Director of Development and Communications

Friends In Deed

An Equal Opportunities Employer

Director of Development and Communications

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Hybrid, Pasadena CA

Status: Exempt (salary)

Salary: $95,000-$105,000 DOE

Full-time/Part time: Full Time

Permanent/Temporary: Permanent

Mission: 

Providing supportive services with compassion and dignity to our neighbors experiencing homelessness and vulnerability

About the Position:

The Director of Development and Communications is a senior leadership role at Friends In Deed, responsible for overseeing and executing comprehensive fundraising and communications strategies that sustain and grow the organization’s mission to support people experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, and housing instability in Pasadena. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this position works closely and collaboratively with development colleagues, program directors, board members, and the senior leadership team to engage individual and institutional donors throughout the full donor cycle. This position plays a central role in raising a significant portion of Friends In Deed’s annual operating revenue and advancing long-term organizational sustainability.

The Director of Development and Communications manages a robust major gifts portfolio, cultivating and stewarding high-net-worth individuals through personalized engagement, strategic solicitation, and long-term relationship building. In partnership with the Chief Executive Officer and Board leadership, this position plays a key role in planning and executing an upcoming capital campaign, including prospect strategy, donor cultivation, and campaign solicitation. The Director also serves as an external ambassador for the organization, leads development and communications strategy, mentors staff, and ensures that Friends In Deed’s story, impact, and values are communicated clearly and compellingly to the community.

Primary Responsibilities:

Leadership, Supervision & Strategy

• Provide direct supervision and leadership to department full-time staff:
• Grants Manager
• Development Manager, Marketing and Communications
• Development Manager, Events and Advancement Services
• Set clear departmental goals, monitor progress, and provide regular reporting to the CEO and Board
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors on fundraising, communications, and growth initiatives
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive annual and multi-year development plan aligned with organizational priorities
• Oversee the Development and Communications budget, forecasting revenue and managing expenses
• Ensure all fundraising and communications practices meet ethical standards, nonprofit regulations, and compliance requirements

Fundraising & Revenue Development

• Lead all fundraising efforts, including individual giving, major gifts, institutional giving, events, and campaigns
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward donors through a variety of outreach efforts and engagement strategies
• Develop new and creative fundraising initiatives to expand Friends In Deed’s donor base and revenue streams
• Maintain and refine the annual development calendar, including campaigns, grant deadlines, stewardship touchpoints, and events
• Research, cultivate, and manage corporate and foundation relationships
• Schedule and manage the Board Advancement Committee in partnership with the Committee Chair
• Mentor and train staff and Board members in fundraising best practices and donor engagement

• Identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit major gifts in the $10,000–$100,000 range and above
• Develop and manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors
• Create individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies for top prospects and Board-led asks in collaboration with the CEO
• Lead stewardship strategies for major donors, ensuring meaningful engagement, recognition, and impact reporting
• Play a leadership role in the planning and execution of Friends In Deed’s capital campaign, including prospect strategy, donor engagement, and solicitation support

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with foundation, corporate, and institutional funders
• Work closely with the Grants Manager on prospect research, grant strategy, applications, reporting, and compliance
• Track and report on the impact of grants and institutional gifts to ensure continued support

• Provide strategic oversight for fundraising and cultivation events
• Evaluate and oversee the annual events calendar, working closely with the Development Manager, Events and Advancement Services
• Work closely with Development staff, Board, committees, contractors, and volunteers to ensure successful execution

• Oversee organizational communications and branding strategy
• Develop a media and publicity plan, working with the Development Manager, Marketing and Communications
• Guide content development for website, newsletters, donor communications, annual report, and fundraising materials
• Oversee writing and distribution of external communications

• Oversee donor database integrity and data management (Little Green Light, DonorSearch)
• Ensure timely acknowledgments, receipting, and donor recognition
• Use data and reporting to inform fundraising strategy, donor retention, and growth

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; CFRE or Master’s degree preferred
• 6–10 years of progressive nonprofit development experience, including major gifts, institutional giving, and events
• Demonstrated experience leading fundraising strategy and managing revenue goals
• Proven supervisory experience with the ability to mentor and develop staff
• Strong knowledge of fundraising databases; experience with Little Green Light and DonorSearch preferred
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including donor-facing storytelling
• Highly organized, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities
• Collaborative leadership style with strong relationship-building skills
• Creativity, initiative, and sound judgment in advancing fundraising and communications efforts

Position requires flexibility to attend evening and/or weekend meetings and events, as needed.

Application Deadline: Friday, January 23, 2026

How to Apply:

Research shows that members of underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Friends In Deed recognizes very few individuals ever meet 100% of the qualifications for any given role; therefore, we encourage candidates with some or most of the qualifications to apply.

To Apply: Send cover letter, resume, and references to Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater, Chief Executive Officer, at jobs@friendsindeedpas.org. No calls, please.

Benefits of working at Friends In Deed:

• 10 days of vacation, plus one organization-wide week off in the winter and one in the summer (4 work weeks total)
• Paid sick time
• All major holidays 
• Medical, Dental and Vision fully paid 
• 403(b) plan with employer match
• Up to $500/year for professional development 
• Employee assistance program 
• Mileage reimbursement
• Friendly work environment

Friends In Deed is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. We embrace and celebrate the spectrum of our employees’/volunteers’/clients’ age, color, ability or disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, neurodiversity, and other characteristics that make our employees/volunteers/clients unique.