Director of Development & Relationships

Cultivate Initiatives•Portland, OR

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Development & Relationships is a key member of Cultivate Initiatives’ executive leadership and serves as the organization’s senior development and fundraising leader. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Development & Relationships provides leadership for the organization’s fundraising and relationship-building efforts, including individual giving, major gifts, institutional funding, corporate and community partnerships, events, and donor engagement. The Director of Development & Relationships works closely with the Executive Director and Director of Finance to translate organizational strategy into a comprehensive and sustainable development strategy, strengthen revenue and financial sustainability, and align fundraising efforts with organizational priorities. The Director of Development & Relationships establishes clear fundraising goals and meaningful metrics, develops and strengthens systems that support successful fundraising, and aligns fundraising efforts with organizational priorities. The Director also partners with the Executive Director, Board, and leadership team to cultivate high-level relationships and engage donors, funders, and community leaders in meaningful support of Cultivate Initiatives’ work. At the heart of the role is ensuring that Cultivate Initiatives has the financial resources and relationships needed to advance its mission, sustain its work, and grow its impact. This is a hands-on executive leadership role requiring both strategic vision and a willingness to personally engage in fundraising—cultivating major donors, developing partnerships, pursuing funding opportunities, making the case for investment, and stewarding relationships over time. The Director of Development & Relationships serves as a leading external representative of Cultivate Initiatives and a key ambassador for the organization’s mission, impact, and vision for the future.

Requirements

Significant fundraising leadership experience, including demonstrated success in developing and executing strategies that generate substantial philanthropic revenue.
Proven success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors and/or other high-level philanthropic partners, with the ability to personally build relationships and make significant asks.
Demonstrated ability to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy across multiple revenue streams, including individual giving, major gifts, institutional funding, corporate partnerships, and other philanthropic sources.
Strong understanding of the principles and practices 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 the ability to inspire confidence, build relationships, influence others, and serve as a compelling ambassador for an organization and its mission.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex organizational work into compelling stories, cases for support, proposals, presentations, and funding requests.
Strong financial acumen, including the ability to understand budgets, revenue projections, fundraising performance, and the financial implications of development strategies.
Demonstrated ability to establish and manage meaningful fundraising metrics, analyze data and trends, assess performance, and translate strategy into measurable results.
Strong strategic and organizational skills, with the ability to balance long-term revenue strategy with the hands-on work required to cultivate relationships and secure funding.
Proven ability to identify opportunities, anticipate challenges, develop creative solutions, and effectively lead through change and complex situations.
Highly effective collaborator with strong judgment, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build trust and accountability with donors, Board members, staff, community partners, and organizational leadership.
Ability to effectively engage and activate Board members, volunteers, and organizational leaders in fundraising and relationship-building.
Demonstrated ability to build authentic relationships across differences and communicate effectively with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Commitment to equity and inclusion, with the ability to lead fundraising and relationship-building practices that honor the dignity, voice, and lived experiences of the people and communities Cultivate Initiatives serves.
Commitment to Cultivate Initiatives’ mission and the ability to authentically communicate the organization’s impact, vision, and value to current and prospective supporters.
Ability to work in environments with varying noise levels, from quiet offices to louder, industrial settings
Ability to occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 15 pounds
Work requires the ability to perform repetitive movements of the wrist, hands, or fingers due to continuous use of computer keyboards and other office equipment
Must be able to work weekends and evenings, when necessary
Being physically present in the CI offices from 8:30am – 4:30pm, Monday - Friday
Must be able to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or religious exemption
Must be able to provide proof of Driver’s License

Responsibilities

Partner with the Executive Director and director team to develop and implement organizational strategy, priorities, and plans for sustainable revenue growth.
Develop and lead a comprehensive fundraising and revenue development strategy aligned with Cultivate Initiatives’ mission, strategic priorities, and long-term financial goals.
Establish clear fundraising goals, revenue targets, metrics, and accountability structures, and regularly assess progress and adjust strategies to maximize results.
Identify opportunities to increase and diversify 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 at the center of fundraising strategy and donor engagement.
Identify emerging opportunities, risks, and challenges affecting the organization’s fundraising and financial sustainability and develop creative, strategic responses.
Lead the organization’s overall fundraising efforts, with particular emphasis on building a strong and sustainable major-gift and individual-giving program.
Develop and maintain a robust 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 compelling asks, and securing significant financial commitments.
Partner with the Executive Director and Board to identify, cultivate, and solicit prospective donors and strategically leverage leadership relationships to advance fundraising goals.
Develop compelling cases for support that clearly communicate Cultivate Initiatives’ mission, impact, needs, and vision for the future.
Oversee donor stewardship and engagement strategies that build trust, demonstrate impact, and strengthen long-term donor relationships and retention.
Lead the development and implementation of strategies to grow unrestricted and flexible funding and strengthen the organization’s overall revenue mix.
Ensure fundraising activities are coordinated, timely, and aligned across individual giving, major gifts, grants, corporate partnerships, events, and other development efforts.
Provide strategic leadership for institutional fundraising, including foundations, government funding, corporate philanthropy, and other institutional sources.
Identify and pursue new funding opportunities that align with organizational priorities and demonstrate potential for sustainable impact.
Oversee the development of high-quality proposals, reports, funding requests, and other materials that effectively communicate organizational impact and funding needs.
Build and maintain strong relationships with foundation, corporate, government, and community partners.
Monitor funding commitments, deliverables, and reporting requirements in partnership with program and finance leadership to ensure strong stewardship and compliance.
Serve as a primary relationship-builder and ambassador for Cultivate Initiatives with donors, funders, community leaders, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other external stakeholders.
Develop meaningful and authentic relationships with supporters that foster long-term engagement with the organization and its mission.
Create opportunities for donors and community partners to understand and experience the impact of Cultivate Initiatives’ work.
Strengthen the organization’s visibility, reputation, and philanthropic network within the community.
Represent Cultivate Initiatives at community events, meetings, presentations, and other external engagements as appropriate.
Partner closely with the Executive Director to develop fundraising priorities, cultivate key relationships, and secure philanthropic support for organizational priorities.
Equip and engage Board members as ambassadors, relationship-builders, and fundraising partners.
Provide the Board with clear and regular updates on fundraising performance, revenue projections, donor relationships, opportunities, and risks.
Support the development and implementation of Board fundraising goals and strategies.
Lead and/or participate in Board and staff committees to advance fundraising and organizational priorities.
Partner with the Director of Finance and Executive Director to develop revenue projections, fundraising budgets, and long-term financial sustainability strategies.
Monitor fundraising performance and assess the financial impact and sustainability of development strategies and funding opportunities.
Analyze revenue trends, donor behavior, funding pipelines, and other relevant data to inform strategy and decision-making.
Identify opportunities to strengthen revenue diversification, donor retention, fundraising efficiency, and long-term organizational sustainability.
Ensure fundraising practices and resources are used effectively and strategically to maximize philanthropic impact.
Build a culture of philanthropy throughout Cultivate Initiatives in which staff and leadership understand their role in supporting relationships, communicating impact, and advancing the mission.
Coach and support development staff in achieving fundraising goals, cultivating relationships, and building strong, effective development practices.
Establish clear roles, systems, processes, and accountability for fundraising activities across the organization.
Collaborate with Human Resources and organizational leadership to support effective hiring, 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 people and communities Cultivate Initiatives serves.