Development Director

Reports to:

Executive Director

Position Type:

Salaried, Exempt

Work Schedule:

40 hours/week

Location:

On-site at Creative Living, local travel within Columbus

Direct Reports:

Outreach Coordinator

Role Overview & Leadership Summary

The Development Director is responsible for cultivating and sustaining the community relationships that support Creative Living’s mission and long-term viability. This role serves as the primary steward of the organization’s external engagement, translating mission and impact into meaningful connections with donors, partners, advocates, and supporters.

Through strategic fundraising, storytelling, and stewardship, the Development Director builds and maintains the resources necessary for Creative Living to operate, grow, and respond to opportunity. This work emphasizes trust-based relationships and shared values, ensuring community support is rooted in long-term commitment rather than transactional giving.

As a member of the leadership team, the Development Director collaborates across departments to align development strategy with organizational priorities, strengthening consistency, accountability, and collective impact throughout the organization.

Primary Responsibilities & Duties

Fundraising Strategy, Grants, and Donor Development

• Develop and implement a comprehensive annual fundraising strategy aligned with organizational goals.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors, foundations, corporations, and community partners.
• Research, prepare, and submit grant proposals, reports, and related documentation in coordination with organizational leadership.
• Manage donor stewardship strategies that emphasize long-term engagement and relationship-building.
• Track fundraising progress against goals and adjust strategies as needed.

Campaign and Event Management

• Plan, manage, and execute fundraising campaigns and special events, including signature and community-based initiatives.
• Develop timelines, budgets, and staffing plans for fundraising events.
• Coordinate vendor relationships, sponsorships, and in-kind contributions.
• Evaluate campaign and event performance and prepare post-event analyses.

Communications, Marketing, and Brand Management

• Oversee organizational messaging to ensure consistency with Creative Living’s mission, values, and voice.
• Develop and manage donor-facing communications, including appeals, newsletters, impact reports, and digital content.
• Collaborate with staff and external partners on marketing initiatives and community visibility efforts.
• Support public relations and community outreach efforts that strengthen organizational reputation and engagement.

Database, Donor Management, and Reporting

• Maintain accurate donor records within the organization’s donor database.
• Ensure timely entry, tracking, and acknowledgment of gifts and pledges.
• Generate fundraising and donor reports to support leadership decision-making.
• Monitor data integrity and support continuous improvement of development systems and processes.

Cross-Functional Support & Organizational Collaboration

• Serve as a backup resource to the Operations Coordinator and Resident Coordinator as needed.
• Supervise and train the Outreach Coordinator, providing clear expectations, guidance, and performance feedback.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and leadership team to align development priorities with organizational strategy.
• Support cross-departmental initiatives that require development or community engagement expertise.
• Participate in organizational planning, special projects, and additional duties as assigned.

Skills/Competencies

• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into action.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities.
• Ability to analyze fundraising data and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Comfort representing Creative Living with donors, partners, and community stakeholders.

Required Education & Preferred Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, marketing, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of three years of experience in fundraising, development, or nonprofit advancement.
• Demonstrated success with donor cultivation, grants, and fundraising campaigns.
• Experience managing donor databases and reporting systems.
• Supervisory experience preferred.

Job & Working Conditions

• Full-time, exempt position with ability to work a flexible schedule as necessary
• Primarily in-person role
• Attendance at all major fundraising and community events is required
• Combination of office-based work and community engagement.

Compensation

• Salary commensurate with experience and responsibilities.
• Eligible for Creative Living’s full-time benefits package in accordance with the Employee Handbook.
• Position Classified as full-time exempt in accordance with applicable wage and hour laws.

Other Duties

This job description was not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

AAP/EEO Statement

All employment opportunities provided without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, military status, protected veteran status, disability, HID/AIDS status, genetic information, pregnancy or any other bias under the law.