Director of Philanthropy

Children and Families First Delaware Inc•Wilmington, DE

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Philanthropy is a senior leadership role responsible for leading the day-to-day execution of CFF’s fundraising strategy, with communications and brand serving as key drivers of donor engagement and philanthropic growth. Working in close partnership with the Chief Development & Partnerships Officer (CDPO) and CEO, this role focuses on expanding individual giving and major gifts, strengthening donor stewardship, and ensuring CFF’s external presence consistently supports fundraising goals. The Director will lead systems, messaging, and team execution that grows CFF’s philanthropic base over time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in nonprofit development, with demonstrated success in major gifts and individual donor fundraising.
Proven experience managing a donor portfolio and directly soliciting major gifts.
Experience with moves management, donor database management (Raiser's Edge or comparable CRM), and data-driven fundraising strategy.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex program work into compelling donor narratives.
Experience supervising staff and developing team members.
Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with organizational leadership and volunteer leaders around fundraising.
Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends as needed.
Valid driver’s license that meets the requirements of the agency’s insurance carrier.

Nice To Haves

Experience with communications, Public Relations, or marketing in addition to fundraising.
Familiarity with the Delaware philanthropic landscape — foundations, major donors, and corporate partners.
Background in or strong interest in child and family services, trauma-informed care, early childhood, or related fields.
Experience building or rebuilding a development program.

Responsibilities

Build and manage a personal portfolio of major donors and prospects, with primary responsibility for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Develop and implement a moves management system to grow the individual giving pipeline from the current base.
Partner closely with the CEO, CDPO and board members on major gift strategy and relationship development.
Design and execute an annual giving program, including donor acquisition, renewal, and upgrading strategies.
Analyze donor data to inform strategy, track progress toward revenue goals, and report to leadership.
Provide strategic direction and oversight for CFF's grants portfolio, supervising and mentoring the Grant Writer.
Cultivate and steward relationships with foundation program officers, identifying alignment between funder priorities and CFF programs.
Contribute to high-priority grant proposals and ensure quality control across the grants program.
Lead CFF's external communications strategy, including brand positioning, media relations, and public presence, ensuring it aligns with fundraising goals and donor engagement practices.
Develop compelling case-for-support narratives across CFF's five practice areas for diverse donor and public audiences.
Oversee content strategy for digital communications, e-newsletter, social media, and website in partnership with the Coordinator.
Identify and pursue earned media opportunities; serve as a primary communications contact for press inquiries, in coordination with organizational leadership.
Provide strategic leadership for CFF's annual fundraising event, with a focus on donor cultivation and relationship-building — not logistics management.
Work with the Coordinator to ensure the event is well-executed and advances donor engagement goals.
Serve as a key staff partner supporting board engagement in fundraising strategy, donor cultivation, and stewardship in close coordination with the CDPO and CEO.
Develop tools, talking points, and support structures that make it easy for board members to participate actively in fundraising.
Participate as a senior leader in organizational planning, contributing a philanthropy and communications lens to strategy.
Hire, supervise, and evaluate staff.
Build team culture grounded in collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.
Provide constructive feedback and coaching.
Identify individual staff educational development and training needs, and work to assure these needs are met.
Support the program on effective staff communications and relationships.
Promote professional development among staff and contribute to staff education.
Supervise student interns as assigned; coordinate student and volunteer training.