Development Director

United Way of Great Knoxville; Knoxville (TN); Hybrid; USD 270,000 - 330,000; Full time

Job summary

Trees Knoxville is seeking an experienced Development Director to build our donor infrastructure and lead major fundraising initiatives as we transition toward long-term community self-sustainability.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this hybrid role will oversee corporate partnerships, major donor cultivation, foundation grants, and fundraising-related communications across Knoxville and East Tennessee.

Qualifications

• 4 to 7+ years of nonprofit fundraising, development, corporate partnerships, or institutional advancement.
• Demonstrated success managing annual fundraising goals of $300,000 or more.
• Experience working with a Board of Directors and fundraising committees.
• Ability to create and execute an annual and multi-year fundraising plan from scratch.
• Strong donor CRM management, gift tracking, and data administration.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills for securing major gifts.

Responsibilities

• Develop, execute, and evaluate a multi-year fundraising plan with KPIs.
• Oversee proposals, reporting, events, donor communications, and CRM standards.
• Collaborate on strategic planning, budgeting, and financial decision-making.
• Lead cultivation of major donors and corporate sponsorships.
• Manage fundraising communications and ambassadorial outreach for Trees Knoxville.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Donor relations

Board engagement

CRM management

Microsoft Office

Public speaking

Tools

Little Green Light

Bloomerang

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Job description

Trees Knoxville is seeking an experienced, strategic Development Director to build our donor infrastructure and lead major fundraising initiatives as we transition toward long-term community self-sustainability. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this position will oversee corporate partnerships, major donor cultivation, foundation grants, and fundraising-related communications. This hybrid role is ideal for a results-driven professional eager to foster community partnerships and advance urban forestry across Knoxville and East Tennessee.

Description

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy
Develop, execute, and evaluate a collaborative, multi-year fundraising plan.
Establish and track strategic fundraising KPIs and metrics, presenting key data and progress reports regularly to the Executive Director and Board of Directors.
Oversee proposal development, reporting, events, donor communications, and development of CRM standards and donation platforms.
Collaborate with the Executive Director on organizational strategic planning, budgeting, and financial decision-making as a core leader within Trees Knoxville
Oversee all development-specific messaging and communications.

Individual Giving, Corporate Sponsorships & Events

Identify, cultivate, and steward donor relationships at all levels, engaging the Executive Director and Board to build long-term relationships and a robust major-donor pipeline.
Lead direct mail and digital annual giving campaigns.
Conceive, pitch, secure, and manage corporate sponsorship investments ($1,000 to $10,000+) for Tree Fest and seasonal community planting initiatives.
Oversee fundraising events and corporate volunteer sponsorship days, including planning for potential major donor initiatives.

Grants & Fee-for-Service

Collaborate with the Executive Director on foundation grant proposals.
Assist the Executive Director in drafting and submitting government grant proposals.
Collaborate with the Executive Director to secure fee-for-service planting and maintenance contracts with municipal entities, utilities, and corporate grounds.

Board Engagement & Committee Leadership

Facilitate the Fundraising Committee, partnering with the Committee Chair to foster a strong culture of philanthropy across the organization.
Coach and support Board members to comfortably steward prospects and close donor gifts.
Serve as a key fundraising ambassador for Trees Knoxville.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, & Qualifications

• 4 to 7+ years of successful employment in nonprofit fundraising, development, corporate partnerships, or institutional advancement.
• Demonstrated successful management of annual fundraising goals of $300,000 or more.
• Demonstrated success working directly with a Board of Directors and leading volunteer or board fundraising committees.
• Proven ability to create, execute, and monitor a comprehensive annual and multi-year fundraising plan from scratch.
• High proficiency in donor CRM management (e.g., Little Green Light, Bloomerang, or Salesforce), gift tracking, database administration, and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal skills, with a track record of successfully pitching corporate leaders and cultivating individual major donors.
• Familiarity with the East Tennessee business landscape, local family foundations, and regional philanthropic networks is a strong plus.