Director of Development, North America

Room to Read

New York (NY)

On-site

USD 150,000 - 200,000

Full time

7 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

PTO 27 days per year

Paid holidays (12.5)

401(k) match

Home office allowance $600/yr

Job summary

Room to Read seeks a Director/Senior Director, Development, North America, based in New York, NY, to lead the market’s fundraising strategy and grow revenue. You will personally manage high-value donors and lead a small development team, collaborating with senior leaders and boards to advance multi-channel fundraising.

You will oversee major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, annual giving, legacy giving, and events, while ensuring disciplined forecasting and pipeline management to

Qualifications

10+ years of progressive fundraising and leadership experience.
Proven success securing six- and seven-figure gifts from HNW/UHNW donors, foundations, and corporate partners.
Track record of personally closing at least US$5MM annually in philanthropic revenue.
Experience developing fundraising strategies for multi-million-dollar markets and portfolios.
Strong major-gift portfolio and pipeline management, including forecasting.

Responsibilities

Own and execute the North America fundraising strategy and revenue plan.
Lead annual revenue target of US$35MM+ across major gifts, corporate, foundations, annual giving, legacy giving, and events.
Maintain pipeline discipline, forecast, and identify risks and opportunities.
Personally manage high-value donors and prospects (HNW/UHNW) to raise US$7–10MM+ annually.
Build and advance a healthy donor pipeline through prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship.
Lead a North America development team of ~3–5 staff with clear goals and accountability.
Partner with senior leaders and board to strengthen fundraising strategy and donor engagement.
Represent Room to Read in donor meetings, events, and market-facing opportunities.
Lead strategy for signature North America events, including the NYC gala.
Collaborate across Development & Communications and other markets to share best practices.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Major gift portfolio

Donor relationship management

Strategic planning

Team leadership

Board engagement

Forecasting & analytics

Multi-channel fundraising

Event strategy

Tools

None

Job description

Director / Senior Director, Development, North America

New York, NY and metro area

Must be able to meet with donors in person in NYC 2 to 3 times per week.

Position Overview

Room to Read is seeking an experienced fundraising leader to lead and grow its North America market. The Director / Senior Director, Development, North America will set the market’s fundraising strategy, lead performance against an annual revenue target of approximately US$35MM+, personally manage and solicit high-value donors, and lead the North America development team. The role will build a strong, sustainable pipeline across major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, annual giving, legacy giving, and events.

The role will work closely with senior leaders, the North America Regional Development Board, volunteer leaders, and colleagues across Development & Communications to expand fundraising opportunities and strengthen Room to Read’s presence in the North American philanthropic market. Based in New York, this position is a member of the Development & Communications Department Leadership Team and reports to the Vice President, Global Business Development and Operations.

Leveling

This position may be filled at either the Director or Senior Director level. Both levels are accountable for the responsibilities outlined below. Final level will be determined based on the selected candidate’s demonstrated fundraising results, leadership scope, and experience operating at the scale and complexity required for the role. Candidates hired at the Senior Director level will bring a sustained record of leading complex, multi-channel fundraising efforts and operating as a strategic partner to senior executives and boards.

Key Responsibilities

Market Strategy & Revenue Leadership

Own and execute the North America fundraising strategy, translating organizational priorities into clear market goals, donor priorities, and revenue plans.
Lead achievement of the market’s annual revenue target of approximately US$35MM+ across major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, annual giving, legacy giving, and events.
Assess market performance, donor trends, portfolio health, and growth opportunities to determine where the team should focus time and resources.
Maintain disciplined pipeline management and forecasting, identifying risks, opportunities, and actions needed to deliver revenue goals.

Major Gifts & Portfolio Leadership

Personally manage a portfolio of high-value donors and prospects, including HNW and UHNW individuals, with an expectation of raising approximately US$7-10MM+ annually through direct relationship management, collaboration on priority accounts, and major solicitations.
Build and advance a healthy pipeline through prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Guide portfolio strategy across the market to strengthen donor relationships, increase giving, and develop long‑term fundraising opportunities.

Team Leadership & Performance

Lead, coach, and develop a North America development team of approximately 3-5 staff, with clear goals and accountability for results.
Set priorities and ways of working that keep the team focused on the highest-value fundraising opportunities.
Strengthen team members’ fundraising skills, strategic judgment, donor management, and external relationship-building capabilities.

Board, Executive & External Engagement

Partner with Room to Read senior leaders and the North America Regional Development Board to strengthen fundraising strategy, generate pipeline, activate networks, and support board recruitment.
Equip executives, board members, and volunteer leaders to cultivate prospects, represent Room to Read, and advance fundraising opportunities.
Serve as a senior external representative for Room to Read in donor meetings, events, and other market-facing opportunities.

Events & Market Development

Lead the fundraising strategy for signature North America events, including the annual New York City gala, ensuring events support revenue, donor cultivation, pipeline development, and long-term relationships.
Partner with the Global Events team and other stakeholders to integrate events into the broader donor engagement and market growth strategy.
Identify opportunities to strengthen Room to Read’s visibility and relationships across the North American philanthropic landscape.

Cross-Functional Leadership

Collaborate across Development & Communications, including Global Business Operations, Global Partnerships, Marketing & Communications, and other markets, to strengthen fundraising execution and share effective practices.
Contribute to broader departmental strategy and maintain strong operational discipline in planning, forecasting, board management, donor data integrity, and revenue reporting.

What Success Looks Like

Own and grow the donor portfolio. Build strong relationships with key HNW and UHNW donors, establish clear cultivation and solicitation plans, and demonstrate credible progress toward the US$7-10MM+ annual personal fundraising goal. Establish trust and an effective working rhythm with the CEO and Chief Development & Communications Officer on shared donor relationships.
Stabilize and develop the team. Establish clear roles, priorities, and accountability; put meaningful individual growth plans in place; retain and develop strong talent; and begin shaping the team structure and capabilities needed to deliver future growth.
Set a focused North America market strategy. Assess the market, identify the highest-potential opportunities and priority donor segments, and establish a clear fundraising plan with measurable goals and disciplined execution.
Strengthen forecasting and strategic engagement. Build accurate revenue forecasts and clear pipeline visibility, effectively engage the North America Regional Development Board, and set direction for the New York City gala as part of the broader donor cultivation and revenue strategy.

Qualifications

10+ years of progressive fundraising and/or business development experience, including leadership of a significant market, team, or portfolio with substantial revenue accountability.
Proven success securing six- and seven-figure gifts from HNW/UHNW individuals, foundations, and/or corporate partners.
Demonstrated track record of personally closing at least US$5MM annually in philanthropic revenue, with the ability to manage and grow a high-value donor portfolio at greater scale.
Experience developing and executing fundraising strategies for a multi-million-dollar market or portfolio.
Strong major‑gift portfolio and pipeline management experience, including prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and forecasting.
Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and developing fundraising staff.
Experience partnering with senior executives, boards, and volunteer leaders to generate and advance fundraising opportunities.
Demonstrated ability to analyze market and portfolio performance, prioritize opportunities, and adjust strategy based on results.
Experience integrating high-value events and other engagement opportunities into broader donor cultivation and revenue strategies.
Strong relationship‑building and communication skills, with experience representing an organization with senior donors, prospects, and external partners.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is:

Director:

$150,000 to $170,000 annually

Senior Director:

$175,000 to $200,000 annually

Final title and compensation will be determined based on the selected candidate’s experience, demonstrated fundraising results, leadership scope, and experience operating at the scale and complexity required for the role.

Benefits include: