Regional Development Director

10,000 Degrees; San Rafael (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Paid vacation & holidays

401(k) match

Professional development

Job summary

10,000 Degrees is seeking a Regional Development Director to expand philanthropic presence in Silicon Valley, focusing on individual giving and major gifts. You will steward donors, cultivate new supporters, and work with leadership to drive a regional fundraising plan aligned with the organization’s strategic goals.

The role requires in-person presence and travel within the region, with a track record of securing gifts in the $10,000–$50,000 range and experience engaging high-net-worth donors.

Qualifications

• At least five years of fundraising experience with a proven track record securing major gifts.
• Strong relational approach; ability to cultivate donors over time and move them to gifts.
• Experience planning and executing regional fundraising strategies.

Responsibilities

• Identify and cultivate community, institutional, and individual relationships to meet fundraising goals.
• Manage a regional portfolio of donors through moves management and best practices.
• Collaborate on corporate relationships, grants, and unified funding strategy.
• Lead regional donor events and advisory board engagement.
• Develop a regional fundraising plan with targets to meet program goals.
• Coordinate communications to raise regional visibility and share impact.

Skills

Major gifts fundraising

Donor relationship building

Fundraising strategy

Salesforce experience

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Our Mission

10,000 Degrees is unlocking student success at scale by giving more students equitable opportunities for a quality college education and career success. The most efficient and effective college success non-profit in the U.S., 10,000 Degrees' mission is to achieve educational equity and to support students from low-income backgrounds to and through college to realize their full potential and positively impact their communities and the world. We envision a world where all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background, will have the full range of educational opportunities, support, and resources to realize their potential. Accepting a role at 10,000 Degrees implies a personal commitment to this mission.

Learn more about 10,000 Degrees at www.10000degrees.org.

The Opportunity

10,000 Degrees is seeking a seasoned and highly relational Regional Development Director to expand the organization's philanthropic presence across Silicon Valley. With a primary focus on individual giving, this leader will cultivate and steward major donors and prospective supporters while helping to grow funding from diverse sources. Working closely with the Deputy Director of Philanthropy, organizational leadership, fellow Regional Directors, and the Silicon Valley Regional Advisory Board, this leader will develop and execute a regional fundraising strategy, strengthen the donor pipeline, and advance ambitious fundraising goals that fuel 10,000 Degrees' college access, college success, and scholarship programs. The position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant and measurable difference in the lives of students from low-income backgrounds. The Regional Development Director joins 10,000 Degrees at an exciting moment of growth. Building upon a transformational $42 million gift from MacKenzie Scott, the organization is implementing a new five-year strategic plan and preparing to launch a $50 million campaign to expand its impact in existing and new communities. Silicon Valley represents a significant opportunity for growth, with a strong base of institutional support, an engaged Regional Advisory Board, new organizational Board members with connections to the region, and considerable untapped potential among individual philanthropists. The successful candidate will bring the experience, credibility, and regional relationships needed to engage and inspire Silicon Valley's distinctive philanthropic community and build genuine connections that lead to enduring support. For a fundraiser who is passionate about educational equity, economic mobility, and the power of higher education to transform lives and communities, this is an opportunity to join a proven organization with a compelling mission and a powerful platform for growth.

10,000 Degrees is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.

Responsibilities

• Proactively identify and cultivate community, institutional, and individual relationships to advance regional and organization-wide fund development opportunities and meet fundraising goals.
• Manage a regional portfolio of donors and prospective donors through all aspects of moves management and fundraising best practices, including meeting prospective donors and supporters on a continual basis to establish effective communications and building regional donor capacity.
• Collaborate with the Regional Director of Partnerships and other stakeholders as needed to support corporate relationships, grant proposals, and a unified individual and institutional funding strategy across the region.
• Lead strategy, event planning, and outreach for regional donor events.
• Facilitate advisory board meetings, engage members, and recruit new board members.
• In collaboration with the Deputy Director of Philanthropy and the Regional Advisory Board, develop a regional fundraising plan and targets in order to meet current and future programmatic and scholarship goals.
• Collaborate on communications efforts to increase regional visibility.
• Share impact of program growth with donors and advisory boards.
• Represent 10,000 Degrees at various events.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure regional strategies align with organizational goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be an accomplished development professional with at least five years of fundraising experience and a demonstrated record of securing significant individual gifts, preferably within education or another mission-driven environment. This position requires some in-person presence and/or travel within the regions served. A Bachelor's degree is required.

While no one candidate will bring every qualification, strong candidates will demonstrate many of the following competencies and characteristics:

Accomplished and Relational Major Gifts Fundraiser

The Regional Development Director will be a seasoned individual-giving professional with a proven record of identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors. They will understand why and how people give and will be comfortable discussing a range of philanthropic vehicles, including donor-advised funds and family foundations. Their approach will be deeply relational rather than transactional, allowing sufficient time to build trust, understand donors' interests, and connect those interests authentically to the mission of 10,000 Degrees. Experience securing gifts of $10,000 to $50,000 and above is essential, with exposure to cultivating and closing gifts of $250,000 or more strongly preferred.

Deep Knowledge of the Silicon Valley Philanthropic Community

The successful candidate will bring an in-depth understanding of the philanthropic landscape across Silicon Valley, particularly San Mateo County, the Peninsula, San Jose, and the broader South Bay. They will understand the region's highly localized culture of giving and the distinctive motivations of entrepreneurs, executives, families, and other high-net-worth donors. Ideally, they will bring established relationships with individual philanthropists, philanthropic advisors, community leaders, and other regional connectors, along with the credibility and judgment to represent 10,000 Degrees in sophisticated donor conversations.

Strategic and Entrepreneurial Approach to Building a Donor Pipeline

The Regional Development Director will be a strategic, results-oriented fundraiser who can translate ambitious organizational goals into a disciplined regional development plan. They will independently identify and qualify prospective donors, manage a portfolio through every stage of moves management, and balance the stewardship of existing supporters with the development of a robust new-donor pipeline. An energetic and externally focused self-starter, they will be comfortable spending significant time in the community, pursuing new relationships, and adapting their strategy based on results. Experience with Salesforce or a comparable donor-management system is preferred.

Collaborative Leadership and Community Engagement

Working as part of a large and growing development team, the Regional Development Director must be a generous and highly collaborative colleague who shares information, coordinates donor strategies, and advances both regional and organization-wide priorities. They will serve as a trusted liaison to the Silicon Valley Regional Advisory Board, engaging and stewarding current members while recruiting new members who can serve as ambassadors, connectors, and champions for the organization. Exceptional interpersonal, listening, presentation, and written communication skills are essential, as is the maturity and polish to represent 10,000 Degrees with major donors, Board members, corporate and foundation partners, and community stakeholders. Experience managing staff or providing effective leadership through influence would be valuable.

Passion for Educational Equity and the 10,000 Degrees Mission

Above all, the Regional Development Director must bring an unwavering commitment to social justice, educational equity, and the success of students from low-income backgrounds. They will be inspired by 10,000 Degrees' mission and able to communicate persuasively how college access and completion contribute to economic mobility, workforce development, stronger communities, and a thriving economy. The successful candidate will demonstrate cultural humility and a proven ability to build authentic relationships across diverse backgrounds, translating the experiences and impact of 10,000 Degrees students into compelling opportunities for philanthropic partnership.

Compensation And Benefits

• Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $160,000 - $190,000.
• Excellent healthcare benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; check out our full benefit options HERE
• 15 days paid vacation + holidays and paid sick leave
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Professional development including conferences, seminars, webinars, and directed career advice