Director of Development

Overview

Mental Health America of the MidSouth (MHA) is an 80-year-old nonprofit that specializes in mental health education and advocacy throughout Middle and West Tennessee. Current programs include school-based mental health education, suicide prevention, anti-bullying, dementia caregiver support, multicultural outreach, mental health screening, advocacy, and more.

The Director of Development will lead and execute the organization’s fundraising strategy, advancing revenue growth through individual donors, major gifts, corporate/ foundation partnerships, earned income sources, and events. This role will collaborate closely with the Director of Operations to ensure cohesive donor engagement, data-driven strategy, and outcomes. The ideal candidate is strategic, collaborative, results-oriented team player, capable of building strong relationships with donors, board members, and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the organization’s chief frontline fundraiser, responsible for proactively identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and closing gifts from individuals, corporations, and sponsors to meet ambitious revenue targets (with an expectation of achieving 4–10x the annual salary in contributed revenue, in alignment with national fundraising benchmarks).
• Develop and implement a comprehensive annual development plan with clear revenue goals across individual giving, major gifts, corporate/foundation contributions, sponsorships, and events.
• Revisit membership structure as part of a long-term strategic planning initiative.
• Drive year-round pipeline development, ensuring a consistent flow of new prospects, re-engaged lapsed donors, and upgraded supporters.
• Manage organization's CRM database, tracking donor lifecycle and outreach
• Build trust with the community through a high-touch, relationship-centered approach, building new donors and leading efforts to re-engage past supporters with transparency and authenticity.
• Conduct regular donor visits, presentations, and outreach with a disciplined schedule of follow-up to ensure movement through the donor lifecycle.
• Ensure the donor experience is strategic, personalized, and mission-centered from first contact to stewardship.
• Lead all aspects of corporate fundraising, including prospecting, pitching, negotiating partnership agreements, and delivering sponsorship fulfillment.
• Develop compelling sponsorship packages and employer-engagement opportunities tied to mission impact and events, focusing on sustainable, long term, multiyear, commitments from funders.
• Oversee fundraising events (bi-annual Massey Leadership Award, regular community events, additional fundraising and donor cultivation events, etc.), including strategy, budgeting, planning, execution, and post-event donor follow-up.
• Identify opportunities to leverage events as donor acquisition, cultivation, and stewardship tools, not standalone activities.
• Coordinate closely with grant writing and data functions to ensure clarity of roles, avoid duplication, and align efforts toward revenue goals.
• Work closely with the Director of Finance to ensure accurate donor records, prospect research, segmentation, and performance tracking.
• Partner with the Director of Operations to create aligned fundraising messaging, campaigns, and storytelling that advance acquisition, retention, and revenue growth.
• Collaborate with board members and senior leadership to activate networks, develop donor strategies, and integrate fundraising into organizational planning and culture.
• Monitor, track, and analyze key fundraising metrics; produce regular progress reports for senior leadership and the board.
• Use data insights to refine strategy, strengthen donor journeys, and improve conversion and retention rates.
• Oversee pledge tracking, sponsorship deliverables, acknowledgment timelines, and full donor-cycle documentation using agency CRM.
• Ensure compliance with charitable solicitation requirements, gift acceptance policies, and donor confidentiality standards.
• Maintain knowledge of fundraising trends, regulations (e.g., charitable solicitation, tax-deductible gifts), and maintain ethical standards, such as AFP Code of Ethical Standards (or equivalent).
• Maintain current knowledge of fundraising trends, tools, and best practices.
• Supervise and mentor staff, contractors, or volunteers (as applicable) who support development functions.
• Maintain a robust schedule of external meetings (a minimum weekly target to be defined) to build visibility and strengthen donor relationships.
• Represent the organization at community events, civic meetings, and partner gatherings to raise organizational visibility and reconnect with stakeholders.
• This position may require occasional evening or weekend work (events, donor meetings).
• Travel (local/regional) may be required for donor cultivation and conferences.
• This role must work collaboratively across departments to ensure fundraising is integrated into marketing/communications and data systems.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) in nonprofit management, business, public administration, or related field.
• At least 5–7 years of demonstrated successful fundraising experience (including major gifts, individual donors, corporate/foundation partnerships).
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding fundraising goals.
• Strong relationship building and interpersonal skills; comfortable engaging with donors, board members, volunteers, and senior leadership.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft compelling proposals, donor materials, and presentations.
• Experience with donor management systems/CRMs (e.g., Bloomerang, Blackbaud CRM, etc.).
• Experience analyzing fundraising metrics and using data to drive decisions.
• Strategic mindset, self-starter, comfortable working in both strategic and hands-on mode.
• Commitment to be an ambassador and advocate for the mission of the organization, capable of articulating impact, outcomes, and funding priorities to a wide range of audiences while positively representing the organization in the community.

Compensation

The salary range for the position is based on experience/degree and is to be paid semi-monthly. This position is full-time with excellent benefits, including:

• Hybrid work arrangements (2-3 days in-office, remainder remote or flexible)
• Mileage or transportation reimbursement for job-related travel
• 6% 403B retirement plan match
• Comprehensive health insurance coverage with up to 80% of premiums paid by the organization
• Long-term disability coverage
• Generous vacation and paid time off (PTO) policy
• Professional development opportunities
• Employee assistance program (EAP) and wellness initiatives
• Office supply stipend or reimbursement
• Other benefits as per organizational policy

Pay: $74,250.15 - $84,419.53 per year

Benefits:

• 403(b)
• 403(b) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Nashville, TN 37217

Salary : $74,250 - $84,420