Director of Development

National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Minnesota; On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

National Legal Aid & Defender Association seeks a strategic Director of Development to lead grants management, fundraising, and revenue development. This senior role partners with executive leadership to ensure financial sustainability and program impact.

The Director oversees 30–40 active grants, expands individual giving, strengthens donor and funder relationships, and builds robust development systems across the organization. Collaboration with Finance and legal services is essential.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Revenue Development: Serve on Justice North's Director Team, contributing to organizational strategy, budgeting, planning, and decision‑making.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy focused on sustaining existing funding, diversifying revenue, and supporting long‑term financial stability.
• Partner with executive leadership, Finance, and legal services teams to identify funding priorities, assess organizational capacity, and pursue strategic opportunities.
• Develop multiyear revenue projections and funding strategies, identifying renewal opportunities, potential funding gaps, and financial risks.
• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities, including collaborative grants and partnerships with other organizations and government entities.

Job description

Position Description

Position Summary

Justice North seeks a strategic, experienced, and collaborative Director of Development to lead the organization's grants management, fundraising, and revenue development efforts. This newly created position is part of the senior leadership team and will play a critical role in organizational strategy, financial sustainability, and future growth.

The Director of Development will oversee a portfolio of approximately 30–40 active grants from federal, state, local government, private foundation, and other funding sources. This position will also lead efforts to diversify revenue, expand individual giving, strengthen donor and funder relationships, and establish effective development systems and processes.

Reporting to a Co-Executive Director, the Director will supervise the Data and Compliance Manager and Fundraising and Communications Lead. The position will collaborate closely with Finance, legal services leadership, and staff across the organization to align funding strategies with organizational priorities and ensure grant accountability.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and effective leader who is also willing to be hands‑on, particularly in developing compelling grant proposals, analyzing financial and program data, and building strong relationships.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Revenue Development

Serve on Justice North's Director Team, contributing to organizational strategy, budgeting, planning, and decision‑making.

Develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy focused on sustaining existing funding, diversifying revenue, and supporting long‑term financial stability.

Partner with executive leadership, Finance, and legal services teams to identify funding priorities, assess organizational capacity, and pursue strategic opportunities.

Develop multiyear revenue projections and funding strategies, identifying renewal opportunities, potential funding gaps, and financial risks.

Identify and pursue new funding opportunities, including collaborative grants and partnerships with other organizations and government entities.

Grants Management and Accountability

Oversee the full grant lifecycle for approximately 30–40 active grants, including prospecting, proposal development, writing, budgeting, reporting, renewals, and funder relationships.

Personally lead the development and writing of significant grant proposals, reports, and other funding requests.

Collaborate with the Director of Finance on grant budgets, financial reporting, revenue forecasting, and funding restrictions.

Develop and maintain effective grant management systems to track deadlines, deliverables, expenditures, and compliance requirements.

Establish clear expectations and accountability for grant‑funded activities, partnering with legal services leadership and staff to ensure grant commitments are met.

Train and support staff in understanding grant requirements, documenting outcomes, and taking ownership of grant‑funded projects.

Fundraising, Donor Development, and Communications

Lead strategies to expand individual giving, strengthen donor retention, cultivate major gifts, and grow unrestricted revenue.

Oversee fundraising initiatives, including the annual fundraising event, smaller events, sponsorships, and giving campaigns.

Develop and maintain relationships with institutional funders, individual donors, community partners, and other supporters.

Oversee the effective use of Justice North's donor management system to support fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and performance tracking.

Collaborate with staff to translate organizational data, client outcomes, and impact stories into compelling grant proposals, donor communications, and funding presentations.

Partner with executive leadership and the Board of Directors to support board involvement in fundraising and donor cultivation.

Team Leadership and Organizational Collaboration

Supervise and support the Data and Compliance Manager and Fundraising and Communications Lead, establishing clear priorities, expectations, and performance measures.

Build strong working relationships across departments and strengthen coordination among Development, Finance, and legal services teams.

Promote shared accountability, proactive communication, and continuous improvement.

Evaluate and improve development processes, technology, and reporting systems to increase efficiency and organizational effectiveness.