Development Director - Arizona & Southwest US

01 VITALANT; Scottsdale (AZ); Hybrid; USD 84,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Vitalant in Scottsdale, AZ is seeking a Development Director to advance fundraising across Arizona and the southwestern United States. You will identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors to secure annual and major gifts and expand philanthropic support, working with executive leadership, scientists, and volunteers.

This hybrid role requires 5–7 years nonprofit fundraising experience, a Bachelor's degree (Master's preferred), CFRE preferred, and the ability to travel locally and nationally

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in communications, marketing, sales, business, or related field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Certified Fund‑Raising Executive (CFRE) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify prospective donors and expand donor pipeline and engagement.
• Manage a strategic portfolio of donors and prospects with tailored cultivation and stewardship strategies.
• Build relationships with donors, philanthropic advisors, foundation representatives, and stakeholders.
• Develop proposals and narratives connecting donor interests with Foundation priorities.
• Lead gift solicitations independently and with Foundation leadership.
• Coordinate donor tours, site visits, and donor recognition events.
• Create stewardship plans, donor communications, and impact reports.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Nonprofit fundraising

CFRE

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

CFRE certification

Tools

Virtuous CRM

Microsoft Office

Job description

At Vitalant, the impact you make doing work that is purposeful, meaningful, and worthwhile is vital. As a member of our non‑profit organization, you can be impact‑inspired to provide vital clinical services to communities nationwide, vital products to those in need of a donor's generosity, or vital scientific research that advances blood safety worldwide.

Work Shift (if applicable)

Shift 1 (United States of America)

Job Description

Vitalant is currently seeking a Development Director to advance our mission to unite blood and biologics donors, talent, and innovation to save and improve lives. This role leads philanthropic fundraising across Arizona and the southwestern United States, building meaningful relationships with current, former, and prospective donors to expand support for Vitalant's lifesaving work. As a frontline fundraising professional and ambassador for the Foundation, the Development Director identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards donors to secure annual and major gifts, grow philanthropic support, and achieve fundraising goals that advance Vitalant's mission.

As a Development Director, you'll get to:

• Identify, research, and qualify prospective donors through targeted outreach, discovery visits, and personalized engagement to expand the donor pipeline and advance fundraising goals.
• Manage a strategic portfolio of donors and prospects, developing and executing tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to maximize annual and long‑term philanthropic support.
• Build productive relationships with donors, philanthropic advisors, foundation representatives, community stakeholders, and internal partners to advance fundraising initiatives and campaign priorities.
• Develop compelling proposals and fundable narratives that connect donor interests with Foundation priorities, partnering with executive leadership, providers, scientists, and other subject matter experts.
• Lead gift solicitations independently and collaboratively with Foundation leadership, development staff, clinical and scientific leaders, and board members.
• Coordinate donor tours, site visits, recognition events, and personalized experiences that showcase Vitalant's mission, patient impact, and innovation.
• Create customized stewardship plans, donor communications, impact reports, and recognition materials that demonstrate fulfillment of donor intent, strengthen relationships, and support donor retention.
• Maintain accurate donor database records, document interactions and next steps, track portfolio progress, and provide regular reports on fundraising performance and goals.

Compensation

$83,500 - $110,000

This hybrid position is based in Scottsdale, AZ and requires working onsite three days per week and from an at‑home office two days per week.

REQUIREMENTS

KNOWLEDGE/EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree required in communications, marketing, sales, business, or related field, required.
• Master's degree, preferred.
• Certified Fund‑Raising Executive (CFRE), preferred.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• None.

EXPERIENCE

• Five (5) to seven (7) years of progressive nonprofit fundraising, business development, relationship management or related fundraising experience, required.
• Demonstrated success in achieving fundraising, revenue generation, or donor engagement goals.
• Experience managing donor or constituent portfolios and moving prospects through a defined relationship‑development process.
• Experience in qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors through phone, virtual, and in‑person engagement.
• Experience building relationships with donors, foundation representatives, board members, and community stakeholders, and organizational leaders.
• Experience within a nonprofit, healthcare, research, academic, or similarly mission‑driven organization preferred.

SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Must possess the skills and abilities to successfully perform all assigned duties and responsibilities.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality.
• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to synthesize scientific concepts for donor audiences.
• Proficiency in donor databases (preferably Virtuous) and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic donor engagement and fundraising plans.
• Ability to build credibility and effective working relationships with donors, volunteers, executives, board members, clinicians, researchers, and community leaders.
• Ability to analyze donor information, giving history, and engagement trends to identify opportunities for philanthropic growth.
• High degree of initiative, professionalism, and discretion.
• Highly organized, self‑motivated, and detail oriented.
• Local and regional travel with occasional national and overnight for donor engagement.
• Occasional evenings and weekends.

Location

9305 East Via de Ventura Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Job Category

Sales / Community Outreach

Contact Information

[e-mail]

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