Director of Development

Fight For The Forgotten; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 105,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Fight for the Forgotten is seeking its first full-time Director of Development, a builder who blends strategy with hands-on fundraising to scale the organization’s philanthropy. You will manage major gifts, oversee grants, and shape the systems that support growth, donor engagement, and sustained giving.

Reporting to the CEO, you will lead fundraising efforts, build a development function from the ground up, and collaborate with leadership to expand impact across Uganda and Eastern Congo.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of progressive fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in major gifts.
• Skilled relationship-builder who leads with curiosity and genuine interest in donors as partners.
• Thrive in organizations where you wear many hats and your fingerprints are on the work.
• Ability to motivate and manage up, creating trust with the CEO and board.
• Clear, compelling writer comfortable with data analysis and storytelling.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a comprehensive annual development plan with clear revenue goals, strategies, and timelines across all contributed revenue streams.
• Manage a personal major gifts portfolio, typically 40–75 donors and prospects, with responsibility for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Oversee and contribute to grant prospecting, writing, and reporting for foundation and government funders.
• Lead annual fund strategy, including direct mail, digital giving, and mid-level donor programs.
• Plan and execute fundraising events and donor cultivation activities.
• Set and monitor monthly revenue targets; provide regular pipeline reporting to the CEO and board.

Skills

Major gifts

Donor relations

Strategic planning

Storytelling/writing

Board engagement

Data analysis

Tools

Salesforce

Bloomerang

Job description

The Director of Development is FightForTheForgotten'sfirst full-time fundraising hire and chief architect of the organization's development program. This is a builder's role: part strategist, part implementer, fully invested in FFTF's mission to end slavery, violence, and preventable death among one of the world's most forgotten people. The Director will design and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy that manages and deepens existing donor relationships, professionalizes CEO-led donor engagement and follow-up, expands institutional giving, and builds the systems, processes, and infrastructure needed for FFTF to scale its philanthropic revenue over the long term.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Director of Development is both a hands-on fundraiser and a strategic partner, working closely with the CEO to manage his donor relationships and correspondence, ensure timely and thoughtful follow-up, and translate his vision and frontline credibility into a compelling case for giving. This role is ideal for a seasoned frontline fundraiser ready to build a development function from the ground up, or an experienced development manager ready to take full ownership of an organization's fundraising program.

About Fight for the Forgotten:

Fight for the Forgotten (FFTF) is a nonprofit on a mission to defeat hate with love. Founded by MMA fighter Justin Wren, FFTF partners with the Batwa Pygmy people of Uganda and Eastern Congo to restore dignity and build lasting, self-sufficient futures through land ownership, clean water, health care, education, and livelihood opportunities.

Core Responsibilities:

• Design and implement a comprehensive annual development plan with clear revenue goals, strategies, and timelines across all contributed revenue streams.
• Manage a personal majorgiftsportfolio, typically 40–75 donors and prospects, with responsibility for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Oversee and personally contribute to grant prospecting, writing, and reporting for foundation and government funders.
• Lead annual fund strategy, including direct mail, digital giving, and mid-level donor programs.
• Plan and execute fundraising events and donor cultivation activities.
• Set andmonitormonthly revenue targets; provide regular pipeline reporting to the CEO and board.

Donor Relations & Communications:

• Build andmaintainhigh-trust relationships with individual, corporate, and foundation donors.
• Ensure consistent,timely, and meaningful donor acknowledgment and recognition.

Infrastructure & Operations:

• Maintain and improve CRM data integrity;establishconsistent processes for donor tracking,movesmanagement, and reporting.
• Develop and document fundraising policies, procedures, and systems that scale with organizational growth.
• Manage the development budget with attention to cost-effectiveness and return on investment.
• Partner with the CEOto begin engaging board members asambassadors, connectors, and solicitors.
• Provide regular reporting and data-driven analysis to inform organizational decision-making.

Qualifications:

You might be the right fit if...

• You have 5–7 years of progressive fundraising experience, withdemonstratedsuccess in major gifts;
• You are a skilled relationship-builder who leads with curiosity and genuine interest in donors as partners;
• You thrive in organizations where you wear manyhatsand your fingerprints are on the work;
• You understand how to motivate andmanage up, creating trust and momentum with theCEO and board;
• You are a clear, compelling writer and comfortable with both data analysis and storytelling;
• You bring an entrepreneurial spirit anda track recordof building or significantly growing a fundraising program;
• You hold yourself and others tohigh standards— and you know how to make the work enjoyable along the way.

Preferred Experience:

• Proficiencywith fundraising CRM platforms (Salesforce,Bloomerang, or similar)
• Experience fundraising for international NGOs
• Experience fundraising alongside a public figure, or high-profile founder/spokesperson

Reports to:Founder & CEO

Location:Austin, TX

Hours:Full-time, exempt; some evening and weekend availability required

Compensation:$105,000 - $130,000 commensurate with experience

Travel:This role requires up to 50% travel including:

• Domestic: Donor visits, staffing CEO speaking engagements, and conferences (40%)
• International: Potential for international travel to Uganda and Eastern Congo to visit program sites & build donor stewardship content (10%)
• Fight for theForgottenis an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse, inclusive team. Candidates from underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.