Director of Development & Relationships

Cultivate Initiatives • Portland, OR

3d • $80,000 - $88,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Cultivate Initiatives is seeking a Director of Development & Relationships to lead organizational fundraising, revenue strategy, donor engagement, institutional partnerships, board fundraising, development-team leadership, and marketing and communications. The Director partners with the Executive Director, director team, Board, finance leadership, staff, and community partners to advance sustainable revenue growth and support Cultivate Initiatives’ mission and long-term financial goals. Particular emphasis is placed on growing major gifts, individual giving, and unrestricted, flexible funding.

The role oversees fundraising across individual giving, major gifts, grants, corporate partnerships, events, and other philanthropic efforts. It includes personally cultivating and soliciting high-level donors and funders, building institutional and community relationships, developing proposals and cases for support, and equipping Board members and volunteers to advance fundraising priorities. The Director also monitors fundraising results and revenue projections, supports financial sustainability planning, and leads the development team in building a culture of philanthropy.

The Director leads marketing and communications strategies, including messaging, storytelling, content, brand management, and evaluation of communications effectiveness. Communications should reflect the organization’s mission and values while honoring the dignity, privacy, and lived experiences of the people and communities it serves.

Work is primarily indoors, with occasional engagements outside and possible work in environments ranging from quiet offices to louder industrial settings. The role requires physical presence in CI offices from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and may require weekend and evening work when necessary. Occasional lifting or moving of objects up to 15 pounds and repetitive wrist, hand, or finger movements are required. Candidates must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or religious exemption and proof of a driver’s license. The position is open until filled; applications received by November 5, 2026, receive priority consideration. The organization ideally hopes the successful candidate will start in early December 2026.

Requirements

• Significant fundraising leadership experience, including demonstrated success developing and executing strategies that generate substantial philanthropic revenue.
• Proven success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors and/or other high-level philanthropic partners, including personally building relationships and making significant asks.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy across multiple revenue streams, including individual giving, major gifts, institutional funding, and corporate partnerships.
• Strong understanding of major-gift fundraising, donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and relationship management.
• Demonstrated success growing revenue, diversifying funding sources, and strengthening long-term financial sustainability.
• Executive-level presence and ability to inspire confidence, build relationships, influence others, and represent an organization and its mission.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including translating complex organizational work into stories, cases for support, proposals, presentations, and funding requests.
• Strong financial acumen, including understanding budgets, revenue projections, fundraising performance, and the financial implications of development strategies.
• Ability to establish and manage fundraising metrics, analyze data and trends, assess performance, and translate strategy into measurable results.
• Strong strategic and organizational skills, balancing long-term revenue strategy with hands-on relationship-building and fundraising.
• Ability to identify opportunities, anticipate challenges, develop creative solutions, and lead through change and complex situations.
• Strong collaboration, judgment, and emotional intelligence, with the ability to build trust and accountability among donors, Board members, staff, community partners, and leadership.
• Ability to engage and activate Board members, volunteers, and organizational leaders in fundraising and relationship-building.
• Ability to build authentic relationships across differences and communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion and ability to lead practices that honor the dignity, voice, and lived experiences of the communities served.
• Commitment to Cultivate Initiatives’ mission and ability to communicate its impact, vision, and value to supporters.
• Ability to work weekends and evenings when necessary.
• Ability to be physically present in CI offices from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 15 pounds.
• Ability to perform repetitive wrist, hand, or finger movements due to continuous use of computer keyboards and other office equipment.
• Ability to work in environments with varying noise levels, from quiet offices to louder industrial settings.
• Must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or religious exemption.
• Must provide proof of a driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

• Applications received by November 5, 2026, will receive priority consideration.
• The organization ideally hopes the selected candidate will start in early December 2026.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Executive Director and director team to develop and implement organizational strategy, priorities, and plans for sustainable revenue growth.
• Lead a comprehensive development strategy aligned with the organization’s mission, strategic priorities, and long-term financial goals, with particular emphasis on major gifts, individual giving, and unrestricted, flexible funding.
• Establish fundraising goals, revenue targets, performance metrics, and accountability structures; assess progress and adjust strategies.
• Diversify and strengthen revenue through individual giving, major gifts, institutional funding, corporate and community partnerships, events, and other philanthropic opportunities.
• Keep the organization’s mission, impact, and the needs of the people it serves central to fundraising strategy and donor engagement.
• Identify fundraising opportunities, risks, and challenges, and develop strategic responses.
• Develop and manage a portfolio of current and prospective major donors, funders, corporate partners, and other key supporters.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward high-level donors and funders, including identifying prospects, developing relationships, making asks, and securing financial commitments.
• Partner with the Executive Director to engage the Board in advancing fundraising goals.
• Develop compelling cases for support that communicate the organization’s mission, impact, needs, and vision, centering staff and neighbors’ stories.
• Envision and oversee fundraising activities across individual giving, major gifts, grants, corporate partnerships, events, and other development efforts.
• Lead institutional fundraising strategies across foundations, government funding, corporate philanthropy, and other aligned funding sources.
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities aligned with organizational priorities and sustainable impact.
• Oversee high-quality proposals, reports, funding requests, and other materials that communicate organizational impact and funding needs.
• Build relationships with institutional funders and community partners; collaborate with program and finance leadership to monitor funding commitments, deliverables, reporting requirements, and compliance.
• Serve as a primary ambassador for Cultivate Initiatives and build relationships with donors, funders, community leaders, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other external stakeholders.
• Create opportunities for supporters to understand and experience the impact of the organization’s work.
• Strengthen the organization’s visibility, reputation, and philanthropic network through community engagement, presentations, and other external activities.
• Equip and engage Board members as ambassadors, relationship-builders, and fundraising partners.
• Lead the Development Committee by establishing goals, delegating responsibilities, and supporting volunteers in advancing fundraising priorities.
• Provide the Board with regular updates on fundraising performance, revenue projections, donor relationships, opportunities, and risks.
• Lead or participate in Board and staff committees to advance fundraising and organizational priorities.
• Partner with the Executive Director and Director of Finance on revenue projections, fundraising budgets, and long-term financial sustainability strategies.
• Analyze fundraising performance, revenue trends, donor behavior, and funding pipelines to inform strategy and decision-making.
• Identify ways to strengthen revenue diversification, donor retention, fundraising efficiency, and long-term organizational sustainability.
• Build a culture of philanthropy in which staff and leadership understand their role in cultivating relationships, communicating impact, and advancing the mission.
• Coach and support the development team, establishing clear roles, effective systems, and accountability for fundraising performance and relationship-building.
• Collaborate with Human Resources and organizational leadership on hiring, professional development, performance management, and retention within the development function.
• Foster a development culture grounded in authenticity, relationship-building, equity, inclusion, and respect for the dignity and experiences of the communities served.
• Lead marketing and communications strategies that strengthen visibility, advance the mission, and support fundraising and organizational priorities.
• Oversee messaging, storytelling, and content across digital platforms, publications, campaigns, and other communications channels.
• Ensure communications reflect the organization’s mission, values, and impact while honoring neighbors’ dignity, privacy, and lived experiences.
• Partner with organizational leadership and program teams to identify and communicate stories, outcomes, and opportunities for community engagement and philanthropic support.
• Guide brand management and messaging to maintain a consistent, authentic organizational identity.
• Evaluate marketing and communications efforts and use data and stakeholder feedback to improve engagement, reach, and impact.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and retirement plans.
• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact by contributing to a nonprofit organization.
• Collaborative and inclusive work environment that values diversity and professional growth.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed