Development Director

Blue Ridge Humane; Hendersonville (NC); On-site; USD 62,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Ridge Humane Society in Hendersonville, NC seeks a Development Director to lead fundraising efforts, including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, donor stewardship, corporate partnerships, grants, and events. This role reports to the Executive Director and participates as a member of the leadership team.

Responsibilities include developing comprehensive fundraising strategies, managing staff and budget, cultivating donor relationships, and driving revenue growth to sustain the

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience preferred.
• Minimum four years of progressively responsible professional fundraising experience, including major gift cultivation and solicitation; prior staff supervision or leadership preferred.
• Experience with donor databases and fundraising technology (DonorPerfect preferred) and email marketing platforms (Constant Contact preferred).

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and evaluate an annual fundraising plan aligned with organizational priorities, budgeted revenue goals, and long-term sustainability.
• Lead fundraising strategies for major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate partnerships, grants, and special events.
• Establish measurable goals, performance indicators, revenue projections, and departmental priorities; adjust strategies based on results.
• Identify opportunities to diversify revenue, acquire and retain donors, and increase long-term philanthropic support.
• Build and expand the planned giving program with cultivation and stewardship of bequest prospects.
• Supervise and support development staff through coaching, feedback, and performance evaluations.
• Coordinate departmental priorities, workloads, timelines, and collaboration across fundraising, donor relations, events, and communications.
• Foster a respectful and collaborative departmental culture aligned with BRHS values.
• Develop and maintain procedures, workflows, and systems for efficiency and accuracy.
• Collaborate with other departments to advance organization-wide priorities and ensure effective communication.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, including cultivation and solicitation.
• Develop strategies for donor identification, acquisition, retention, upgrades, and recognition.
• Improve donor experience and stewardship practices to optimize retention.
• Ensure timely acknowledgments and confidentiality of donor information.
• Represent BRHS at donor meetings and community events.
• Provide strategic oversight of fundraising events and sponsorships; evaluate outcomes.
• Coordinate with Marketing on donor communications and appeals.
• Oversee budget management and financial reporting for the department.
• Monitor fundraising performance, donor retention, and ROI.

Skills

Major gift fundraising

Fundraising strategy

Donor relations

Public speaking

Relationship management

Budget management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

DonorPerfect

Constant Contact

Job description

Description

Our mission is made possible through the hard work and dedication of our valued employees. We foster a professional, supportive work environment grounded in compassion, collaboration, respectful and open communication, responsible stewardship, and a commitment to adaptability and growth.

Job Title: Development Director

Department: Development

Position Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Reports To: Executive Director

Schedule: Monday – Friday, Occasional Weekend & Evening Availability

Starting Pay: $62,000 - $88,000 (Based on experience)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Development Director provides strategic leadership and oversight of fundraising at Blue Ridge Humane Society (BRHS), including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, donor stewardship, corporate partnerships, grants, and special events. This position develops and implements comprehensive fundraising strategies that advance the mission and support financial sustainability and long-term growth.

As a member of the leadership team, the Development Director works closely with the Executive Director and departmental staff to set priorities, achieve revenue goals, strengthen donor relationships, and identify growth opportunities. The Director is accountable for departmental performance, staff supervision, resource stewardship, and evaluation of fundraising effectiveness.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Including but not limited to:

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership

• Develop, implement, and evaluate an annual fundraising plan aligned with organizational priorities, budgeted revenue goals, and long-term sustainability.
• Lead fundraising strategies for major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate partnerships, grants, and special events.
• Establish measurable goals, performance indicators, revenue projections, and departmental priorities; adjust strategies based on results.
• Identify opportunities to diversify revenue, acquire and retain donors, and increase long-term philanthropic support.
• Build and expand the planned giving program, including cultivation and stewardship of bequest and legacy-giving prospects.

Department Leadership & Staff Management

• Supervise and support development staff through clear expectations, regular coaching, timely feedback, professional development, and performance evaluations.
• Coordinate departmental priorities, workloads, timelines, and collaboration across fundraising, donor relations, events, and communications.
• Foster a respectful, accountable, and collaborative departmental culture aligned with BRHS values.
• Develop and maintain departmental procedures, workflows, and systems that promote efficiency, accuracy, and continuity.
• Collaborate with other department leaders to advance organization-wide priorities and ensure effective internal communication.

