Development Director

Scion Executive Search; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Paid time off

Job summary

Scion Executive Search has been engaged to conduct an immediate search for a Development Director for a Colorado-based nonprofit animal sanctuary in Denver. This is a full-time role based in Denver, focused on strategy and leading a major capital campaign.

The Development Director will drive fundraising, major gifts, and foundation partnerships, building sustainable revenue and donor relations while guiding board leadership and community engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5–10 years in fundraising roles.
• Proven track record of major gifts from $25K to $1M and foundation grants.
• Experience leading capital campaigns or large-scale fundraising efforts.
• Strong relationships with high-net-worth individuals and corporate partners.
• Experience in animal welfare or mission-driven sectors preferred.
• Grant writing and proposal development expertise.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication abilities.
• Strategic mindset with ability to execute fundraising initiatives.
• Ability to engage philanthropists, foundation reps, and executives.
• Highly organized with capacity to manage multiple campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Support the formation of the Advisory Board and partner with Board members to advance fundraising priorities.
• Guide board members through donor cultivation strategies and key introductions.
• Develop briefing materials and fundraising plans for board-level engagement.
• Create a donor database and manage the prospect pipeline.
• Monitor fundraising metrics and progress against revenue goals.
• Compile updates and reports for leadership and board review.
• Manage documentation requirements for grant submissions, sponsorships, and funding applications.
• Lead the organization’s social media presence to amplify development initiatives.

Skills

Fundraising

Major gifts

Donor relations

Capital campaigns

Grant writing

Strategic planning

Board engagement

Relationship building

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

5–10 years fundraising experience

Job description

Scion Executive Search has been engaged to conduct an immediate search for a Development Director for our client, a grassroots Colorado-based nonprofit animal sanctuary dedicated to animal welfare and community engagement. This is a full-time position based in Denver, Colorado, and is available immediately.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

As a senior member of the leadership team, the Development Director will craft and implement a robust fundraising strategy that drives the organization’s mission forward and ensures its long-term financial health. This role will spearhead a major capital campaign in support of a $14M campus improvement initiative, while also cultivating diverse and sustainable revenue streams through major gifts, foundation support, membership growth, and corporate partnerships.

The ideal candidate will be passionate about mission-driven work, entrepreneurial and proactive, and comfortable working with donors and community leaders. They will be a strategic thinker who is equally willing to execute day-to-day fundraising tasks, with a strong ability to inspire philanthropic investment in mission-driven work.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the formation of the Advisory Board and partner closely with Board members to advance fundraising priorities.
• Guide board members through donor cultivation strategies and facilitate key introductions.
• Develop briefing materials and fundraising plans to support board-level engagement.
• Create a donor database and manage the prospect pipeline.
• Monitor fundraising metrics and progress against revenue goals.
• Compile updates and reports for leadership and board review.
• Manage documentation requirements for grant submissions, sponsorships, and funding applications.
• Lead the organization’s social media presence to amplify development and fundraising initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor's degree is required, along with 5–10 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising roles.
• Demonstrated track record of securing major gifts ranging from $25K to $1M, along with foundation grants.
• Hands-on experience leading capital campaigns or other large-scale fundraising efforts.
• Solid background building relationships with high-net-worth individuals and corporate partners.
• Experience within animal welfare, conservation, education, or a related mission-driven sector preferred
• Familiarity with developing donor recognition initiatives or naming opportunity campaigns.
• Track record of launching or growing membership or donor society programs.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication abilities.
• Skilled grant writer with strong proposal development experience.
• Strategic mindset paired with the ability to carry out fundraising initiatives effectively.
• Confident engaging with philanthropists, foundation representatives, and corporate executives.
• Highly organized, with the ability to juggle multiple fundraising efforts at once.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

This full-time role offers a base salary of $120,000 to $200,000 (DOE), along with a comprehensive benefits package that includes health coverage and paid time off.

Scion Executive Search is an equal opportunity employer and service provider and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation, or any other protected class. We are committed to the principles of Equal Opportunity Employment and are dedicated to making employment decisions based on merit and value, for ourselves, our client companies, and the candidates we represent.

For opportunities located in a region that has enacted fair chance, arrest, or conviction-based employment ordinances, Scion Executive Search proactively follows the enacted guidance and considers for employment all qualified applications with arrest and conviction records. We engage in socially conscious business practices and believe that diverse, equitable, inclusive, and non-biased talent and recruitment processes are foundational to the success of Scion as well as every client organization with whom we partner.