Director of Philanthropy

YMCA of the USA; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

YMCA of the USA in Asheville, NC seeks a Director of Philanthropy to lead annual giving, secure major gifts, and strengthen donor relationships in support of long-range fundraising goals. Reporting to the VP of Financial Development, this role blends fundraising leadership with hands-on donor work, balancing strategy with portfolio management and staff coaching.

Qualifications include a Bachelor's degree (Master's preferred), 5–7 years fundraising experience, planned giving, and CFRE; experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree and CFRE preferred.
• YMCA experience preferred.
• 5–7 years progressive fundraising experience with success in annual and major giving.
• Planned giving experience; capital or comprehensive campaign experience strongly preferred.
• Experience leading and coaching fundraising staff and volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual giving and major gifts strategies.
• Balance fundraising leadership with direct donor work; manage a personal major gifts portfolio.
• Strengthen donor relationships and promote a culture of philanthropy across the YMCA.
• Collaborate with leaders and volunteers to grow the donor base and fundraising results.

Skills

Relationship-building

Strategic thinking

Communication

Donor relations

Portfolio management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

CFRE certification

Tools

Fundraising CRM software

Analytics tools

Job description

Salary Is Negotiable Based On Experience And Qualifications.

Reporting to the Vice President of Financial Development, the Director of Philanthropy is a frontline fundraiser responsible for leading the organization’s annual giving, securing major gifts, and strengthening donor relationships in support of long-range fundraising goals.

This role provides association-wide leadership for annual giving and major gifts by partnering with development staff, executive directors, other staff leaders, and volunteers. The Director provides strategy, coaching, portfolio management, and accountability to strengthen fundraising performance and build a shared culture of philanthropy. The position is balanced between organizational fundraising leadership and direct donor work, with approximately 50% of time focused on leading fundraising strategy and 50% focused on managing a personal major gift portfolio.

A core responsibility is integrating the YMCA’s cause and culture of philanthropy throughout the Y experience, partnering with leaders across the organization to strengthen awareness, storytelling, engagement, and donor relationships among members, participants, families, volunteers, and the community at large.

The successful candidate is a fundraiser first and a multiplier of others, building relationships with donors while coaching staff and volunteers to become stronger ambassadors and fundraisers. They understand the donor continuum, set ambitious goals, lead through influence, and build the culture and systems needed to grow philanthropy.

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree, CFRE and YMCA experience preferred. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience will be considered in lieu of a bachelor's degree.

5-7 years of progressive fundraising experience with demonstrated success in annual and major giving.

Experience leading and coaching fundraising staff, volunteers, and organizational leaders.

Planned giving experience required; capital or comprehensive campaign experience strongly preferred.

Proven success in growing a donor base and securing significant gifts.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Strong relationship-building, communication, strategic thinking, and organizational skills.

Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.

Advanced proficiency with fundraising CRMs and analytics.

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF THE JOB

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Ability to walk, stand, and sit for periods of time.

Ability to lift at least 25 lbs

Position may require bending, leaning, kneeling, and walking.

Ability to speak concisely and effectively communicate

Visual and auditory ability to communicate through various means, including but not limited to phone, in-person, and video calls