Development Director

Vermont Mountain Bike Association, Incorporated; Waterbury (VT); Hybrid; USD 68,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Simple IRA

Unlimited PTO

Holidays

Family leave

Gear stipend

Tech stipend

Industry deals

Great team

Job summary

VMBA is seeking a full-time Development Director based in Vermont to build and manage a robust donor pipeline, steward major donors, and guide VMBA’s fundraising strategy. You will work with the ED, Fundraising Committee, Board, and staff to grow philanthropic support.

This role reports to the Executive Director and participates in donor engagement, events, and campaigns. This position offers a competitive base salary around $75,000 with a performance-based annual bonus, benefits, and a

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4 years of nonprofit fundraising experience, focusing on individual philanthropy and major gifts.
• Proven ability to meet or exceed fundraising targets.
• Strong organizational skills with CRM and data management experience.
• Excellent interpersonal and public speaking skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a strong donor pipeline, steward relationships with major donors.
• Set annual fundraising goals with the ED and Board and develop supporting strategies.
• Lead donor engagement activities with the Fundraising Committee.
• Identify and cultivate relationships with 120–150 prospective donors.
• Plan and execute high-value donor meetings and fundraising events.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to design campaigns.
• Develop development systems and collateral to communicate VMBA’s mission.

Job description

The Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to ensure the sustainability of mountain biking in Vermont and thoughtfully promote exceptional riding experiences for all through advocacy, education, and community-driven stewardship. Founded in 1997, VMBA now counts 28 local Chapters, one central office, and nearly 9,000 individual members. Collectively, our organization deploys more than 25,000+ volunteer hours to build and maintain over 920 miles of trail. VMBA also serves as the collective voice for mountain biking in Vermont, advocating for policies and legislation that promote more and better trails while also working to cultivate a ridership that knows when, where, and how to ride.

VMBA is guided by our most recent 5-year Strategic Plan , led by a full-time Executive Director, and overseen by an active & engaged Board of Directors.

Position Summary

VMBA is currently seeking a self-direct, results-driven, and experienced Development Director (DD). In this new position, the DD will work closely with the Executive Director (ED), Fundraising Committee, Board, and staff to build, manage, and mature a robust pipeline of philanthropic supporters, including but not limited to high-net-worth individuals, family offices & foundations, and corporate donors, significantly increasing total annual philanthropic support in order to reach the goals laid out in VMBA’s Strategic Plan. The DD will also work closely with the ED and Marketing & Communications Manager to design and guide broader public fundraising campaigns, ensuring alignment with VMBA’s strategies to identify and cultivate major individual donors.

This position is full-time (40 hours per week) with benefits and reports to the Executive Director.

Primary Responsibilities

The Development Director’s overarching responsibility is to build and manage a strong pipeline of philanthropic supporters, steward relationships with major donors, and develop the systems and processes to guide the collective VMBA team in donor engagement. Specific responsibilities include:

• Work with the Executive Director and Board to establish annual fundraising goals and supporting strategies
• Plan, lead, and execute VMBA’s donor engagement activities, with the guidance and support of VMBA’s Fundraising Committee.
• Identify and cultivate relationships with prospective donors, establishing an active portfolio of 120-150 donors
• Steward existing donor relationships and work to elevate their ongoing support
• Execute an average of 10-15 meaningful donor meetings monthly to support a minimum of 15 major gift requests annually
• Coordinate the engagement of VMBA’s Executive Director and Board with current and potential future donors
• Develop and execute targeted fundraising events for high-value current and prospective donors
• Provide input to VMBA’s Fundraising Committee and Marketing & Communications manager in the design of public fundraising campaigns and raffles
• Develop systems and processes to track and maintain development activities to ensure a data-driven approach to development
• Develop supporting collateral to use in donor conversations that communicates VMBA’s mission, impact, and giving opportunities
• Lead regular updates with the Fundraising Committee that include overall donor pipeline valuation, key prospects, and areas for Committee & Board engagement
• Achieve agreed-upon fundraising goals, based on total donor pipeline valuation

Additionally, while the Development Director will prepare funding applications to select foundation and family office grant programs, this position is not responsible for broadly seeking and applying for publicly available grant funding.

Supporting Resources

• An active and committed fundraising team, including the Executive Director, Fundraising Committee, and Board of Directors
• A robust existing database of over 1000 individual donors, managed through Little Green Light
• A budget to facilitate statewide travel, donor cultivation, and development opportunities

Desired Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum of 4 years of successful experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a focus on individual philanthropy and major gifts, including engagement with high-net-worth donors
• Proven ability to meet or exceed fundraising targets
• Team and project management experience relevant to cultivating and maintaining a donor pipeline and directing the efforts of VMBA’s broader fundraising team in donor engagement
• Strong organizational skills to develop and maintain data and documentation, including but not limited to familiarity with CRM tools and other relevant data management systems
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision to meet defined goals and deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to establish, maintain, and grow donor relationships
• Strong oral, and written communication skills, including public speaking.
• Knowledge of the outdoor recreation industry, ideally within Vermont
• Passion for trails-based recreation and, at minimum, comfort riding intermediate-level mountain bike trails

Location

This is a Vermont-based hybrid position that requires reliable, high-speed internet for any remote work. Staff meet in person weekly at our Waterbury office and can work on-site whenever they choose. Additional in-person attendance is expected throughout the year for fundraising events, donor and foundation meetings, and other organizational activities.

• Competitive base salary of $75,000
• Annual performance-based bonus
• Simple IRA Retirement Plan with 3% Employer Contribution
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO), with a minimum of 3 weeks leave per year
• 11 recognized holidays per year
• 16 weeks family leave (four weeks paid, 12 weeks unpaid)
• $500 annual gear stipend
• Technology stipend for laptop and mobile service
• Access to industry deals on components, bikes, and accessories
• An incredibly fun, dynamic, and collaborative work environment, and a strong team passionate about VMBA

The anticipated start date is January 2027.

VMBA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds and skills to continue our work of listening and learning, and we strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ, and persons with disabilities.