Development Director

Interplanetary Help Desk; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Interplanetary Help Desk seeks a Development Director in Austin for in-person fundraising leadership. You will identify sponsors and donors, craft compelling pitches, and close deals while building a robust pipeline.

You’ll be supported by lead-generation and strong sales materials to build lasting relationships with funders and partners. The role emphasizes mission alignment, excellent communication, and the ability to engage senior leaders.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in large-donor nonprofit fundraising or B2B sales.
• Mission-driven; cares about the people served and the team.
• Excellent communicator and strong writer across in-person, phone, email and social media.
• Relationship-building skills with clients and donors.
• Relentless perseverance, grit, and ability to handle rejection.
• Meticulous attention to detail and strong note-taking.
• Energetic, positive teammate who loves this kind of work.

Responsibilities

• Identify and engage potential sponsors and donors.
• Master messaging and storytelling to align with donor goals and community identity.
• Pitch and close deals; build a pipeline of 100 active accounts and move prospects through stages.
• Care for donors; maintain contact and foster long-term relationships.

Skills

Donor fundraising

Communication

Relationship building

Sales / B2B

Lead generation

CRM usage

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Development Director

(maybe the coolest development director job in Austin)

Interplanetary Help Desk is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces benefit concerts for other nonprofits in Austin. We help great causes raise money while supporting the local music community.

It’s seriously fun, with big impact. A $50,000 sponsorship helps us raise another $100,000 and supports 40 local organizations. And it’s a freaking rock concert or dance party in a cool club that brings people together in a joyous night of community.

You’ll help us get sponsorships and donations from corporations, foundations, and rich folks capable of giving $10,000 to $50,000. (We’re not doing the grant application thing. It’s such a hassle.)

You need to be a great communicator who can tell our story – and connect it to the needs of our donors. You love to be on the phone and meeting people. You’ll build, manage, and pitch a pipeline of prospects. We’ll back you up with great lead-generation support and fantastic sales materials.

You're a passionate relationship builder who knows that success isn’t just about making the ask. It’s about making friends and building trust. We have a really great CRM that’ll make your life easier.

Our model is simple: We produce a fundraiser concert and the nonprofit partner sells the tickets. The venue manages the show. The band gets paid well. The nonprofit keeps all the ticket revenue (yes, ALL the ticket revenue). We cover the cost through sponsors and donors. Everyone wins. Read the details at interplanetary.org.

Your job

• Identify and engage potential sponsors and donors.
• Master our messaging and storytelling. You can deliver a well-crafted pitch custom to each target. Show how working with Interplanetary supports their goals and supports Austin’s cultural identity and community spirit.
• Pitch and close deals. Build and work a pipeline of 100 active accounts, moving prospects through every stage with discipline and care. We’ll come up with a fair quota, and you’ll kick its butt.
• Take care of the donors. Make sure they get what they need, stay in contact, earn their respect – and keep them coming back for more.

What we're looking for

• Proven experience in large-donor nonprofit fundraising or BtoB sales. This ain’t your first rodeo. Show us you’ve done it before and can do it here.
• Mission-driven. You care about the people we serve, the work we do, and our team.
• Excellent communicator and strong writer. You're comfortable and articulate with senior-level leaders in person, on the phone, in email and social media.
• Relationship-building skills. Sociable, caring, engaging, and approachable person who can build meaningful relationships.
• Relentless perseverance and tenacity. You're a committed, driven winner with grit. You can hit the phones all day long, brush off rejection, and stick with it because you know that what you're selling is truly meaningful.
• Meticulous attention to detail. Database hygiene and detailed note-taking are expected of everyone here.
• You raise the energy level. You’re a great teammate with positive vibes and enthusiasm.
• You love this kind of work.

Some important details

This is an in-person job in Austin, 80% in the office. Our work is very local and hands-on. It’s mostly daytime in the office, but everyone will support our concerts some evenings. No remote/hybrid options.

Compensation

This is a nonprofit startup with mid-range salary, healthcare, and more benefits coming soon. Compensation and benefits will grow as we grow.

What it's like to work with us

We have a high-performing, intense, high-energy workplace that lets you do astonishingly good work every day. And we balance it with healthy work policies that send us home, on time, to our families and personal lives. We don't know it all, but we're figuring it out together and having a great time doing it.

You’ll like our team. We only work with people we like, people who care, and people devoted to the cause. There are no office politics, whiners, slackers, or jerks. (We also reject customers and partners that don't treat our employees well.) We are dedicated and driven— and you'll enjoy spending your days with us.