Director of Development - Special Projects

Empower Project

2d•Remote

About The Position

The Director of Development Special Projects is a senior operational role responsible for supporting the President in executing the organization's external fundraising and partnership strategy. This position serves as a primary project management partner to the President and Development Director, coordinating across teams, and ensuring follow-through on key funder and partner relationships. The Director will staff the President in external meetings, manage the President's funder-facing calendar, and assist with preparing briefings and materials to support high-stakes engagements. This role reports to the Development Director and works in close coordination with the full development and program teams. This is a full-time, remote, temporary salaried position available immediately. The expectation is that staff are generally available between 9am–6pm central time. Start Date: Monday, March 16th, 2026 or as soon as possible End Date: Friday, December 18th, 2026

Requirements

5–7 years of professional experience in fundraising, development operations, or principal support at campaigns, advocacy organizations, or philanthropic institutions.
Demonstrated experience staffing a principal or senior leader in external-facing settings, including meeting preparation, briefing, and follow-up.
Knowledge of the nuances and limitations of fundraising across 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and PAC vehicles.
Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities with strong attention to detail.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft high-quality donor correspondence and briefing materials.
Proficiency with CRM systems, preferably NGP.
Willingness to travel regionally (approximately 25%).

Nice To Haves

Experience with and commitment to people-centered and ethical storytelling
Ability to think creatively, identify barriers and roadblocks, and propose solutions and recommendations
Previous background working in diverse communities or cultures.
Have existing relationships with national or state partners.
Be fluent in a second language, including: Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Hmong, or Navajo.

Responsibilities

Manage the President's external-facing calendar with respect to funder and partner meetings, ensuring strategic prioritization and timely scheduling.
Staff the President in external meetings — preparing briefings, tracking action items, and driving follow-up to completion.
Maintain visibility into the President's fundraising pipeline and project workload, coordinating across the development team to keep priorities on track.
Draft donor correspondence, meeting memos, proposals, and presentations on behalf of the President.
Serve as an operational bridge between the Development and internal program teams to coordinate relationship management across the organization
Manage and steward partner and funder relationships as identified with the President, Development Director, and program teams.
Prepare compelling proposals, reports, and impact presentations for funders in coordination with program staff.
Track donor and partner activity, notes, and relationship mapping through the organization's CRM.
Support fundraising trips, donor events, and engagement activities in coordination with the President and Development Director.
Work cross-functionally with program teams to develop materials that reflect the organization's mission and impact.
Support the execution of donor communications and stewardship touchpoints throughout the year.
Represent the organization with professionalism and discretion in all external interactions.