Director of Development

Days / Shift: Monday through Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm

Position Type/Classification: Full-Time; Exempt

Position Summary:

The Director of Development is the senior fundraising leader responsible for strategy, revenue performance, team leadership, and Board/CEO partnership. This role manages the annual development plan, drives major donor and corporate/foundation relationships, ensures strong stewardship, and maintains a performance culture using KPI dashboards and clear workflows.

Job Responsibilities:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain an all-inclusive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.

• Strategic leadership: Own the annual development strategy and 18-month calendar; set quarterly priorities, budgets, and revenue projections by stream; course-correct based on KPI results.
• Major gifts & mid-level strategy: Build and manage a portfolio of major and mid-level donors and prospects; partner with the CEO/ED on top relationships; lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans.
• Board ambassador activation: Partner with the Board Development Committee to assign and coach Board ambassadors; provide tools (call sheets, scripts, one-pagers) and track ambassador activity.
• Corporate partnerships: Lead corporate prospect strategy; pursue sponsorships, employee giving, workplace presentations, and cause-marketing opportunities; ensure sponsor benefits are fulfilled on time.
• Foundation/DAF leadership: Oversee foundation relationship strategy, stewardship calendars, reporting, site visits, and DAF engagement (including year-end focus).
• Campaign oversight: Provide strategic direction and approvals for spring, fall, and year-end appeals, DV Awareness Month fundraising tie-ins, and monthly giving pushes.
• Event fundraising strategy: Ensure events align with revenue targets, donor pipelines, and lead capture goals; oversee post-event follow-up standards and donor journey integration.
• Team leadership & systems: Supervise and coach development staff; ensure clear role ownership, SOPs, and cross-department coordination with Programs, Finance, and Communications.
• Data & performance management: Ensure monthly KPI dashboard reviews; establish targets for retention, upgrades, acquisition, and conversion; maintain compliance with ethical fundraising standards.
• Adhere to SafeSpace, Inc. ethics, policies, procedures, and contractual standards.