Job description
Join Aurora Community Foundation, a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to empowering communities through education, clean water initiatives, and inclusive arts programs. We seek a strategic, results-oriented Director of Development to lead fund development, donor engagement, and advocacy efforts that advance our impact.
In this role you will build a robust fundraising strategy, manage a high-performing team, and partner with programs, finance, and leadership to maximize donor impact.
As Director of Development, you will cultivate relationships with major donors, foundations, and corporate partners, design compelling campaigns, and ensure transparent reporting that demonstrates impact and stewardship.
Responsibility
- Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy to meet annual revenue targets.
- Lead major gifts program, cultivating relationships with donors, foundations, corporations, and individuals.
- Oversee annual giving, donor stewardship, events, and donor communications to grow retention and lifetime value.
- Manage the donor CRM and data analytics to optimize campaigns and reporting.
- Lead grant research, proposal writing, and grant reporting to secure multi-year support.
- Collaborate with programs, marketing, and finance to align fundraising with organizational strategy.
- Build and manage a high-performing development team and volunteer fundraising champions.
Qualification
- BA/BS degree in nonprofit management, marketing, finance, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
- 5+ years of progressive fundraising experience in the nonprofit sector with proven major gifts success.
- Strong donor relations, grant writing, and stewardship capabilities.
- Leadership and people management experience; ability to mentor and develop staff and volunteers.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, public speaking, and storytelling skills.
- Proficiency with donor management systems (CRM such as Salesforce or Blackbaud) and data-driven approaches to campaign management.
- Strategic thinker with budget management skills and the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
- Commitment to equity, inclusion, and community engagement.