Director of Development

The Development Director will lead and implement a comprehensive fundraising and communications strategy to support and sustain Uptown People’s Law Center’s (UPLC) mission. This role is responsible for securing and growing funding from individuals, foundations, and law firms; crafting compelling donor communications; managing public messaging; and maintaining data systems that support donor cultivation and stewardship.

The Development Director will supervise the Development Assistant/Comms Assistant and take ownership of the grants program overall, providing strategic direction and quality control while overseeing the day-to-day execution of grant applications, reports, and funder communications.

This is a leadership role requiring both strategic thinking and hands-on execution.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement an annual fundraising plan in coordination with the Executive Director.
• Lead all donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies, including individual, institutional, and law firm supporters.
• Monitor progress toward fundraising goals and adjust strategies as needed to ensure sustainability and growth.
• Prepare internal and external fundraising reports in collaboration with the Executive Director and Director of Operations.
• Supervise the Development Assistant, ensuring alignment with departmental goals and providing mentorship and feedback.

Individual Giving

• Manage all aspects of individual giving, including donor engagement campaigns, acknowledgments, and stewardship.
• Develop and maintain donor journeys for recurring, mid-level, and major donors, using data-driven insights.
• Oversee appeals (email and print) and coordinate with staff and board on donor communications and outreach.
• Develop and expand ways to communicate with the public.

Institutional Giving & Grants Management

• Take ownership of the grants program, ensuring timely submission of compelling proposals and reports.
• Oversee the Development Assistant’s work on grants, including maintaining the grants calendar, gathering program data, and drafting application materials.
• Build and steward relationships with new and existing institutional funders.
• Collaborate with legal, outreach, and administrative teams to ensure grants reflect programmatic priorities and outcomes.

Communications & Public Messaging

• Develop and implement fundraising-related communications strategies that complement and align with UPLC’s broader organizational messaging goals.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and communications consultant to shape and contribute fundraising-focused content for newsletters, donor updates, the annual report, social media, and the website.
• Ensure that fundraising messaging clearly conveys UPLC’s mission, values, and impact in a compelling and consistent manner.

Website Maintenance

• Maintain and regularly update the organization’s website to ensure timely and accurate presentation of programmatic and fundraising-related content.
• Coordinate with the Executive Director and communications consultant to align website updates with ongoing fundraising and communications efforts.
• Note: This responsibility focuses on content updates and basic maintenance and does not involve website design or redevelopment.

Event Planning

• Lead the planning and execution of annual fundraising and cultivation events.
• Ensure events center UPLC’s mission and create meaningful connections between constituents and UPLC’s work.
• Coordinate event logistics, vendor relationships, staff participation, and follow-up.

Data, Systems & Reporting

• Manage donor and funder data in the CRM (currently Network for Good), ensuring data accuracy and integrity.
• Track donor engagement and analyze giving trends to inform strategy.
• Partner with staff to maintain reporting systems that support funding proposals and outcomes tracking.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in nonprofit fundraising, preferably in a legal aid, social justice, or advocacy context.
• Proven ability to create and lead a successful fundraising strategy, including grants, major donors, and campaigns.
• Supervisory experience, including providing coaching and accountability for junior staff.
• Exceptional writing, storytelling, and editing skills for a range of audiences.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with a sharp attention to detail.
• Ability to build cross-functional relationships with diverse internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency with donor databases or CRMs; experience managing data and generating reports.
• Commitment to racial, social, and economic justice.

Preferred Experience

• Experience working in small or mid-sized nonprofits with limited development infrastructure.
• Familiarity with donor engagement trends, fundraising best practices, and legal aid funding landscapes.
• Experience communicating complex systems or policy issues to a general audience.