Job Title: Director of Development
Location: Sonoma, CA
Company: Individual and Family Social Service Organization
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
Salary Range: $100,000-$130,000
About the Organization:
Serving the Greater Santa Rosa community for over 75 years this nonprofit is a growing organization expanding it's resources and support to youth programs throughout the North Bay. The Director of Developmet, reports to the VP of Development and Marketing, serving a key leader in the fundraising growth and stewardship of ongoing relationships with donors.
About the Role:
The Director of Development is a dynamic and experienced leader responsible for advancing the organization's development growth, donor engagement, and community impact. This role provides executive-level leadership across fundraising and community development, building on an established foundation to take the organization to its next level of impact and sustainability.
The organization has a strong and growing development function; this leader will refine and expand fundraising strategy while bringing strategic innovation to deepen partnerships, grow revenue, and strengthen community engagement. The Director will play a critical role in evolving and scaling fundraising efforts, strengthening systems, activating new opportunities, and driving measurable outcomes.
Serving as a key member of the leadership team, the Director will lead integrated strategies that connect donors, community, programs, and revenue. This role requires a forward-thinking professional who can enhance what is already working while building new pathways for growth, engagement, and long-term sustainability.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership
- Serve as a member of the senior leadership team, contributing to organizational strategy, planning, and performance
- Develop and implement strategies aligning development and community development with organizational goals
- Partner cross-functionally to align external engagement efforts with programmatic priorities and growth
- Contribute to long-term strategy, including revenue diversification, community impact, and sustainability
Development (including Major Gifts)
- Lead and execute a comprehensive development strategy, including annual giving, major gifts, and donor engagement across all levels
- Develop and drive a robust major gifts program, including identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of high-capacity donors
- Personally manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, with clear revenue goals and relationship strategies
- Partner with the CEO and Board to support major gift cultivation and solicitation efforts
- Oversee grassroots and mid-level donor programs and campaigns to build a strong and sustainable base of support
- Lead and align donor pipeline strategy, messaging, and engagement across all giving levels
- Establish fundraising performance metrics, revenue targets, and reporting systems; monitor progress and adjust strategies
- Utilize data and analytics to inform strategy, optimize donor engagement, and increase revenue performance
- Provide direct oversight of key philanthropy functions, including the Development Manager and donor database/CRM operations
Fundraising Events
- Oversee the strategy and execution of all fundraising events as core components of the philanthropy programs
- Ensure events are fully integrated into donor strategy, pipeline development, and revenue generation
Community Development
- Build and lead a comprehensive community development function with a focus on external, community-facing programming
- Design, grow, and innovate community programs that expand engagement, visibility, and mission alignment
- Oversee and evolve existing programming, including camp and seasonal offerings, with a focus on growth
- Develop and expand strategic partnerships with community organizations, stakeholders, and local leaders
- Collaborate with Residential leadership to support internal community programming, while maintaining primary responsibility for outward-facing initiatives
Development Operations & Analytics
- Oversee donor systems and CRM strategy to support fundraising execution and long-term growth
- Direct fundraising analytics, reporting, and performance dashboards
- Ensure data integrity and effective use of insights to drive decision-making
- Build operational systems that support donor pipeline development and campaign effectiveness
Financial & Administrative Oversight
- Develop and manage budgets across development and community programming functions
- Establish annual goals, KPIs, and performance metrics aligned with organizational priorities
- Monitor performance and adjust strategies to ensure measurable outcomes
- Supervise staff, consultants, and external partners
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Direct supervision of Development Manager and donor database/CRM functions
- Direct supervision of community development and programming personnel
- Oversight of staff and/or contractors supporting fundraising, events, and programming
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
- 8–10 years of progressive leadership experience in philanthropy, development, or related fields
- Proven experience leading fundraising strategy with measurable revenue impact, including major gifts
- Experience managing CRM systems, analytics, and donor platforms
- Experience overseeing teams and cross-functional initiatives
- Experience in nonprofit or mission-driven organizations preferred
How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit their resume through the "Apply for this Job" link below.
Contact Information: For more information about this position, please contact Nick Carney at [email protected].