Director of Development

Job Description

We’re partnering with a mission-driven nonprofit organization in the DC area to identify a Director of Development who will lead philanthropic growth and help expand the organization’s impact across the region.

This is a highly visible leadership role for an experienced fundraising professional who knows how to build meaningful donor relationships, develop comprehensive fundraising strategies, and personally cultivate and close major gifts. The Director will partner closely with executive leadership and oversee efforts across major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, grants, campaigns, events, and donor stewardship.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising and development strategy aligned with the organization’s mission and long-term growth goals.
• Manage and personally cultivate a portfolio of major donors and high-potential prospects.
• Build relationships with individual donors, corporations, foundations, board members, community partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies with a focus on securing six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Oversee fundraising efforts across major gifts, annual giving, grants, corporate partnerships, foundation relations, events, and campaigns.
• Identify new funding opportunities and strategies to diversify philanthropic revenue.
• Partner with executive leadership on fundraising priorities, capital campaigns, and major organizational initiatives.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to develop compelling donor campaigns, communications, and impact stories.
• Work with program leaders to translate organizational outcomes into meaningful funding opportunities.
• Establish fundraising goals, budgets, forecasts, dashboards, and performance metrics.
• Engage board members and volunteers in fundraising and donor relationship-building efforts.
• Recruit, coach, and develop a high-performing development team.
  
  

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, marketing, public administration, or a related field.
• 5–7 years of progressive fundraising, development, advancement, or related experience.
• At least 3 years of director-level fundraising or development experience, including responsibility for initiatives generating $500K annually.
• Demonstrated success personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Experience across major gifts, corporate/foundation relations, campaigns, grants, donor stewardship, and/or events.
• Strong understanding of development operations, CRM systems, budgeting, forecasting, and fundraising performance metrics.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with donors, executives, board members, community partners, and volunteers.
• Strong leadership, communication, storytelling, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to travel throughout the organization’s regional footprint.
• Experience working within a mission-driven or faith-based organization is a plus.
  
  

The Ideal Candidate

You’re a relationship-driven fundraiser who is equally comfortable building the strategy and personally making the ask. You know how to turn an organization’s mission and impact into a compelling case for support, develop long-term donor relationships, and identify new opportunities for philanthropic growth.

You’ll thrive in this role if you’re energized by building something, collaborating closely with senior leadership, and using both strategy and hands-on fundraising to make a measurable impact.