Director of Development & Communications

Wenatchee Valley Humane Society, Inc.; Wenatchee (WA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Wenatchee Valley Humane Society in Wenatchee, WA, seeks a Director of Development & Communications to lead our fundraising and communications strategy, building relationships with donors and partners to sustain our animal-welfare mission.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will own development planning, budgeting, and performance reporting, while guiding brand and digital strategies to inspire trust and engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required.
• Five+ years nonprofit fundraising experience with revenue goals.
• CFRE preferred or interest in pursuing certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual and multi-year fundraising strategies across gifts, grants, partnerships, and events.
• Build and steward major donor relationships, leading cultivation and solicitation.
• Own development budgeting, forecasting, and performance reporting with data insights.
• Lead donor technology and fundraising operations including CRM, online giving, and automation.
• Guide integrated communications, branding, and digital strategies to support fundraising.
• Develop and mentor the Development and Marketing Coordinators with leadership oversight.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising strategy

Donor relations

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

DonorPerfect

Constant Contact

WordPress

Job description

As Director of Development & Communications at Wenatchee Valley Humane Society (WVHS), you’ll lead the strategies and relationships that generate critical resources, strengthen community support, and help sustain our animal-welfare mission for years to come.

As WVHS’s chief fundraising leader and a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you’ll build a reliable, diversified contributed-revenue program while guiding communications that inspire trust and engagement. You’ll partner closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, staff, donors, and community partners to grow support and advance organizational priorities.

What You’ll Do

• Lead annual and multi-year fundraising strategies across individual and major gifts, grants, corporate partnerships, recurring and planned giving, digital fundraising, sponsorships, and events.
• Build and steward meaningful relationships with major donors and prospects, personally leading cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Own development planning, budgeting, revenue forecasting, campaign strategy, and performance reporting, using data to strengthen results and identify opportunities.
• Lead WVHS’s donor technology and fundraising operations, including CRM systems, online giving, payment platforms, email tools, reporting, data quality, and automation.
• Guide integrated communications, brand, social media, and digital strategies that support fundraising, adoptions, education, community trust, and organizational priorities.
• Lead and develop the Development Coordinator and Marketing Coordinator while engaging the Executive Director and Board as effective fundraising partners.

What You’ll Bring

You’re a strategic, relationship-focused fundraising leader who combines big-picture thinking with strong execution. You bring five or more years of progressively responsible nonprofit fundraising experience, including responsibility for revenue goals and development strategy, along with demonstrated success cultivating and soliciting significant individual gifts. You’re comfortable with budgets, forecasts, performance data, donor technology, digital communications, and team leadership. Strong communication, judgment, organization, relationship-management, and project-management skills are essential. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience is required.

• Preferred, but not required: CFRE credential or interest in pursuing certification; experience with DonorPerfect, Constant Contact, WordPress, or comparable platforms; and experience with major-gift or planned-giving programs or community-based nonprofits.

What We Offer

WVHS offers $85,000–$105,000 DOE, medical insurance with an employer HSA contribution option, vision insurance, dental insurance, a retirement plan with employer matching contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Why Work With Us?

At WVHS, development is more than fundraising—it creates the financial strength and community connections that make lifesaving animal-welfare work possible. You’ll have a meaningful leadership voice, opportunities to strengthen systems and grow a talented team, and the chance to help shape how WVHS engages donors and leads within our community.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, primarily on-site position in Wenatchee, Washington, with regular work in an animal-shelter environment. Regular evening and weekend work is expected, typically for 3–4 events per month, with flexibility encouraged in the weekday schedule to offset those hours. Essential functions may be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.