Development Director

Dress for Success Oregon; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Dress for Success Oregon seeks a Development Director to lead DFSO's fundraising strategy, focusing on corporate sponsorships, major gifts, and individual donor stewardship. You will work closely with the Executive Director, Grants team, and Board to grow unrestricted revenue and support DFSO’s mission.

The role is full-time with hybrid work arrangements at our Portland office, requiring strong communication, accountability, and strategic fundraising leadership to empower women toward economic

Job description

DRESS FOR SUCCESS OREGON

Development Director JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Type: Full Time, Hybrid*

Monday-Friday: 9:00AM-5:00PM

Job Location: Dress for Success Oregon, 1532 NE 37th Ave, Portland OR 97232

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Reports to: Executive Director

Hybrid work arrangements may be considered after an initial period of demonstrated performance, consistent delivery of results, proactive communication, and accountability. Eligibility will be based on the employee's ability to independently manage responsibilities, meet established goals and deadlines, and maintain strong collaboration with the team. Hybrid arrangements are subject to organizational needs and Executive Director approval.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

The mission of Dress for Success is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

DFSO is Oregon’s leading workforce development agency supporting women and gender expansive individuals from all background.We provide participants with education, training, financial literacy, help searching for jobs, health navigation, and health supports - and assist participants by assessing needs and developing a plan to address them (housing, transportation, food, technology, childcare, etc.). DFSO’s social supports provide 1x1, customized attention to each of our participants, alongside classes and groups that provide participants with the opportunity to connect with one another.

Our programs provide crucial assistance to women and gender expansive people, the majority of whom are low-income - 73% rely on public assistance, 53% are domestic violence survivors, 53% are single mothers, 31% have experienced homelessness, 22% identify as disabled, and 64% identify as BIPOC. Many are returning to work after caregiving, aging out of foster care, military service, incarceration, or career transitions, while managing digital inequities, limited childcare, unsafe housing, or interpersonal violence. Our goal is to address all barriers that women face when it comes to finding employment.

By tackling these barriers head-on, we aim to create a more inclusive and equal workforce. Additionally, we strive to provide a trauma-informed space, where they can voice any concerns arising in their job search. When women feel confident in their abilities and like they have the resources to succeed, they are more likely to pursue their career goals and overcome any obstacles that come their way. By addressing these issues and providing support, we can help women achieve success in the workplace and break down the barriers that hold them back.

What we value:

Let's start with what we value. First and foremost, we value you! We value the individual talents and knowledge that you bring. DFSO is a Social Enterprise, which means we value a self-starter mentality, entrepreneurial thinking, creativity, innovation, risk, failure, and learning. We want you to grow, learn, and explore.

Our core values:

• We RESPECT ourselves and all.
• We have EMPATHY for all.
• We use TRANSPARENCY in our communication with each other.
• We have ACCOUNTABILITY for our actions. We act consistently with follow-through.
• We are committed to REMOVING BARRIERS TO EQUAL ACCESS due to the intersectional nature of oppression.
• We are SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS and solve problems humanely, creatively and sustainably.
• We “walk the walk” and act with INTEGRITY.
• We work to COLLABORATE as a connected team.

These values help us create a culture of clarity, consistency, and belonging so that each employee feels welcomed and is able to contribute their best work to continue to further our collective mission.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Development Director will lead DFSO's comprehensive fundraising strategy and execution, driving sustainable revenue growth through individual giving, corporate sponsorships, and institutional funding. Working closely with the Executive Director, the Development Director will take ownership of all aspects of development operations, including donor cultivation, stewardship, and relationship management. The Development Director will serve as a strategic leader in the organization's financial planning and will be supported by DFSO's Nonprofit Strategist & Consultant, Marketing Team, Board of Directors to advance the development plan and strategy. The Development Director will lead all aspects of Individual and Corporate giving.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Revenue Growth:

• Lead fundraising strategy focused on corporate and individual donors, with emphasis on donor stewardship, relationship-building, and sponsorships. Work collaboratively with the Executive Director and the Grants team to ensure strategic alignment.
• Develop and execute comprehensive fundraising plans to achieve organizational revenue goals
• Identify, cultivate, and steward major gift opportunities and corporate sponsorships
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective donors and corporate partners
• Revenue Growth & Fundraising: With an established grants team securing approximately $300,000 annually in institutional funding, the Development Director will focus on growing unrestricted revenue through corporate partnerships, individual giving, major gifts, and recurring donor programs, with a first-year goal of securing at least $150,000 in new or increased contributions. This role will play a key part in growing DFSO’s annual organizational revenue from $1.25 million to $1.4 million while collaborating with the grants team to ensure strategic alignment.
• Collaborate with the grants team on reporting requirements and data needs to support institutional funding proposals (not independent grant writing)

Corporate Sponsorship & Partnerships:

• Lead all corporate sponsorship & partnerships, including identification, cultivation, and stewardship
• Develop compelling sponsorship packages and proposals tailored to corporate prospects
• Manage workplace giving campaigns and coordinate corporate engagement opportunities
• Serve as primary relationship manager for all corporate donations, partnerships and sponsors

Individual Giving & Major Gifts:

• Direct individual donor cultivation and solicitation across all giving levels, with emphasis on major gifts
• Manage and execute individual donor campaigns (e.g., direct mail, online giving days, workplace giving, major gifts)
• Develop and manage individual donor relationships across all giving levels, identifying prospects within our pipeline for cultivation and stewardship
• Build and maintain meaningful relationships with individual donors

Fundraising Coordination & Execution:

• Plan, execute, and oversee all fundraising events, initiatives, and campaigns including our end of year fundraising, annual gala, coworking memberships, major donor initiatives….
• Coordinate with the Marketing Team to align on all marketing materials and communications, including annual reports, newsletters, e-updates, website, social media, presentations, brochures, and collateral materials
• Support Leadership Team, Board, and other constituents in donor cultivation and stewardship efforts
• Serve as primary liaison for grant-related data requests, budget creation, and solicitation of documents for foundations and institutional funders
• Produce comprehensive reports for grantors and other institutional donors

Data Management & Systems:

• Oversee and work alongside the Operations Assistant to maintain accurate, up-to-date donor and finance records in Salesforce and other CRM systems
• Generate strategic donor reports, track contributions, and analyze donor and financial data to inform development strategy
• Coordinate with finance and fundraising vendors
• Generate reports and analyze program and volunteer data to strategically build new community partnerships
• Ensure all fundraising systems and information are properly managed and leveraged for strategic decision-making