Director of Development

Merraine Group; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement benefits

Paid time off

Professional development support

Job summary

Merraine Group seeks an accomplished Director of Development in Phoenix to lead fundraising strategy for a major educational and cultural initiative. You will drive capital campaigns, endowment, annual giving, and institutional partnerships, translating mission into philanthropy and building a culture of support with the Executive Director and Board.

You will oversee major gifts, donor relations, foundations, corporate engagements, and development operations, building scalable processes and a

Qualifications

• 8-12 years of progressive nonprofit development experience.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred in related fields.
• Demonstrated success securing six- and seven-figure philanthropic commitments.
• Meaningful capital campaign experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy for multi-year capital, endowment, and operating fundraising goals.
• Manage portfolio of high-capacity donors; cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts.
• Oversee foundations and corporate engagement, grant proposals, and reporting.
• Build fundraising metrics, dashboards, and reporting for leadership and Board.

Skills

Major gifts

Capital campaigns

Donor relations

Fundraising strategy

CRM & donor data

Board collaboration

Education

Bachelor\'s degree

Advanced degree in nonprofit management or related field

Tools

CRM software

Donor management systems

Job description

This is an opportunity for an accomplished development leader to help shape the philanthropic foundation of a major new educational and cultural initiative. The Director of Development will lead fundraising strategy across a significant capital project, endowment, major gifts, annual giving, and institutional partnerships, while building the systems and relationships needed for long-term sustainability. Working closely with the Executive Director and Board, this leader will translate a compelling mission into meaningful philanthropic engagement and help establish a culture of philanthropy grounded in education, civic responsibility, and community impact.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Development & Capital Campaign

• Partner with the Executive Director and Board to achieve multi-year capital, endowment, and operating fundraising goals.
• Lead strategy for principal and major gifts of $50,000+, including prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develop campaign messaging, case statements, and donor materials aligned with the organization's mission and vision.
• Advise the Board on fundraising priorities, prospect strategy, and campaign progress.
• Develop strategies for sustaining philanthropic momentum beyond the anticipated 2027 opening.

Major Gifts & Donor Relations

• Manage and grow a portfolio of high-capacity individual donors and prospects.
• Create personalized engagement strategies for major and principal gift opportunities.
• Oversee naming opportunities and donor recognition initiatives.
• Establish thoughtful stewardship practices that foster long-term donor relationships and reflect the significance of the mission.

Foundation & Corporate Engagement

• Identify, cultivate, and solicit foundations and corporations whose priorities align with educational, civic, community, security, and capital initiatives.
• Oversee grant proposal development, submission, and reporting.
• Build and maintain long-term institutional partnerships.
• Develop annual giving strategies that increase donor participation and strengthen the fundraising pipeline.
• Lead community-based fundraising initiatives and special campaigns.
• Strengthen donor retention, engagement, and upgrade strategies.
• Development Operations
• Oversee the integrity and effective use of the organization's CRM and donor information systems.
• Establish fundraising metrics, dashboards, and reporting for leadership and Board review.
• Ensure adherence to nonprofit fundraising standards, policies, and ethical practices.
• Build scalable development processes and infrastructure to support organizational growth.
• Supervise development staff, consultants, and external partners as appropriate.
• Establish clear goals, accountability, and performance expectations.
• Collaborate with Education, Marketing, Operations, and other teams to align fundraising priorities with programmatic objectives.

Qualifications & Experience

• 8-12 years of progressive nonprofit development experience, preferably within a cultural, educational, historical, or other mission-driven organization.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in nonprofit management, philanthropy, business, public administration, communications, Jewish studies, history, or a related field preferred.
• Demonstrated success securing six- and seven-figure philanthropic commitments.
• Meaningful capital campaign experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of major gifts, donor cultivation, stewardship, foundation relations, and development operations.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience working effectively with senior executives, Board members, and high-capacity donors.
• CFRE or comparable professional credential is a plus.
• A demonstrated respect for Holocaust history and the educational and ethical responsibilities associated with this work.
• Strategic and analytical approach to fundraising
• Exceptional relationship-building skills
• Strong donor-centered communication
• Executive presence and sound judgment
• Entrepreneurial and solutions-oriented mindset
• Collaborative leadership style
• High degree of integrity and discretion
• Strong organizational and project-management skills
• Ability to balance long-term strategy with hands-on execution

The Director of Development will work in person in Phoenix and join a growing organization preparing for a significant new chapter. The environment is collaborative, mission-focused, and highly relationship-driven, with opportunities to work across programs and functions.

The compensation range is $120,000-$160,000 annually, commensurate with experience, along with a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, and professional development support.