What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Development position at Habitat for Humanity South Central MN?
Company Description
Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to building healthy, safe, and affordable homes for individuals and families in need. We believe that a home impacts not just those who live in it, but also strengthens the community and helps create better opportunities for the future. By working together with families, volunteers, and partners, we transform lives and build a foundation for thriving communities. At Habitat for Humanity, every home demonstrates our commitment to creating access to better living standards for everyone, everywhere.
Role Description
Habitat for Humanity is seeking a mission-driven, strategic, and relationship-focused Director of Development to lead and grow our fundraising efforts in support of safe, affordable homeownership across our service area.
As a medium sized Habitat affiliate, we are at an important stage of growth. This role will strengthen and expand our fundraising infrastructure, deepen donor relationships, and build sustainable revenue streams to support long-term impact. The Director of Development will partner closely with the CEO and Board of Directors to advance a culture of philanthropy and ensure strong financial stewardship.
This is a transitional leadership role evolving from a combined communications/development structure into a fully development-focused position. In the near term, the Director will oversee select donor communications (annual appeal, newsletters, annual report). As capacity grows, marketing responsibilities will transition to a dedicated Marketing Manager, allowing this role to focus primarily on strategy, major gifts, and revenue growth.
The ideal candidate is both strategic and hands-on — comfortable setting vision while actively cultivating donors, writing grants, and building systems.
Core Responsibilities & duties
Development Strategy & Growth
o Lead and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with organizational goals.
o Expand and diversify revenue streams, including:
§ Individual giving and major gifts
§ Grants (foundation and government)
§ Corporate partnerships and sponsorships
§ Faith and community partnerships
o Develop and manage the annual development plan and fundraising calendar.
o Establish long-range fundraising goals, benchmarks, and performance metrics.
o Strengthen donor systems, segmentation, and pipeline management using CRM tools.
o Collaborate with the CEO to support long-term financial sustainability and capital planning.
Donor Cultivation & Stewardship
o Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects, with emphasis on major gifts.
o Conduct donor meetings, cultivation visits, and solicitation conversations.
o Develop compelling cases for support tied to Habitat’s homeownership impact.
o Strengthen donor retention through meaningful stewardship and engagement.
o Ensure timely and thoughtful donor recognition and reporting.
Grants & Revenue Expansion
o Oversee and grow the grants program, including prospect research, proposal writing, reporting, and compliance.
o Identify and pursue new funding opportunities with foundations, corporations, and community partners.
o Maintain strong relationships with institutional funders.
Leadership Team & Board Partnership
o Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO and Board of Directors in advancing Habitat’s fundraising vision.
o Actively engage and equip board members in fundraising activities, including donor identification, cultivation, and stewardship.
o Collaborate with the Development Committee to set fundraising goals, monitor progress, and continuously strengthen board engagement in development efforts.
o Provide leadership-level analysis, reporting, and recommendations to guide fundraising strategy and resource allocation.
o Help foster a strong organizational culture of philanthropy that values donor relationships and shared responsibility for fundraising success.
Fundraising & Events (Transitional Duties)
o Lead & manage the planning & coordination of all fundraising and special events
o Serve as the lead staff in hosting fundraising and special events
o Direct other staff and volunteers in fundraising and special event activities
o Current Major Fundraising Events: Hard Hat Breakfast, “She Nailed It” women’s build initiative, Golf Tournament
o Other duties as assigned by CEO
Requirements
§ Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, communications, marketing, public administration, or a related field
§ Minimum of 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit fundraising or development.
§ Demonstrated success in leading and implementing fundraising strategies that increase revenue and diversify funding streams.
§ Proven experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors, including major gifts.
§ Experience managing or significantly contributing to grant programs, including prospecting, writing, reporting, and compliance.
§ Experience working with a Board of Directors and/or Development Committee in a fundraising capacity.
§ Experience using donor database/CRM systems to track donor activity, segment audiences, and manage pipelines.
§ Strong project management skills, including development planning, goal setting, and performance tracking.
Preferred Skills
§ Experience building or strengthening a development function within a growing organization.
§ Demonstrated success growing annual giving and major gift portfolios.
§ Experience expanding corporate partnerships and foundation relationships.
§ Supervisory or team leadership experience.
§ Experience in a housing, human services, community development, or faith-based nonprofit environment.