Development Director

Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Inc.; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Inc. in Louisville seeks a Development Director to provide strategic leadership for fundraising and to accelerate the organization’s transition to a diversified private philanthropy model.

You will oversee donor engagement, major gifts, annual campaigns, corporate partnerships, events, and planned giving, and manage staff, volunteers, and consultants to grow philanthropic revenue and strengthen relationships across Louisville, Lexington, and Northern Kentucky.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 5–7+ years nonprofit fundraising experience.
• Proven success securing major gifts and growing philanthropic revenue.
• Experience managing staff and fundraising strategy.
• Strong relationship-building and donor engagement skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Experience with donor CRM systems preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a comprehensive development program accelerating the transition to private philanthropy.
• Create and manage fundraising strategies across multiple revenue streams: individual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, events, and planned giving.
• Monitor fundraising performance and adjust strategies to maximize results.
• Prepare development forecasts, reports, and pipeline updates for leadership and board committees.
• Manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects; lead donor engagement plans.
• Partner with executive leadership on major donor meetings, proposals, and stewardship; support board fundraising efforts.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Donor relations

Strategic planning

Staff management

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Donor CRM systems

Fundraising analytics

Job description

The Development Director provides strategic leadership for KRM’s fundraising efforts, leading the development of a comprehensive fundraising program designed to accelerate the organization's transition from federal funding dependence to a diversified, sustainable private philanthropy model. The role will spearhead the organization's strategic shift from reliance on federal funding, creating the systems, strategies, and relationships that will fuel long-term growth and impact. The Development Director is responsible for growing philanthropic revenue, strengthening donor relationships across Louisville, Lexington, and Northern Kentucky, and overseeing fundraising strategy across individual giving, major gifts, annual campaigns, corporate partnerships, events, and planned giving.

Key Responsibilities

· Build and lead a comprehensive development program that accelerates the organization's transition from federal funding to a sustainable private philanthropy model

· Create and manage fundraising strategies across multiple revenue streams, including:

oIndividual giving

oMajor gifts

oCorporate sponsorships

oEvents

oPlanned giving

· Monitor fundraising performance and adjust strategies to maximize results

· Prepare development forecasts, reports, and pipeline updates for leadership and board committees

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship

· Manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects

· Lead donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies

· Develop donor engagement plans that deepen relationships and increase giving

· Partner with executive leadership on major donor meetings, proposals, and stewardship

· Support board fundraising efforts and donor engagement strategies

·Train and coach board members in fundraising best practices

·Staff development or fundraising committees

·Assist with volunteer fundraising leadership initiatives

· Supervise development staff and consultants

·Establish performance goals and accountability measures

·Foster collaboration across development, finance, communications, and program teams

·Support professional growth of fundraising staff

Campaigns & Events

·Oversee fundraising campaigns and donor events

·Ensure strategic donor engagement before, during, and after events

·Monitor campaign progress toward revenue goals

Budget & Reporting

·Develop and manage the development department budget

·Analyze fundraising ROI and performance metrics

·Present fundraising updates to executive leadership and board stakeholders

Qualifications

·Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred

·5–7+ years of nonprofit fundraising experience

·Demonstrated success securing major gifts and growing philanthropic revenue

·Experience managing staff and fundraising strategy

·Strong relationship-building and donor engagement skills

·Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills

·Experience with donor CRM systems preferred

Agency Profile

A nonprofit organization founded in 1990, Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM) serves refugees and immigrants through offices in Louisville, Lexington and Covington.

KRM provides clients with comprehensive case management; coordination of medical and mental health care; employment services; youth services, from early childhood to college readiness; ESL and cultural orientation; legal services and citizenship education; advocacy for victims of crime; and arts and culture programming.

KRM has a diverse staff who do not engage in any religious messaging in connection to delivery of client services.

Position Status, Compensation and Benefits

·Full-time exempt position

·Reports to KRM Executive Director in Louisville

·Salary based on background and experience , in range of $75,000 to $85,000 per year

·Medical, dental, vision and life insurance; vacation, holidays, sick and personal days

·401(k) retirement plan with a 2% fully-vested KRM match after one year of service

Work Arrangements

·KRM staff are required to work at least four days a week, or 80% of scheduled hours, in-person, either in the office or the field, with remaining hours worked remotely

·Ability to work primarily out of KRM’s main office in Louisville—where a majority of agency staff, clients and financial donors are located is strongly preferred. However, exceptional candidates from Lexington or Northern Kentucky who commit to required travel, will be considered.

·The Development Director will need to periodically drive to the location of all KRM offices to meet with development staff and donors