Director of Development

Upward Community

Upward Community is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Development to lead and grow our fundraising efforts and help advance our mission of developing emotionally healthy children, teens, young adults, and families through our Circle of Support.

The Director of Development will work closely with the Executive Director, leadership team, board, donors, and community partners to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy that supports Upward Community’s continued growth and long-term sustainability.

This role is ideal for an experienced development professional who is passionate about building meaningful relationships, cultivating and growing a strong donor base, identifying new funding opportunities, and translating Upward Community’s mission and impact into compelling opportunities for investment.

The Director of Development will take ownership of Upward Community’s overall development strategy and fundraising goals, with a particular focus on individual giving, major donor cultivation, donor stewardship, campaigns, institutional funding, and building the systems necessary for sustainable fundraising growth.

Fundraising & Development | Approximately 80%

• Develop and execute Upward Community’s annual fundraising plan and overall development strategy, including clear goals, priorities, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
• Build and manage a strong donor pipeline, identifying opportunities to cultivate new donors and deepen relationships with existing supporters.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with individual donors, major gift prospects, foundations, corporations, and other funding partners.
• Meet regularly with current and prospective donors to build meaningful, long-term relationships and increase engagement and giving.
• Develop strategies to grow and sustain a broad base of annual donors while identifying opportunities to move donors toward increased levels of giving.
• Partner closely with the Executive Director on major donor strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Plan and lead annual fundraising campaigns and other major fundraising initiatives.
• Establish and track key fundraising metrics and regularly evaluate progress toward annual revenue and development goals.
• Identify new fundraising opportunities and stay informed on current trends and best practices in nonprofit development.
• Oversee donor database management, ensuring accurate tracking of donor relationships, giving history, prospects, interactions, and follow-up.
• Establish systems and processes for consistent donor cultivation, stewardship, acknowledgment, and engagement.
• Work with the Executive Director and Director of Operations to regularly evaluate fundraising performance, strategies, goals, and opportunities for growth.
• Oversee grant-seeking efforts, including prospect research, proposal development, submissions, relationship management, and reporting requirements.
• Build and maintain relationships with foundation, corporate, government, and other institutional funders.
• Collaborate on fundraising materials, donor communications, campaign materials, impact updates, and other development-related publications.
• Attend board meetings as appropriate and partner with the Executive Director to strengthen board engagement in fundraising, donor cultivation, and community relationships.
• Attend weekly staff meetings and collaborate with the broader Upward Community team.

Donor Engagement & Community Partnerships | Approximately 20%

• Develop a deep understanding of Upward Community’s mission, programs, services, community, impact, and organizational priorities in order to effectively represent the organization to donors and community partners.
• Collaborate with the Marketing Lead on fundraising campaigns, donor communications, development-related content, and promotional materials.
• Ensure fundraising communications clearly and compellingly communicate Upward Community’s mission, impact, priorities, and funding needs.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Upward Community’s relationships and visibility among donors, community leaders, foundations, corporations, and other potential partners.
• Develop strategies for meaningful donor engagement throughout the year beyond direct solicitations.
• Lead the fundraising strategy and development components of donor engagement events and major campaigns, including Upward Community’s annual softball tournament and CauseMatch campaign, in collaboration with the appropriate staff and partners.
• Support the development of materials, impact stories, and content that strengthen donor relationships and advance fundraising goals.

Qualifications

We are looking for someone who brings strong relationship-building skills, strategic thinking, initiative, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to Upward Community’s mission.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience working with the Jewish Orthodox community.
• Experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, advancement, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual and major donors.
• Experience developing and executing fundraising strategies and campaigns with measurable goals and results.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build authentic, lasting relationships with donors, community members, organizational leadership, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate an organization’s mission and impact in a compelling way.
• Familiarity with grant research, proposal development, grant writing, and reporting.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• A high level of initiative and the ability to independently move relationships, projects, and fundraising opportunities forward.
• The ability to work collaboratively with organizational leadership, staff, and board members.
• Experience working with donor databases, CRMs, or other fundraising tracking systems.
• A thoughtful, professional, and relationship-driven approach to representing Upward Community within the community.
• A results-oriented mindset combined with the patience and relationship-building skills necessary for long-term fundraising success.

About Upward Community

At Upward Community, everything we do is centered around creating a Circle of Support for children, teens, young adults, and families through prevention, enrichment, and intervention.

The Director of Development plays a critical role in strengthening that Circle of Support by building the relationships and securing the resources that allow Upward Community to expand our reach, respond to the evolving needs of our community, and continue making a meaningful and lasting impact.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary, commensurate with experience and credentials
• 401(k) with generous company match
• Comprehensive health benefits
• Paid vacation
• The opportunity to play a leadership role in the continued growth and impact of a mission-driven organization