Senior Director of Development
About The Position
We seek a dynamic and experienced Senior Director of Development to join our team and lead development efforts to support and sustain our impactful work. The Senior Director of Development will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing a comprehensive fundraising strategy to advance Advocates mission and grow our financial stability. This role requires a strategic and innovative leader with exceptional communication skills, a strong background in nonprofit development, and a passion for the organization's mission. This leadership position demands a solution-oriented individual who enjoys working as part of a team. This is the organization’s first senior position within the development function. The Senior Director of Development is a strategic and relationship-driven fundraising leader responsible for advancing the organization’s philanthropic goals through individual giving, institutional grants, events, and donor engagement initiatives. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Senior Director serves as a key member of the 15-person Advancement team, partnering closely with colleagues across development, marketing, and communications, and engagement functions to drive integrated fundraising strategies and donor stewardship. This position manages a small but high-performing team and maintains an active portfolio of donors and grant funders. The Senior Director plays a central role in building sustainable philanthropic support, strengthening donor relationships and helping shape the organization’s culture of philanthropy.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent experience.
- Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive fundraising experience, including major gifts and institutional giving.
- Demonstrated success managing donor portfolios and securing philanthropic support.
- Experience supervising staff and leading cross-functional collaboration.
- Strong relationship building, communication, and presentation skills.
- Familiarity with donor databases/CRM systems and fundraising analytics, Raiser’s Edge preferred.
- Commitment to the organization’s mission and values.
Nice To Haves
- Strong organizational and project management skills preferred.
- Experience working closely with executive leadership and boards preferred.
- Ability to balance multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail preferred.
- Strategic thinker with a proactive and solutions-oriented approach preferred.
- Ability to work both strategically and tactically in a dynamic environment.
Responsibilities
- Manage and grow a portfolio of individual donors, institutional funders, and prospects through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
- Personally solicit major gifts and oversee grant opportunities to support annual and strategic fundraising goals.
- Develop and execute strategies to increase donor retention, engagement, and philanthropic investment.
- Collaborate with the Chief Advancement Officer on campaign planning, fundraising priorities, and donor strategy.
- Prepare donor proposals, briefing materials, reports, and stewardship communications as needed.
- Supervise and support potentially three direct reports: Database Specialist, Event Manager, Grant Writer.
- Foster a collaborative, accountable, and mission-driven team culture.
- Provide coaching, goal setting, and professional development opportunities for staff.
- Ensure strong cross-functional coordination among development operations, events, grants, and communications efforts.
- Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Chief Advancement Officer in advancing organizational fundraising goals.
- Partner with marketing & communications colleagues to align donor messaging, campaigns, storytelling, and engagement strategies.
- Contribute to annual planning, budgeting, and reporting for Advancement initiatives.
- Utilize data and fundraising metrics to evaluate performance and inform strategy adjustments.
- Oversee fundraising and stewardship events in collaboration with the Event Manager and broader Advancement team.
- Represent the organization at donor meetings, community events, and public-facing opportunities.
- Support board and volunteer engagement in fundraising activities where appropriate.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
