Director of Development

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits; Roseville (MN); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Life Insurance (Basic and Voluntary)

401(k) Retirement Plan with employer |

Long-Term Disability

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Paid Holidays

Volunteer Time Off (VTO)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Paid Educational Training

Bridging Clothing Allowance

Job summary

Bridging seeks a visionary and strategic Director of Development to lead the organization’s fundraising strategy and operations. As a member of the leadership team, this role works closely with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to build a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with deep experience in individual giving, including major gifts and planned giving, and a proven track record of coaching staff and driving revenue growth

Qualifications

• 7+ years of fundraising leadership with year-over-year revenue growth.
• Proven major gifts experience with portfolios.
• Strong relationship-building with donors and partners.
• Experience supervising staff and cross-department collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Set annual fundraising goals and budgets (~$3M).
• Lead multi-year strategic fundraising growth plans.
• Oversee donor acquisition, retention and portfolio management.
• Collaborate with Executive Director, Board and partners.
• Assist events and grants pipelines.
• Coach and develop staff.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Major gifts

Donor relationships

Team leadership

Strategic planning

Project management

DEIB commitment

Budgeting & forecasting

Tools

Raiser's Edge NXT

Job description

JOB TITLE: Director of Development

JOB CLASS: Exempt, Full-Time (40+ hours)

DEPARTMENT: Development

REPORTS TO: Executive Director

LOCATION: Roseville, with regular presence across Bridging's Bloomington and Plymouth locations

SALARY: $105,000 - $115,000

BENEFITS: Bridging offers competitive benefits, including but not limited to:

• Group Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Life Insurance (Basic and Voluntary)
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer match
• Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Paid Time Off (PTO
• Paid Holidays
• Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid Educational Training
• Bridging Clothing Allowance

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY

Bridging, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the Twin Cities Metro Area, empowers people to thrive in their homes by providing quality furniture and household goods for those pursuing housing stability. Since its founding in 1987, Bridging has served approximately 120,000 households (more than 345,000 individuals) and has helped reduce landfill waste by approximately 15 million pounds annually. Operating from its locations in Roseville and Bloomington, Bridging is fueled by volunteers and community donations of essential household items. More than 200 social service agency partners refer clients to Bridging, with nearly half of those served being children under 17 years old.

A note about Bridging's commitment to anti-racism and recruiting:

As we grow, our commitment is to intentionally build a team that reflects the ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity of the individuals, families, and communities we serve. Bridging is an equal opportunity employer that embraces diversity, and we encourage qualified applicants of all racial, ethnic, 2SLGBTQIA+ identities, and other groups to apply. We believe that creating an inclusive environment based on respect, trust, and service is integral to how we serve our clients, support our team, and achieve our mission.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Bridging seeks a visionary and strategic Director of Development to lead the organization's fundraising strategy and operations. As a member of the leadership team, this role works closely with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to build a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE IS

• a strategic, big-picture thinker who understands how each function and role ladders up to contributed fundraising goals;
• a relationship-builder, both internally and externally, with experience in individual giving, including major gifts and planned giving;
• a leader who knows how to bring out the best in a team.

• Set clear priorities, roles and performance expectations for the development and marketing teams.
• Coach and develop staff through regular feedback, goal setting and professional development planning.
• Assess department structure, capacity and resources and recommend changes needed to achieve fundraising goals.

This role is based primarily in Roseville and reports to the Executive Director. Direct reports include the Development Manager and Marketing Manager, with additional team members — a Donor Database Administrator, Development Coordinator, contract Grant Writer, and part-time Communications Coordinator — supporting the broader fundraising and organization communications functions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic & Team Leadership

• Establish and oversee annual fundraising goals (~$3M) and budgets in partnership with the Executive Director and Board of Directors.
• Develop and lead multi-year strategic fundraising growth plans to ensure sustainability and impact.
• Build clear ownership and alignment across functions so every donor and partner has a consistent, positive experience with Bridging that drives retention and increased giving.
• Advise, support, and supervise Development and Communications team members to help them achieve their goals and keep informed of organizational priorities.
• Actively serve on Bridging’s management and executive team.
• Lead with the principles of Community-Centric Fundraising.
• Represent Bridging at community events and public speaking engagements.

Major & Individual Donor Relationships

• Oversee and expand a comprehensive individual giving program that includes donor acquisition, annual giving, monthly giving, major gifts, planned giving, stewardship, retention and reactivation.
• Support executive leaders and Board of Directors providing strategy, preparation, and follow-through on outreach and asks.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors and individual giving prospects, including management of a focused, high-value portfolio, identifying opportunities for growth and deeper engagement.
• Lead special campaign fundraising initiatives and anticipated capital campaign with support of consultant in 2027.

Partnerships & Events

• Ensure a strong grants pipeline and program performance, in partnership with grants-focused team members, stepping in on key relationships as needed.
• Lead an integrated approach to Bridging's in-person fundraising and engagement events, keeping donors and partners meaningfully engaged throughout the year.
• Help shape a stronger, more intentional approach to Bridging's corporate partnership program, in collaboration with the Director of Strategic Partnerships.
• Equip Board of Directors with the tools, coaching and opportunities needed to participate meaningfully in fundraising.

Fundraising operations, forecasting and accountability

• Maintain an accurate, data informed revenue forecast and regularly report progress, risks and opportunities to the Executive Director and Finance.
• Establish fundraising metrics and dashboards covering donor acquisition, retention, pipeline activity and ROI.
• Ensure strong gift processing acknowledgement, database, prospect management and reporting practices.
• Partner with Finance to reconcile contributed revenue and support budgeting, audit and compliance requirements.

Marketing & Communications Oversight

• Ensure fundraising, donor communications, storytelling and organizational marketing are aligned with Bridging’s mission, brand and revenue goals.
• Partner with the Marketing Manager to develop an integrated annual communications and fundraising calendar.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Deep commitment to Bridging's vision, mission, and values.
• At least 7 years of experience in fundraising leadership, with a track record of building strategy that drives consistent year-over-year revenue growth.
• Proven expertise managing a major gifts and individual giving portfolio ($25,000+), with strong relationship-building instincts.
• A genuine team player and people-focused leader with a track record of coaching staff and building trust across departments.
• 5+ years in organizational leadership and department management, with experience supervising and developing staff.
• Strong knowledge of the Twin Cities philanthropic landscape and the ability to build meaningful connections.
• Strong project management skills and proficiency in donor database systems (Raiser's Edge NXT preferred).
• Demonstrated commitment to DEIB principles, with experience fostering inclusive, cross-cultural environments.
• Growth mindset — resourceful, adaptable, and always looking for the next improvement opportunity.