Director of Development

Young Musicians Unite

Miami, FL (In-office)

Full-Time | Exempt

Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:30 PM (Evenings/Weekends as needed)

Position Summary

Young Musicians Unite (YMU) is seeking a dynamic and strategic Director of Development to lead and elevate all fundraising, donor engagement and special events initiatives.

Reporting to the CEO, the Director oversees a growing development team—including the Development Manager and Grant Writer—and serves as the strategic bridge across fundraising, marketing, events, programs, and community partnerships.

This is a highly collaborative role that blends creativity, strategy, and relationship management. The ideal candidate is a natural connector — part producer, part fundraiser, and part orchestra conductor — able to bring together internal teams and external stakeholders to create powerful experiences and engagement strategies that drive impact and revenue to expand access to music education for thousands of Miami-Dade students.

About Young Musicians Unite

Founded in 2013, Young Musicians Unite (YMU) believes every young person deserves access to music education, regardless of their socioeconomic background. YMU collaborates with public schools to provide free, high-quality music education that builds confidence, community, and leadership among students.

YMU currently serves more than 12,000 students across 75 Miami-Dade County public schools with an annual operating budget of $7.6 million. As Florida’s largest music education nonprofit, YMU is recognized for its innovative programming, youth performances, and large-scale fundraising events.

Key ResponsibilitiesDevelopment, Grants, & Department Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of YMU’s annual fundraising plan in partnership with the CEO.
• Provide strategic oversight of all fundraising initiatives, ensuring strong alignment across events, grants, corporate partnerships, and individual giving.
• Supervise the Grants Manager and Grant Writer, ensuring all proposals and reports are timely, high-quality, and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Build and manage a robust pipeline of corporate, foundation, and individual donors to support YMU’s long-term sustainability.
• Partner with the CEO on the cultivation and stewardship of major donors and prospects ($10K–$100K ), fostering meaningful and lasting relationships.
• Strengthen collaboration across Development, Marketing, Programs, and Events teams to ensure cohesive messaging and seamless execution of fundraising goals.

Events, Marketing, & Sponsorship Strategy

• Provide strategic leadership and revenue goals for YMU’s signature fundraising events, including the Annual Gala, Halloween Masquerade, Health & Wellness Series, and Youth Music Festivals.
• Partner with the Marketing team to design compelling sponsorship materials, proposals, and customized engagement opportunities for corporate and philanthropic partners.
• Oversee event revenue streams—including ticket sales, sponsorships, auctions, and donor activations—ensuring strong ROI and alignment with YMU’s mission.
• Guide marketing and campaign strategies to maximize sponsor visibility, fulfill benefits, and strengthen post-event stewardship and recognition.
• Ensure strong alignment between events, marketing, and development strategies so that every activation reinforces YMU’s fundraising and brand goals.

Board, Committees, & Community Engagement

• Partner with the CEO to engage three boards—the Executive Board, Community Board, and Student Ambassador Board—and their related committees.
• Activate and support eight committees connected to events, campaigns, and donor engagement, ensuring strong follow-through and high participation.
• Serve as the liaison between internal staff, board members, and community leaders to maximize participation and expand YMU’s network of champions.

Finance & Reporting

• Maintain accurate budgets, forecasts, and revenue projections for all fundraising events and initiatives.
• Track donor and sponsor engagement using YMU’s CRM (Bloomerang), ensuring detailed reporting and actionable insights post-event.
•  Strengthen systems, dashboards, and team processes that support accountability, communication, and growth across all development functions.

QualificationsRequired Skills & Experience

• Minimum 6 years of experience in event management, fundraising, and nonprofit development, including overseeing grants or institutional giving portfolios.
• Experience working with boards, committees, and volunteers in a nonprofit environment.
• Proven success managing large-scale fundraising events ($250K ).
• Demonstrated experience cultivating sponsors and closing major gifts.
• Strong project management, leadership, and communication skills.
• Comfortable managing up, across departments, and with external stakeholders.
• Proficient in CRM systems (e.g. Bloomerang, Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce) and Google Suite.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s or CFRE preferred.

Preferred

• Familiarity with Miami’s philanthropic and corporate landscape.
• Experience supervising development or events staff.
• Strong storytelling and marketing collaboration experience.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs and stand/walk for extended periods during events.