Senior Director of Resource Development

The Senior Director of Resource Development leads the development, fundraising, and communications portfolios for Arise Collective. The incumbent serves as a strategic partner to the CEO and the Board on relationship cultivation, donor stewardship, and institutional storytelling. They design and execute a comprehensive multi-year fundraising strategy, oversee the organization's voice and visibility, supervise the Communications Manager, a Development Manager (as the Senior Director role grows), and in time, possibly the Volunteer and Outreach Manager. The role is built for a development leader who is energized by partnership with the Board, staff, and the women Arise Collective serves. The landscape of incarceration and reentry services for women has broadened since the organization’s last strategic plan, and this role will help to shape the next chapter of the organization’s vision and reach.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising Strategy and Execution (50%)

The Senior Director develops and executes a multi-year fundraising and communications strategy spanning individual giving, corporate and faith-based giving, major gifts, events, institutional giving, legacy giving, and integrated communications, with a particular focus on appeals and campaigns. Manage the annual development plan, including revenue projections, timelines, and portfolio assignments.

The Senior Director manages a personal portfolio of prospects, cultivates and solicits major gifts, and stewards donors to broaden understanding of the need, connection with the mission, and to strengthen relationships with the organization. This role requires a creative, entrepreneurial approach, strong communication skills, and the ability to align donor interests with the strategic priorities of the organization within the broader ecosystem in which we operate.

Design and execute the annual fund, including direct mail and digital appeals, giving societies, and in-kind donations. Build and implement a mission-aligned moves management system that advances donors through the giving pipeline and in so doing, build a community of people genuinely connected to this mission.

Identify and cultivate the relationships that extend Arise Collective's reach and donor base across the state and region.

Partner closely with the CEO to maximize her relationships and community presence — briefing, preparing, and debriefing to advance donor relationships strategically.

Build and manage board engagement in development, leading resource development- and communications-related board committees.

Work with the Executive Team to maintain and deepen existing institutional funder relationships, ensuring timely, high-quality stewardship and compliance, while identifying new aligned grant opportunities.

Ensure the development infrastructure — donor database, gift processing, acknowledgment, reporting — is current, functional, and capable of supporting growth.

Provide regular, accurate reporting to the CEO, board, funding partners, and the general public. Supervise direct reports with clarity, support, and accountability.

Special Events and Signature Experiences (20%)

Lead the strategy, planning, and execution of Arise Collective's fundraising and cultivation events — including the organization's annual fall event and other donor-facing experiences — ensuring they are mission-centered, well-stewarded, and positioned to deepen relationships as well as raise funds. Oversee vendor relationships, volunteer coordination, and post-event follow-up so that each event is executed seamlessly and builds on the one before. Support the Outreach department on community events that turn friends into supporters, and supporters into champions.

Communications and Storytelling (15%)

Provide strategic leadership for Arise Collective's voice across all channels — website, email, social media, print, media relations, and donor-facing materials. Ensure that the organization's storytelling is mission-driven, ethically grounded, participant-centered, and aligned with development strategy. Supervise communications and other marketing and media relations staff and consultants.

Organizational Responsibilities (15%)

Participate actively in the Executive Team and contribute to cross-organizational leadership and decision-making beyond development and communications. Attend relevant Arise Collective board meetings, retreats, and committee meetings. Represent Arise Collective at community events, conferences, coalitions, and stakeholder meetings related to resource development, philanthropy, and women's justice. Serve as a liaison to funders, community partners, and civic networks as mutually determined with the CEO. Support volunteer, fundraising, and outreach efforts as needed. Other responsibilities as assigned.

SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS, & ATTRIBUTES

The Senior Director of Resource Development must demonstrate a deep passion for and commitment to Arise Collective's mission, vision, and values, and possess the following:

·      Mission Alignment: An inclusive, empathetic worldview and demonstrated skill working across lines of difference — with the women this organization serves, organizational leadership, donors, funders, other staff, board members, and community partners.

·      Fundraising and Resource Development: Proven track record of building or significantly growing an individual giving program, including campaigns, appeals, major gifts, legacy giving, and capital campaigns. Demonstrated success leveraging a CEO and board to advance development goals — someone who understands that the best development professionals build the team's capacity rather than trying to carry the work alone.

·      Communications and Storytelling: Strong writing and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate mission into a compelling case for support across audiences and channels. Strategic fluency in communications planning, brand voice, and donor-facing content.

·      Leadership and Team Development: Supervisory experience and a genuine commitment to developing staff. The ability to lead with clarity and accountability while remaining warm, collaborative, and resilient — the kind of leader people want to work for.

·      Education: Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in nonprofit management, public administration, communications, or a related field is a plus.

·      Experience: A minimum of 10–15 years of progressive leadership experience, with demonstrated fundraising success across individual and institutional giving; experience integrating communications strategy with development strategy is strongly preferred.

·      Systems and Operations: Proficiency with donor CRM systems (Bloomerang, Salesforce, Little Green Light, or similar) and standard productivity tools; comfort with data, reporting, and the operational infrastructure that makes development work sustainable.