Director of Development, The Barker Adoption Foundation

The Barker Adoption Foundation; Maryland; On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Barker Adoption Foundation invites a strategic leader to serve as Director of Development, guiding all philanthropy efforts and donor relations.

You will build and oversee major gifts, annual giving, grants, events, and donor stewardship while collaborating with the CEO, board, and staff to sustain the organization's mission and impact.

The role requires engaging with adoptive families, donors, foundations, and corporate partners, with occasional regional travel and evening events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree plus 10+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit development/fundraising.
• Proven track record building fundraising strategy, cultivating donors, and meeting revenue goals.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with donor databases (DonorPerfect preferred), Microsoft Office, and virtual meeting tools.
• Skilled relationship-builder across donors, board, staff, and community/corporate partners.
• Sound judgment handling confidential donor and organizational information.
• Self-directed, deadline-driven, and comfortable leading projects independently.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and supervisory skills with attention to detail.
• Culturally competent and effective working across diverse backgrounds.
• Flexible and available for occasional evenings/weekends; reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive development strategies with the ED/CEO and board.
• Identify, research, and cultivate new funding prospects across individuals, foundations, and corporations.
• Plan activities to recognize and engage donors; manage major gifts and planned giving programs.
• Design and manage campaigns, events, and grants; oversee grant proposals and reporting.
• Oversee database usage, reporting, and donor stewardship to drive revenue growth.
• Represent Barker externally and travel for donor meetings and events as needed.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Donor cultivation

Communication

Leadership

Project management

Relationship building

Confidentiality

Team supervision

Collaboration

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

DonorPerfect

Microsoft Office

Virtual meeting tools

Job description

The Director of Development is a full-time, senior-level management position responsible for leading and executing a comprehensive philanthropy program to support the mission, programs, and long-term sustainability of the organization. This position is primarily responsible for managing, developing, and implementing development and fundraising strategies for the agency, including annual giving, major gifts, donor cultivation and stewardship, planned giving, grants, fundraising events, corporate and foundation relations, and development operations. The Director of Development has significant relationship management responsibilities with members of the Barker community — adoptive parents, adult adoptees, and birth parents — and with grantors. This position reports to and works closely with the Executive Director/CEO, Board of Trustees, and staff to strengthen donor relationships, expand revenue opportunities, and ensure fundraising goals are met, and is a member of the agency's Senior Management Team. This role includes supervisory responsibility, periodic travel, and regular participation in meetings, conferences, community events, and donor-facing activities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

STRATEGIC PLANNING & LEADERSHIP

• Create and implement development and fundraising strategies for the agency and its programs, in partnership with the Executive Director/CEO, Marketing Manager, Board of Trustees, staff.
• Prepare regular fundraising reports for the Executive Director/CEO, Board of Trustees, and leadership team, covering progress toward goals, donor trends, campaign outcomes, and recommended next steps.

DONOR DEVELOPMENT & MAJOR GIFTS

• Identify, research, and cultivate new individual, corporate, and foundation funding prospects.
• Build and manage a structured, scalable donor pipeline — from acquisition through planned gifts — using donor-centered fundraising methodologies (such as the Veritas approach) that align donor passions with organizational mission through data-driven portfolio management and personalized engagement.
• Lead major gift strategy, including prospect identification, donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and long-term relationship management.
• Plan activities to recognize and engage established donors.
• Develop and implement a planned giving/bequest program.

CAMPAIGNS, EVENTS & GRANTS

• Manage and implement appeals, including the Phone-A-Thon, workplace giving, #GivingTuesday, DOMORE24, and other special appeals.
• Support Friends of Barker Endowment fund campaigns.
• Design, implement, and manage special events to raise funds, expand the donor base, and increase the agency's visibility.
• Oversee staff responsible for researching, identifying, preparing, and submitting grant proposals, reports, correspondence, and other institutional advancement communications.

COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING & PR

• Partner with the marketing team to maintain and enhance the development portions of the Barker website, to promote Barker's mission through both traditional and new media platforms and to plan and coordinate public relations activities in support of development activities.

DATABASE & REPORTING

• Oversee the Donor Perfect database, including ensuring staff maintain and verify donor data and generate reports needed for fundraising activities.

SUPERVISION & CROSS-TEAM COLLABORATION

• Supervise development staff, consultants, contractors, interns, and volunteers, including providing direction, coaching, performance feedback, and accountability for assigned goals.
• Collaborate with marketing and outreach, finance, and administrative staff to ensure fundraising materials, grant budgets, reports, and donor communications are accurate and aligned.

EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION & ENGAGEMENT

• Represent the organization professionally to potential and established donors and funders, and at meetings, conferences, community events, and donor visits as needed.
• Conduct periodic local and regional travel for donor meetings, community events, conferences, fundraising events, and partner meetings; occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
• Attend and participate in staff meetings, leadership meetings, board meetings, committee meetings, conferences, trainings, and special events as required.

OTHER

• Demonstrate understanding and commitment to Barker’s values, philosophy, and mission.
• Attend management and staff meetings, and Barker events including the Annual Conference, Annual Meeting, and Annual Family picnic.
• Attend Board meetings, as requested by the Executive Director/CEO.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

Performance in this role will be measured by:

• Demonstrated understanding of Barker's mission and unique philosophy and approach to serving birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive parents over their lifespan.
• Ability to develop and execute fundraising strategies that meet or exceed annual revenue goals.
• Ability to build, retain, and grow a strong donor pipeline.
• Ability to secure major gifts, grants, sponsorships, and other philanthropic support.
• Quality and timeliness of donor stewardship, reporting, gift acknowledgment, and database management.
• Ability to engage the Executive Director/CEO, Board, staff, and volunteers in fundraising efforts.
• Effectiveness in supervising staff and managing development operations.
• Ability to represent the organization professionally and communicate its mission, impact, and funding needs.
• Ability to work collaboratively, meet deadlines, manage competing priorities, and support the organization's mission and values.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree plus 10+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit development/fundraising.
• Proven track record building fundraising strategy, cultivating donors, and meeting revenue goals.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with donor databases (DonorPerfect preferred), Microsoft Office, and virtual meeting tools.
• Skilled relationship-builder across donors, board, staff, and community/corporate partners.
• Sound judgment handling confidential donor and organizational information.
• Self-directed, deadline-driven, and comfortable leading projects independently.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and supervisory skills with attention to detail.
• Culturally competent and effective working across diverse backgrounds.
• Flexible and available for occasional evenings/weekends; reliable transportation.