Development Officer

Job Summary
The Development Officer is an important role at Jones Center designed for a relationship-driven development professional looking to support a Northwest Arkansas anchor organization during an exciting period of growth. This role reports to the Director of Development and is responsible for strengthening corporate, foundation, and individual philanthropic investment in Jones Center and Jones Trust entities, including the Jones Community for Nonprofits Springdale and Rogers campuses and the Regional Volunteer Center.
This position will manage a strategic relationship portfolio of current and prospective donors and partners, with responsibility for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding support from corporate, individual, and foundation donors. The Development Officer will also serve as the Development team lead for Big Night, Jones Center’s annual gala, and will work across the organization to ensure the event is executed with excellence and aligned with fundraising, stewardship, and donor engagement goals.
Key Responsibilities

• Foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization that ensures fundraising is executed in keeping with the organization’s values, vision, and mission.
• Build and maintain a philanthropic relationship portfolio, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding current and prospective donors to support operating, programmatic, capital, and endowment needs.

Job Title:
Development Officer
Department:
Development
Classification:
Salary / Exempt
Job Type:
Full-time
Reports to:
Director of Development
Reviewed:
July 10, 2026

• Manage a strategic portfolio of corporate, foundation, and individual donors and prospects, creating individualized strategies to deepen engagement and increase giving over time.
• Identify new prospective donors, sponsors, and funding partners in partnership with the Director of Development, Chief Strategy Officer, CEO, Board members, Development Council, and other volunteer leaders.
• Secure philanthropic gifts and sponsorships from corporate, individual, and foundation donors.
• Work with the Director of Development and department heads to identify funding priorities and create strategies to fulfill those needs.
• Prepare donor briefings, proposals, sponsorship materials, presentations, solicitation strategies, reports, and stewardship communications as needed.
• Serve as the Development team lead for Big Night, Jones Center’s annual gala, with responsibility for driving the fundraising strategy, donor engagement, sponsorships, and contributed revenue goals for the event.
• Lead Big Night sponsorship, donor engagement, and auction strategy, including identifying prospects, supporting solicitations, developing sponsorship opportunities, coordinating item procurement, shaping guest cultivation and stewardship opportunities, and ensuring strong sponsor recognition and post-event follow-up.
• Partner with Jones Center departments, special events, guest services, marketing, finance, volunteers, vendors, and external partners to guide Big Night planning and execution, including timelines, logistics, registration, committee involvement, program flow, guest experience, revenue tracking, and alignment with Jones Center’s broader fundraising priorities.
• Support additional fundraising, stewardship, cultivation, and donor engagement events as assigned.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with volunteers in the fundraising process, including the Development Council, event committees, Board members, and other volunteer structures that may be of value to Jones Center.
• Collaborate across the organization to identify programmatic opportunities to engage donors in the mission of Jones Center.
• Maintain accurate donor records, contact reports, proposals, pledges, sponsorship commitments, and stewardship actions in the organization’s CRM.
• Monitor portfolio progress, event revenue, sponsorship goals, and donor engagement activity, and regularly report on fundraising progress to the Director of Development.
• Diversify funding sources to include a resilient balance of individual, corporate, and foundation support.
• Maintain accountability, confidentiality, and ensure compliance with all regulations and laws and the code of ethics for fundraising professionals.
• Keep informed of trends in philanthropy, donor engagement, corporate giving, foundation funding, and fundraising event management.

Additional Responsibilities

• Able to perform other general duties and special projects assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
Requires Skills and Abilities

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to communicate professionally with corporate, nonprofit, and civic partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and comfort learning new technology platforms and AI tools to improve efficiency.
• Experience using CRM systems and related software to track donors.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team; demonstrates initiative and follow-through.
• Discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive information.
• Exemplifies Jones Center’s THRIVE values: teamwork, honesty, resourcefulness, inclusion, vision, and energy.

Education, Training, and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in fundraising, nonprofit management, business development, communications, marketing, event planning, business administration, or a related field.
• At least five years of full-time professional, front-line fundraising and portfolio-managing experience, with a proven track record of managing donor relationships and securing philanthropic support.
• Proven track record of cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding philanthropic support from corporate, individual, and foundation donors. Experience securing five to six-figure gifts, sponsorships, or philanthropic partnerships preferred.
• Proven ability to manage a strategic relationship portfolio and move donors through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Experience securing five to six-figure gifts, sponsorships, or philanthropic partnerships preferred.
• Proven ability to manage a strategic relationship portfolio, create donor strategies, and move prospects through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Experience developing donor-facing proposals, sponsorship opportunities, presentations, reports, and stewardship communications.
• Strong presentation skills and confidence leading donor, sponsor, corporate partner, foundation, volunteer, and community conversations.
• Strong project management and event execution experience, including the ability to manage timelines, budgets, vendors, volunteers, committees, and competing priorities.
• Experience supporting or leading fundraising events with revenue goals, sponsorship strategy, donor engagement, auction strategy, or event committees.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong storytelling, case-making, and relationship-building abilities.
• A motivated, positive, goal-oriented team player who is eager to learn, grow, and contribute to a strong culture of philanthropy.
• activity, fundraising progress, budgets, and reporting.
• Connection to Northwest Arkansas is a plus.
• Occasional evenings, weekends, off-site work, and travel are required.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to remain stationary, occasionally standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Ability to move throughout Jones Center campus and event spaces.
• Ability to lift up to 15 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to support event setup, guest experience, and on-site execution as needed.