Director of Development

The Holdsworth Center•Austin, TX

6h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Holdsworth Center is a non-profit organization founded and largely funded by Charles Butt, Chairman of H-E-B, a regional retail company. Our mission is to impact, over time, the quality of K–12 public education for all Texas students by supporting and developing leaders. Based in Austin, Texas, we were founded in 2017 in honor of Charles’ mother, Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth Butt, who was an educator, a philanthropist, and a lifelong pioneering advocate. We partner with public school districts to help them grow outstanding leaders at all levels so that staff thrive and students excel in every classroom. At Holdsworth, we believe leadership isn’t just about titles. We make a deep investment in leaders at both the district and campus levels, including teachers who lead students in the classroom and influence and lead their colleagues. Purpose & Responsibilities The Director of Development plays a critical role in supporting The Holdsworth Center’s statewide fundraising efforts. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, this role oversees major components of the contributed revenue portfolio, manages staff, and partners closely with the Director of Major Gifts to support a $5M+ annual revenue goal. This role is ideal for a strategic, relationship-oriented, and highly organized fundraising leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about advancing public education in Texas.

Requirements

Strong alignment with organizational values—Drive for Excellence for Every Student, Be of Service, Believe in People.
Five or more years of experience working in fundraising. Experience with events, marketing/communications preferred.
Three to five years people management experience.
Demonstrated commitment to learning and actions that promote excellent outcomes for every student.
Highly collaborative work style with the ability to build strong relationships across teams and with diverse stakeholders.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and bring structure to complex with strong and/or ambiguous projects.
Self-motivated with a strong sense of initiative and ownership.
Exceptional receptivity to feedback and a learning mindset grounded in curiosity and continuous process improvement.
Superb time management and organizational skills; ability to manage multiple events and campaigns simultaneously with strong attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Experience with events, marketing/communications preferred.

Responsibilities

Directly supervise the Grants Manager and Development Database Coordinator, providing coaching, performance management, and professional development to ensure a high performing team.
Ensure strong alignment, communication, and workflow across the development team, including major gifts, annual giving, events, and grants.
Partner with the Chief Development Officer to support a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Lead planning, logistics, timelines, and vendor management for the annual Holdsworth gala and other donor-facing events with the support of the events coordinator.
Partner with the CDO and Director of Major Gifts to support sponsorship strategy, fulfillment, and donor cultivation.
Manage event committees, volunteer engagement, and internal cross-team coordination.
Ensure events reflect Holdsworth’s mission, values, and brand.
Oversee annual fundraising efforts, including grants management, the development of annual giving campaigns, and communication efforts.
Manage email campaigns, social content coordination, and donor segmentation in partnership with the Development Coordinator and Designer.
Support the development of donor reports, acknowledgments, and personalized stewardship touches.
Track performance metrics and adjust strategies to maximize donor participation and revenue.
Partners with the communications team in the development of fundraising materials and annual appeals.
Supervise the Development Database Coordinator to ensure accurate gift processing, donor data integrity, reporting, and analytics.
Oversee development systems, processes, and workflows that support efficient and compliant fundraising operations.
Partner with Finance to ensure reconciliation, reporting accuracy, and strong internal controls.
Ensure accuracy of written grant proposals and work with grants manager to develop annual cadence for reporting and engagement.