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship

• Personally manage a portfolio of major donors and prospective supporters, including cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and documented next steps.
• Develop coordinated strategies for donor identification, acquisition, retention, upgrades, recognition, and re-engagement.
• Work to improve the donor experience, stewardship practices, and retention outcomes.
• Ensure timely, accurate, personalized acknowledgments and respect for donor intent and confidentiality.
• Build relationships with individuals, businesses, foundations, and community partners; represent BRHS at donor meetings and community functions.

Events & Community Engagement

• Provide strategic oversight of fundraising and donor engagement events to ensure mission alignment, clear goals, and responsible use of resources.
• Partner with the Events Manager on sponsorship strategy, event budgets, fundraising goals, and post-event evaluation.
• Assess event net revenue, cost-effectiveness, donor engagement, and opportunities for ongoing relationship development.

Grants & Development Communications

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Marketing & Communications Manager on appeals, newsletters, annual reports, impact updates, and other donor communications.
• Ensure fundraising messages accurately reflect BRHS programs, outcomes, funding needs, and mission.
• Provide strategic direction for grant opportunities and proposals, coordinating with program staff to obtain accurate outcomes and supporting information.
• Promote consistent donor messaging and coordinated fundraising and communications calendars.

Financial Oversight, Operations & Reporting

• Develop and manage the department budget in collaboration with the Executive Director; monitor fundraising revenue and expenses against goals.
• Analyze fundraising performance, including donor retention, acquisition, gift trends, campaign results, and return on investment.
• Oversee donor database practices, gift and pledge tracking, acknowledgments, reporting accuracy, and donor information security.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, ethical fundraising standards, donor restrictions, and organizational policies.
• Exercise sound judgment and stewardship of organizational resources and confidential information.

Work is evaluated by periodic checks for overall effectiveness and results achieved. Written evaluations are done at the end of the initial probationary and annually thereafter on the anniversary date. Operational guidelines are set forth by the Executive Director and presented in the Employee Handbook as well as in department Standard Operating Procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS, WORK ENVIRONMENT, & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty in a satisfactory manner. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience preferred.
• Minimum four years of progressively responsible professional fundraising experience, including demonstrated major gift cultivation and solicitation; prior staff supervision or departmental leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to develop fundraising plans, manage budgets, evaluate results, and meet measurable revenue goals.
• Experience with donor databases and fundraising technology (DonorPerfect preferred) and email marketing platforms (Constant Contact preferred).

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, presentation, and relationship-management skills; comfort with public speaking and community networking.
• Ability to build productive relationships with donors, Board members, volunteers, staff, corporate partners, and diverse community members.
• Ability to bring a sense of humor and perspective to the workplace while maintaining professionalism and respect
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and maintain effective working relationships across staff, volunteers, leadership, and the public
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and professionally in a variety of situations
• Sound judgment and the ability to navigate sensitive situations with discretion, professionalism, and respect for confidentiality
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, follow through on tasks, and maintain attention to detail
• Effective problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to think critically and approach challenges thoughtfully
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
• Demonstrated ability to support a positive, inclusive, and respectful workplace culture
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Work is primarily performed in an office setting and involves regular computer and standard office equipment use, meetings, local travel, and occasional work at events or animal-care facilities.
• Position may involve standing, walking, carrying event materials, and occasional exposure to animals, allergens, cleaning products, and other conditions associated with animal-care environments.

Additional Expectations

• Commitment to treating all individuals with dignity and respect
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive information appropriately
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse population and contribute to a collaborative and supportive organizational culture
• Highly motivated, dependable, and self-directed
• A genuine appreciation for both people and animals, and a commitment to supporting the human–animal bond

Must be willing to give permission for a background check and a DMV report. Must possess a valid, unrestricted North Carolina driver’s license with a driving record acceptable by Blue Ridge Humane Society’s insurance carrier. May be asked to submit to drug testing during employment.

Blue Ridge Humane Society provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Blue Ridge Humane Society complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.