Development Director

Cfimoab; Moab (UT); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Vision & Dental Insurance

Simple IRA with 3% match

Paid vacation, sick leave & holidays

Pro deals for outdoor gear

Moab lifestyle

Job summary

Canyonlands Field Institute (CFI) in Moab, Utah seeks a Development Director to oversee all fundraising, grants, donor relations, and fundraising strategy. This leader will drive revenue growth, manage a grant program, and report to the leadership team and Board of Trustees.

The role requires at least 3 years in fundraising/donor relations, 2 years supervising staff, and strong communication skills. Travel to funder sites and events is expected as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years in donor relations, fundraising strategy, and grant writing with a track record of securing gifts and grants.
• Minimum 2 years supervisory experience.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication with diverse audiences.
• Willingness to travel for staff meetings, funder visits, and conferences.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual fundraising and development strategy aligned with CFI’s mission.
• Cultivate and steward donor relationships to build long-term support.
• Oversee grant submissions and reporting to funders and Board.
• Supervise the Grant Writer and provide coaching for success.
• Collaborate with leadership on budget planning and resource development.

Skills

Donor relations

Fundraising strategy

Grant writing

Leadership

Team collaboration

CRM/DMS experience

Tools

Donor Management Systems (DMS)

CRM software

Grant management software

Job description

Benefits: Health, Vision and Dental Insurance 75%/25% split between CFI and employee
Simple IRA with 3% CFI match
Vacation, sick and comp time accrual and schedule of paid holidays
Access to pro deals for outdoor gear
Live, work, and explore in beautiful Moab, Utah

Schedule: 35+ hours. Once trained, the incumbent for this position will participate in the on call manager rotation.

Overview

Canyonlands Field Institute (CFI) is seeking a collaborative, energetic leader to be our new Development Director. Based out of Moab, Utah, this position oversees all aspects of development for CFI, including grant writing, strategic planning, donor relationship management, and fundraising initiatives. In order to offset the costs of program participation for schools and families, CFI has set the goal, that by 2034, it will receive 80% of funding from philanthropic sources. Our new Development Director will help us get there.

This is a high impact position within a small organization. The ideal candidate for this position is a leader experienced in fundraising, donor relations, and team collaboration. Candidates must have a strong connection to, and passion for, CFI’s mission is to cultivate connection to self, community, and nature by creating inclusive educational pathways to the outdoors. The ideal candidate is an effective communicator, catalyst, and strategic thinker who is knowledgeable about fundraising best practices and processes.

Primary Duties

• Lead the development of the annual fundraising and development strategy, ensuring it reflects CFI’s mission.
  Cultivate and promote CFI’s core values through development initiatives.
• Identify innovative revenue generation strategies and build a diverse funding base, including individual donors, foundations, and other sources.
• Cultivate and steward donor relationships to enhance ongoing support.
• Create innovative opportunities to engage donors and sponsors, foster long‑term relationships.
• Oversee timely and accurate donor acknowledgements and communication tracking in the donor management system.
• Lead the prospecting efforts to identify and engage potential individuals, foundations, and other funders.
  Develop and execute strategies for expanding and diversifying the donor pipeline.
• Maintain a robust database of prospects, tracking progress and outcomes using donor management systems.
• Produce regular, insightful reports on donor engagement, fundraising progress, and grants, sharing these updates with the leadership team and Board of Trustees.
• Supervise the Grant Writer, providing coaching, guidance, and support to help them succeed in their role.
• Oversee grant submissions to ensure quality and alignment with organizational goals.
• Ensure Development Division staff and volunteers are properly trained to use systems to track donations, communications, and reporting.
• Collaborate with the leadership team on budget planning and oversight.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in donor relations, fundraising strategy, and grant writing, with a track record of securing major gifts and grants.
• Minimum of 2 years supervisory experience.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and inspire diverse audiences, including donors, community members, and stakeholders.
• Strong leadership, team‑building, and collaborative skills.
• Experience with Donor Management Systems (DMS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, Grant Management Systems, and other fundraising software tools and databases.
• Ability to travel including staff meetings, funder visits, and conferences.

Conditions

• Employee will be reviewed after first 60‑days conditional period.
• Agree and sign the acceptance of CFI personnel policies and procedures.
• Must pass Utah educators’ fingerprint and background check at CFI expense.

Recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce is a high priority at Canyonlands Field Institute. The Institute does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, military, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, age, citizenship or any other basis prohibited by law in any of its policies or programs.