Director of Development

Help build the future of an organization that refuses to look away when children need someone in their corner. About Child Focus Every child deserves to be safe, supported, and surrounded by adults who show up. At Child Focus, we turn that belief into action. Formerly Passaic County CASA, Child Focus has grown into a multi-program nonprofit serving children and families across northern New Jersey. Through our Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs in Passaic and Union counties, Safe Babies Court Team work in Passaic, Essex, and Hudson counties, and Open Door Store, we bring advocacy, relationships, and practical support to children and families navigating some of life's most difficult circumstances. Our work is deeply human, often complicated, and never one-size-fits-all. We're innovative because children can't wait for systems to catch up. We're collaborative because no one organization can do this work alone. And we're accountable because the stakes are too high to settle for good intentions without meaningful results. As Child Focus continues to grow and respond to an increasingly challenging funding environment, we are reimagining how development can best support our mission. We're looking for a leader who wants to help build what comes next. The Opportunity This isn't a traditional Director of Development position; we're not looking for someone who wants to inherit a department and simply maintain it. We're seeking a Director of Development who can think strategically, build authentic relationships, lead people effectively, and make things happen. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this person will serve as a trusted strategic partner and lead the planning, coordination, execution, and performance of Child Focus' fundraising and development efforts. They will help shape a sustainable, diversified fundraising strategy while ensuring the people, projects, and systems needed to execute it are working together. As an external representative of Child Focus, this person builds relationships with individuals, businesses, foundations, civic organizations, and community partners who share our commitment to children, and is the face of the organization to major donors, corporate partners, and community supporters. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable sitting across from a prospective major donor, collaborating with a longtime staff member, facilitating a planning meeting, and reviewing a fundraising pipeline to determine what needs attention. This role combines the strategy of a development executive, the relationship-building ability of a fundraiser, and discipline of an exceptional team leader. What Makes Someone Successful Here We recognize a strong candidate isn’t defined solely by job titles or organizations listed on a resume. We're looking for a combination of professional experience, leadership ability, sound judgment, and a genuine commitment to relationship-driven fundraising. Relationship. Develops trust and meaningful connections with donors, community partners, colleagues, and other stakeholders. Strategic and results-oriented. Connects big-picture goals with practical plans, clear priorities, and measurable outcomes.. Collaborative leader. Brings people together, recognizes strengths, sets expectations, and fosters a culture of respect and accountability Adaptable and resourceful. Embraces growth and change, identifies opportunities for improvement, and makes thoughtful use of available resources Strong communicator. Listens well, navigates sensitive situations with professionalism, and engages effectively with diverse audiences. Mission-driven and accountable. Balances compelling storytelling with data, financial stewardship, measurable progress, and follow-through.. Seeking a meaningful, long-term opportunity. Most of our leadership team and supervisory staff have been with the organization far beyond the average tenure, including many at 12, 15, and 20 years. We are seeking a candidate looking to dedicate long-term commitment to the mission and organization. Qualifications Significant progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising, development leadership, philanthropy, or a closely related field. Demonstrated success securing philanthropic support through individual giving, donor cultivation, major gifts, corporate partnerships, or sponsorships. Experience leading teams, managing complex projects, and coordinating work across multiple functions. Strong interpersonal, presentation, communication, and relationship management skills. Ability to develop fundraising strategies, manage pipelines, interpret performance data, and translate goals into action. Experience partnering with executive leadership, Board members, and community stakeholders. Sound financial judgment, organizational discipline, and the ability to manage competing priorities. Comfort using donor management systems, fundraising technology, and project management tools. Personal or professional experience in child welfare, adoption, foster care, human services, or another mission-driven field is valuable, but not required. Candidates whose experience may not follow a traditional nonprofit career path but who demonstrate relevant leadership, fundraising, relationship-building, and execution skills are welcome. Our Culture: The Five R's of Child Focus Our culture is grounded in five values that shape how we work, lead, and serve: Resourceful, Respectful, Resilient, Responsive, and Relationships. Resourceful. We think creatively, find solutions, and make the most of the resources entrusted to us. Respectful. We value different perspectives, experiences, and contributions. We recognize the expertise of our colleagues and partners, and we believe strong leadership combines high expectations with genuine respect. Resilient. Child welfare work is complex, and the nonprofit funding environment can be unpredictable. We adapt, persevere, and remain focused on what children need, even when circumstances are challenging. Responsive. We listen actively, communicate clearly, follow through on commitments, and recognize that timely action matters. We believe accountability is demonstrated through what we do, not simply what we intend. Relationships. We build trust and meaningful partnerships through collaboration, honesty, and shared purpose. We work hard, support one another, welcome new ideas, and make room for humor and humanity along the way. We're not looking for someone who needs everything to be perfectly established before they can succeed. We're looking for someone who embodies these values, embraces the opportunity to help an evolving organization continue to grow, and who brings people together around a mission that matters. Work arrangement: Office and community facing schedule with flexibility for occasional work from home capacities. Interested? If you're an accomplished fundraiser and collaborative leader who wants to do more than maintain the status quo, we'd love to hear from you. Tell us about relationships you've built, teams you've led, ideas you've turned into results, and why Child Focus' mission resonates with you. What You'll Lead Partner with the Executive Director to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy that strengthens financial sustainability and diversifies revenue. Lead individual giving, donor retention, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, annual appeals, fundraising campaigns, and event revenue strategies. Identify opportunities to expand unrestricted support, recurring gifts, and multi-year commitments. Translate organizational priorities into realistic fundraising plans, measurable goals, and clear accountability. Monitor revenue performance, donor pipelines, fundraising forecasts, and emerging opportunities. Bring creativity and sound judgment to the challenge of growing philanthropic support in a changing funding environment. Donor Relationships & Community Partnerships Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of individual donors, corporate supporters, sponsors, and community partners. Partner with the Executive Director on major donor relationships, strategic solicitations, and institutional partnerships. Build meaningful connections with businesses, professional networks, civic organizations, and philanthropic leaders throughout northern New Jersey. Create thoughtful, personalized stewardship experiences that help supporters understand the difference their investment makes. Represent Child Focus confidently and authentically at community meetings, events, presentations, and donor engagements. Develop opportunities for Board members and other organizational ambassadors to open doors, strengthen relationships, and advance fundraising goals. Lead the department's overall work plan, ensuring that priorities are clear, responsibilities are assigned, and commitments are completed. Supervise designated development staff, providing coaching, direction, accountability, and opportunities for growth. Establish practical project management processes, regular team check-ins, and effective communication across functions. Coordinate development priorities with grant management, content and communications, Finance, Programs, and Strategy & Impact. Support the successful execution of grant-related priorities while respecting the established editorial and grant project management responsibilities of other team members. Identify bottlenecks, resolve competing priorities, and help the team work smarter rather than simply harder. Build on the experience and strengths of existing staff while introducing thoughtful improvements to processes and accountability. Executive & Board Partnership Serve as a trusted thought partner to the Executive Director on development strategy, funding opportunities, donor relationships, and organizational sustainability. Bring well-developed recommendations, informed analysis, and practical solutions to leadership discussions. Prepare clear fundraising updates, forecasts, and progress reports for executive leadership and the Board. Help engage Board members in fundraising, relationship-building, sponsorship development, and community introductions. Connect fundraising priorities to the organization's long-term mission, program needs, and strategic direction. #J-18808-Ljbffr