. The position leads communications, marketing, and public relations efforts for College Possible Texas in collaboration with the National Communications Team. The work is primarily computer-based and administrative in an office and/or remote environment, with travel of up to 20% for funder meetings, events, and site visits.

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 and concise funding proposals and explaining program outcomes qualitatively and quantitatively.
• Demonstrated ability to meet major-gift financial goals, with a record of cultivating and securing gifts of five figures and above.
• Experience with prospect research, outreach, and developing cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Strategic and creative thinking, excellent interpersonal skills, and a demonstrated ability to complete assignments, multitask, meet deadlines, and work with minimal supervision.
• Strong management abilities and significant supervisory experience.
• Commitment to helping historically underserved students earn admission to college and persist toward degree completion.
• 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, attend to detail, follow through on projects, and work with data collection and analysis with a focus on results.
• Ability to travel up to 20% for face-to-face funder meetings, high-profile events, and site visits.
• Ability to perform primarily computer-based and administrative work, regularly use a computer, and participate in virtual and in-person meetings; occasional movement of office, program, or event materials may be required.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

• Lead the Texas fundraising department and annual fundraising plan across individual, foundation, and corporate support.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and close major gifts of five figures and above from foundations, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Develop and execute annual fundraising plans, including revenue forecasts, financial modeling, donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
• Analyze local data and monthly reports to assess outreach and campaign effectiveness and progress toward goals; monitor program data reported to the board and donors.
• Develop, write, and submit grant proposals, direct-mail appeals, and digital appeal campaigns; prepare proposal budgets and use financial modeling and forecasting.
• Use Salesforce and internal tracking practices to record application and reporting deadlines and ensure timely submissions and compliance.
• Lead prospecting and donor research, cultivate high-net-worth individuals, secure institutional support, and grow the annual operating fund's donor base.
• Plan and implement donor events and activities, including volunteer experiences, tours, receptions, and friend-raisers; network to identify potential donor prospects.
• Track and report relationship-management activity in Salesforce, covering identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, proposal submission, and stewardship.
• Monitor weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual activity to meet individual performance measures, including meetings, proposals, and major-gift revenue.
• Lead Texas communications, marketing, and public relations; oversee the quarterly newsletter, social media, marketing slide deck, and website maintenance.
• Manage production of printed and electronic newsletters and press releases, and guide media relations and social media strategies.
• Represent College Possible externally and build a culture of collaboration, excellence, and strategic leadership at the Texas site.
• Partner effectively with executives and board members and supervise staff or contractors where required.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

Benefits

• Flexible work options and work-life balance resources.
• Unlimited paid time off.
• Professional development, training, mentorship, and career growth opportunities.
• Work-from-home/hybrid environment with travel to meetings, events, and co-working opportunities.
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• Health, dental, life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan.

What This Job Offers

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