Director of Development

Liberation Programs Inc.•Bridgeport, CT

14d

About The Position

The Director of Development is a fundraising leader responsible for driving revenue growth through frontline fundraising, donor cultivation, and strategic development initiatives. This role carries responsibility for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding new and existing donors, with a strong emphasis on expanding the organization’s individual and corporate donor base. Working in close partnership with the Chief Development Officer, the Director of Development leads key fundraising strategies, including major gifts, corporate partnerships, events, and peer-to-peer campaigns, while ensuring strong systems, stewardship practices, and cross-departmental alignment. This position is ideal for a seasoned fundraiser who combines relationship-driven fundraising expertise with strong execution, collaboration, and leadership skills.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of 5 years of progressive fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in frontline fundraising and donor cultivation.
Proven ability to identify, solicit, and steward new donors, including major and leadership-level gifts.
Strong relationship-building skills and confidence engaging senior-level donors, executives, and community leaders.
Experience leading fundraising events and campaigns as part of a broader donor strategy.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including proposal writing and donor communications.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities with minimal supervision.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and donor CRM systems (RENXT or similar preferred).
Collaborative, strategic, and mission-driven leadership style.

Responsibilities

Manages portfolio of individual and corporate prospects, with responsibility for cultivating new donor relationships and soliciting gifts across a range of giving levels.
Identifies, qualifies, and develops new donor prospects through research, networking, events, and referrals, with a focus on long-term engagement and growth.
Conducts donor meetings, prepares solicitation strategies, drafts proposals, and collaborates with leadership on major and leadership-level asks.
Leads stewardship efforts for assigned donors, ensuring meaningful engagement, timely follow-up, and alignment with donor interests and organizational priorities.
Provides strategic leadership for major fundraising and engagement initiatives, including the annual gala, donor cultivation and appreciation events, Recovery Month activities, and peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns.
Oversees planning and execution, including timelines, budgets, vendor management, run-of-show development, and day-of leadership.
Leverages events and campaigns as intentional donor cultivation and acquisition opportunities, ensuring clear fundraising goals and follow-up strategies.
Leads corporate partnership strategy, including identifying new prospects, developing sponsorship opportunities, and securing financial and in-kind support.
Manages corporate relationships from cultivation through solicitation and stewardship, ensuring consistent fulfillment of benefits and strong partner engagement.
Collaborates with marketing and leadership to align corporate partnerships with visibility, mission impact, and organizational goals.
Contributes to the development of cases for support, donor-facing materials, event materials, presentations, website, and reports that translate program impact into donor-relevant outcomes.
Supports public relations and visibility efforts related to fundraising initiatives, in collaboration with leadership.
Ensures accurate gift processing, donor acknowledgment, and database integrity in collaboration with development operations staff.
Uses data and reporting to inform fundraising strategy, track progress toward goals, and support portfolio management.
Helps maintain and refine development systems, workflows, and standard operating procedures to support sustainable growth.
Oversees volunteer engagement and gift-in-kind activities in support of fundraising, donor stewardship, and community engagement goals.
Coordinates the solicitation, tracking, acknowledgment, and fulfillment of in-kind contributions, ensuring accurate documentation and alignment with organizational needs.
Partners with program and operations staff to identify and support meaningful volunteer and in-kind opportunities.
Leads or supports special projects and cross-functional initiatives as assigned by the Chief Development Officer.