Director of Development

Summer Search; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Summer Search Boston is seeking a Director of Development to elevate the program’s fundraising capacity by directing development operations and donor relations. The role partners with Summer Search National’s Managing Director of Development and Boston’s Executive Director to manage major donors and drive financial goals, while supervising 2–3 staff for program excellence.

Responsibilities include strategic planning, portfolio management, major gift cultivation, board liaison, staff mentoring,

Qualifications

• Experience in nonprofit fundraising operations and donor relations is advantageous.
• Strong relationship-building and donor stewardship skills.
• Strategic planning and project management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Summer Search Boston’s development function, including building and implementing a strategic plan, to achieve fundraising goals.
• Manage a portfolio of ~50 individual donors and family foundations, with annual fundraising targets.
• Identify, research, qualify and cultivate new major gift prospects capable of five- or six-figure gifts.
• Build donor-specific cultivation strategies, leveraging staff and Board leadership to solicit and steward prospects and donors.
• Serve as a key liaison to the Board, promoting a culture of philanthropy and guiding development activities.
• Directly supervise and mentor a Senior Donor Relations Manager and Senior Manager of Institutional Partnerships to ensure effective donor strategy and execution, plus data tracking against goals.
• Collaborate with local and national development staff to support partnerships with corporate, foundation, and individual donors.
• Lead Boston signature fundraising events, including Voices of Summer Search, as part of the fundraising strategy.
• Represent Summer Search at networking opportunities and community events with external stakeholders.

Job description

THE OPPORTUNITY Summer Search Boston is Seeking a Director of Development to build the program’s fundraising capacity through leading internal development operations and external donor relations. Partnering with Summer Search National’s Managing Director of Development and Boston’s Executive Director, this hire will manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, with the goal of raising approximately $3.5M for FY 2025 and 50% of FY26’s fundraising goal. In addition, the Director of Development will supervise 2-3 staff members working collaboratively to ensure excellent development operations.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Oversee Summer Search Boston’s development function, including building and implementing a strategic plan, in order to achieve a fundraising goal of approximately $3.5M for FY24 and 50% of FY25’s fundraising goal.
• Assume personal responsibility for managing an existing portfolio of ~50 individual donors and family foundations, with the goal of raising over $1.25M annually from this portfolio.
• Identify, research, qualify and cultivate new major gift prospects with the capacity to make five- and six-figure gifts.
• Build donor-specific cultivation strategies, leveraging staff and Board leadership to solicit and steward prospects and donors.
• Act as a key liaison to the Board, working with the group to promote a culture of philanthropy and offering proactive support and guidance for their development activities.
• Directly supervise and mentor a Senior Donor Relations Manager and Senior Manager of Institutional Partnerships in order to ensure excellent institutional and individual donor strategy and execution, as well as data tracking and analysis against fundraising goals.
• Collaborate with local and national development staff to support key network-wide partnerships with corporate, foundation, and individual donors.
• Serve as the strategic lead for Boston signature fundraising events, including Voices of Summer Search.
• Represent Summer Search at key networking opportunities and community events with external stakeholders.