Development Director

Position Summary

The Development Director is responsible for leading and expanding Child Protect Children’s Advocacy Center’s fundraising, resource development, donor engagement, grant development, and community partnership efforts. This position works closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, staff, and community partners to strengthen the organization’s financial sustainability and increase awareness and support for Child Protect’s mission.

The Development Director will develop and maintain a diversified funding strategy that includes foundation and corporate grants, individual giving, major gifts, sponsorships, special events, annual campaigns, and other revenue-generating opportunities. The position will also help ensure that grant requirements, reporting deadlines, donor commitments, and development activities are appropriately tracked and completed.

Essential Responsibilities

Fund Development & Strategy

• Develop and implement an annual development and fundraising plan aligned with Child Protect’s strategic priorities.
• Identify opportunities to diversify revenue and reduce reliance on a limited number of funding sources.
• Research and identify new foundation, corporate, government, and other funding opportunities.
• Maintain a comprehensive calendar of grant opportunities, applications, reports, renewals, and donor commitments.
• Establish measurable fundraising goals and regularly report progress to the Executive Director and Board.
• Develop strategies for cultivating, soliciting, and retaining donors and funding partners.

Grant Development & Management

• Research, identify, and pursue grants that align with Child Protect’s mission and programs.
• Coordinate the development and submission of grant applications, letters of inquiry, proposals, budgets, and supporting documents.
• Work with program and administrative staff to collect information, data, outcomes, narratives, and documentation needed for applications and reports.
• Maintain an organized grant tracking system to ensure deadlines and reporting requirements are met.
• Coordinate grant reports and renewal submissions with appropriate staff.
• Monitor grant compliance requirements and communicate upcoming responsibilities to staff and leadership.
• Help staff understand the purpose and requirements of grants so that compliance becomes part of ongoing program operations rather than simply a deadline-driven process.
• Maintain organized electronic records of grant applications, awards, reports, contracts, and supporting documentation.

Donor & Partner Relations

• Develop and maintain meaningful relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, civic organizations, and community partners.
• Create donor communications, stewardship materials, newsletters, impact updates, and other communications that demonstrate Child Protect’s impact.
• Coordinate donor acknowledgments and recognition.
• Develop opportunities for donors and partners to learn about Child Protect’s programs and impact while maintaining appropriate confidentiality regarding children and families served.
• Support the Executive Director, Board of Directors, Junior Board members in cultivating and soliciting prospective donors and partners.

Board Engagement

• Provide the Board with regular development and fundraising updates.
• Support Board members in understanding their role in resource development and community engagement.
• Develop tools and talking points that help Board members confidently communicate Child Protect’s mission and impact.
• Assist with identifying and cultivating prospective Board members, donors, sponsors, and community partners as appropriate.
• Help keep Board members engaged between meetings through appropriate development updates, newsletters, and impact communications.

Communications & Marketing

• Work with leadership to communicate Child Protect’s mission, services, accomplishments, and community impact.
• Develop newsletters, donor communications, campaign materials, sponsorship packages, presentations, and other development-related materials.
• Maintain consistent messaging and branding across development materials.
• Coordinate with appropriate staff regarding website, social media, and other public-facing communications.
• Identify opportunities to increase community awareness of Child Protect and its services.
• Maintain Child Protect social media accounts and work with the Junior Executive Board to promote their site(s).
• Maintain ChildProtect.org with the contracted provider.
• Support the Junior Executive Director and members as the Child Protect ambassadors, including monthly meetings, fundraising efforts, and donation drives.

Events & Campaigns

• Plan, coordinate, and evaluate fundraising campaigns, donor events, awareness events, and other development activities.
• Develop sponsorship opportunities and secure corporate and community support.
• Coordinate event budgets, timelines, communications, volunteers, and follow-up.
• Track event and campaign results and make recommendations for future activities.

Data & Development Systems

• Maintain accurate donor and prospect records.
• Track donations, pledges, sponsorships, grant awards, and other development revenue in coordination with finance.
• Monitor fundraising performance and prepare reports for leadership and the Board.
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriate security of donor information.
• Establish systems that allow the organization to track donor engagement and development activity over time.
• Maintain accurate donor and prospect records using the Child Protect Customer Relations Management (CRM) software.

Collaboration & Internal Leadership

The Development Director is expected to work collaboratively across the organization and help build a culture in which fundraising and resource development are understood as organizational responsibilities.

The position will:

• Partner with the Executive Director on overall development strategy.
• Work with program staff to understand program outcomes and community impact.
• Coordinate with finance to ensure grant budgets, awards, payments, and reporting are accurately tracked.
• Work with staff to collect information needed for proposals and reports.
• Help staff understand how their work connects to grant requirements and organizational sustainability.
• Participate in leadership and team meetings as appropriate.
• Promote accountability, communication, and timely completion of development-related responsibilities.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, public administration, business, marketing, fundraising, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated experience in nonprofit development, fundraising, grant writing, or a related area.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
• Ability to build and maintain professional relationships with donors, funders, community partners, and staff.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and common organizational technology.

Preferred:

• Experience working with child-serving, social service, healthcare, behavioral health, or nonprofit organizations.
• Experience with government, foundation, corporate, and/or private grants.
• Experience with donor databases or fundraising software.
• Experience developing sponsorships and major-gift relationships.
• Experience working with nonprofit Boards of Directors.
• Knowledge of Alabama nonprofit and philanthropic resources.

Core Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Strategic thinking
• Relationship building
• Fundraising and resource development
• Grant writing and compliance
• Project management
• Strong communication
• Attention to detail
• Initiative and problem-solving
• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Professional judgment
• Commitment to child advocacy and the mission of Child Protect

Performance Measures

Success in this position will be evaluated based on measurable outcomes, including:

• Growth and diversification of funding sources.
• Number and quality of grant opportunities identified and pursued.
• Timely submission of grant applications and reports.
• Grant renewal and retention rates.
• Growth in individual, corporate, and foundation support.
• Donor retention and stewardship activities.
• Corporate/community sponsorship development.
• Board engagement in fundraising and resource development.
• Quality and consistency of donor and community communications.
• Accuracy and organization of development records.
• Demonstrated collaboration with program, finance, and administrative staff.

Reporting Relationship

Reports to: Executive Director

Works closely with: Board of Directors, Finance/Administration, Program Leadership, Clinical/Advocacy Staff, Community Partners, Donors, and Funders

Position Expectations

The Development Director is expected to represent Child Protect professionally and ethically and to maintain confidentiality regarding children, families, donors, staff, and organizational information. Because Child Protect’s work depends heavily on community trust and partnerships, the Development Director should consistently demonstrate professionalism, integrity, responsiveness, and a strong commitment to the organization’s mission.

The Development Director is also expected to be proactive. The position should not simply respond to grant opportunities or fundraising needs as they arise, but should continuously identify new funding opportunities, strengthen relationships, anticipate deadlines, and help position Child Protect for long-term financial sustainability.

Pay: $65,000.00 - $73,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $65,000 - $73,000