Development Director

Partners in Child Development; Andover (MA); Hybrid; USD 118,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote/hybrid options

4 weeks vacation + holidays

Medical plan options

Dental coverage

Vision allowance

Life & Disability Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Retirement plan (403(b))

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employee recognition programs

Referral bonuses

Job summary

Partners in Child Development is seeking an inaugural Development Director to create and lead a comprehensive fundraising program that supports ongoing growth. The role is largely external facing, acting as the organization’s ambassador to individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners.

You will establish fundraising goals and dashboards, cultivate long-term donor relationships, and collaborate with the Executive Director and Board to align strategy with organizational priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive fundraising experience; success securing individual and major gifts.
• Proven ability to develop and execute fundraising strategies and hit revenue goals.
• Strong knowledge of donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and best practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for donor engagement and board collaboration.
• Hands-on experience with fundraising technology and data analytics.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned to organizational goals.
• Lead identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual donors with a focus on major gifts.
• Guide board, staff, and volunteers to foster a culture of philanthropy.
• Oversee fundraising operations, dashboards, and performance reporting for decision making.
• Serve as ambassador to donors, funders, and community partners; partner with Marketing on messaging.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Major gifts

Donor cultivation

Donor stewardship

Communication skills

Data analytics

CRM familiarity

Board collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT

CRM systems

Job description

Partners in Child Development seeks an inaugural Development Director to implement and lead our fundraising efforts. This is an opportunity to join a diverse and passionate team dedicated to our mission of nurturing the growth and maximizing the potential of every child. We offer children of all abilities a solid foundation to be life‑long learners, and we offer staff members the chance to do meaningful, mission‑based work every day. Our programs include an Early Intervention Program for children ages 0-3, our Anderson School, a special education school for children ages 3-16 who have complex medical needs, and Woodbridge School, our early childhood education program. For over 50 years, we have been changing the trajectory of children’s lives.

Role Overview

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Development Director is a new position that will develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy to support the organization’s continued growth. The role is largely external facing, serving as an ambassador for Partners in Child Development. Highlighted objectives:

• Establish effective fundraising systems, processes, goals, and performance metrics. You’ll manage a diversified fund development program designed to increase revenue, with a particular focus on individual giving, while also strengthening institutional, corporate, foundation, event, and other philanthropic opportunities.
• Serve as the organization’s key solicitor and a recognized ambassador. You’ll effectively communicate the organization’s mission, impact, and strategic priorities to donors, funders, community partners, and other stakeholders. You’ll cultivate new donor relationships and deepen those with existing supporters.
• Guide board, staff, and volunteers in fostering a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization. You’ll work in close partnership with the highly supportive Executive Director and collaborate with the dynamic leadership team, Board of Directors, and relevant Board committees to align fundraising priorities with organizational strategy.

Fundraising Strategy & Execution

• Develop a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with Partners in Child Development’s strategic priorities and financial goals.
• Establish annual fundraising goals, budgets, projections, and performance measures across revenue streams, with accountability for achieving approved targets.
• Lead the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual donors, with a strong focus on major gifts and long‑term donor relationships.
• Lead or support capital campaign planning and execution, as applicable.

Leadership, Board & Executive Partnership

• Foster a culture of philanthropy by engaging staff, leadership, and the Board in fundraising and donor stewardship.
• Partner closely with the Executive Director to develop fundraising priorities, cultivate key relationships, and advance major and strategic gifts.
• Provide the Executive Director, leadership team, and Board with regular updates on fundraising performance, opportunities, challenges, and progress toward established goals.
• Develop and present fundraising reports, dashboards, and other performance updates to support informed decision‑making and accountability.

Systems, Reporting & Operations

• Ensure effective use of donor relationship management systems to maintain accurate donor and prospect records and monitor fundraising performance.
• Evaluate key development metrics, including revenue growth, donor retention, acquisition, average gift size, major gift pipeline, prospect activity, and overall pipeline health.
• Establish effective development policies, procedures, and workflows to support a consistent and efficient fundraising operation.
• Ensure fundraising activities and donor records are managed in accordance with organizational policies, applicable regulations, and established ethical standards.

External Relations & Visibility

• Serve as a key ambassador for Partners in Child Development by representing the organization in donor meetings, fundraising events, community activities, and other external settings.
• Collaborate with Marketing to align organizational messaging, storytelling, and fundraising efforts.
• Participate in occasional evening and weekend activities related to donor engagement, fundraising, and organizational events.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive fundraising experience, including demonstrated success securing individual and major gifts.
• Proven track record of developing and executing successful fundraising strategies and achieving revenue goals, with a demonstrated ability to build long‑term relationships with donors and funding partners.
• Strong knowledge of individual giving, major gifts, donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and fundraising best practices.
• Strong strategic planning, organizational, time management, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build trusted relationships and collaborate effectively with donors, Board members, staff, community partners, and other stakeholders.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to tell compelling stories and communicate our mission and impact in ways that inspire philanthropic support.
• Hands‑on experience with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT or another donor database/CRM and fundraising technology.
• Demonstrated ability to use data, metrics, and fundraising analytics to evaluate performance and inform strategy.
• Genuine commitment to Partners in Child Development’s mission, vision, and values and the ability to communicate that commitment authentically.

Benefits

• Family Friendly, Flexible Schedules, including remote/hybrid work options
• Up to 4 weeks of vacation with 1 week of sick time and 13 paid holidays
• Medical: Numerous medical plan choices. Generous company contribution
• Dental: Company paid premiums for employee coverage
• Vision: Annual exam, allowance toward contacts & glasses
• Registered Dietitian Services
• Life & Disability Insurances: Company paid
• Comprehensive Employee Assistance Program
• Pet Insurance403(b) Retirement Plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Ongoing Employee Recognition Programs
• Generous Employee Referral bonuses

Salary Range

$118,454 - $142,144