Director of Advancement

Job Overview

The Director of Advancement builds and protects Ronald McDonald House New Mexico's ability to fund, staff, and tell the story of its mission. This is a unifying role: development and community engagement, marketing and communications, and volunteer and events have historically been run as three separate functions, and this position holds full supervisory authority over all three from day one — the Development Manager, the Marketing & Communications Manager, and the Volunteer & Events Manager all report here. The Director owns the Drive Engagement priority in our 2025–2027 strategic plan in full, along with the partnership-facing half of Enhance Collaboration.

The right candidate has managed a department, not just a team — ideally more than one functional area at once — and understands that volunteers and corporate partners are a form of capital as real as cash. They should be ready to step into external relationships built by a predecessor and earn trust in them quickly.

Duties

Resource Development & Financial Sustainability

• Supervise the Development Manager and set a multi-year fundraising strategy that diversifies revenue beyond any single source, in coordination with the CEO.
• Set annual fundraising goals and hold the development function accountable to them; personally cultivate and steward major donor and grant relationships.
• Ensure grant research, proposal writing, and reporting obligations are met on schedule and with quality.

Marketing, Communications & Brand

• Supervise the Marketing & Communications Manager and ensure consistent brand voice, visual identity, and messaging across every channel — web, social, print, and press.
• Direct storytelling strategy that builds public awareness of Ronald McDonald House New Mexico's mission and measurable impact on families.
• Own the public-facing promotion of Ronald McDonald House New Mexico's brand in coordination with McDonald's Owner/Operators and the global Ronald McDonald House network.

Volunteer & Community Engagement

• Supervise the Volunteer & Events Manager and hold the volunteer program accountable for recruitment, onboarding, recognition, and retention that meets program need.
• Build and leverage a volunteer database of specialist skills, developed jointly with the Chief Programs Officer so volunteer capacity is matched to real operational gaps.
• Ensure the Development Manager's corporate, civic, and school partnership work stays coordinated with the Volunteer & Events Manager's capacity needs, so the same partnership generating volunteers and the one generating funding are never accidentally worked as two separate relationships with the same organization.

Strategic Partnerships & Statewide Growth

• Refresh and expand opportunities with McDonald's Owner/Operators, ensuring the partnership remains active and mutually valued.
• Develop and nourish strategic partnerships statewide that extend Ronald McDonald House New Mexico's reach and reputation beyond Albuquerque.
• Adopt Chapter Excellence framework practices relevant to development, marketing, and volunteer engagement, in coordination with the Chief Programs Officer's parallel program-quality work.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with the Chief Programs Officer so external-facing messaging, volunteer placement, and community partnerships reflect actual guest and House needs.
• Work with the Business Operations Manager to ensure timely gift acknowledgment, accurate donor data, and audit-ready documentation.

People Leadership

• Supervise and coach the Development Manager, Marketing & Communications Manager, and Volunteer & Events Manager, including quarterly performance reviews; participate in hiring decisions and, when necessary, disciplinary action
• Identify training and development needs across the advancement team and advocate for resources to meet them.
• Model and hold direct reports to Ronald McDonald House New Mexico's culture of respect, compassion, and family-centered care.

Board & Executive Support

• Report fundraising performance, brand health, and volunteer program metrics to the CEO in a timely, candid manner.
• Contribute development, marketing, and community-engagement expertise to strategic planning, annual budgeting, and Board or committee presentations as requested.

ANCILLARY JOB FUNCTIONS

• Maintain positive, cooperative relationships with staff, volunteers, donors, and community stakeholders.
• Protect the privacy and confidentiality of all donor, guest, and organizational information.
• Serve as an ambassador for Ronald McDonald House New Mexico, communicating its mission and purpose with professionalism and integrity.
• Demonstrate respect for diverse cultures and the ability to work effectively with people from all backgrounds.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the CEO in support of organizational needs.
• Stay current on nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and volunteer-management trends, bringing informed ideas rather than borrowed ones.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Five or more years of progressive experience in nonprofit development, marketing, or external relations, including at least three years managing a team or department, not just individual contributors.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing more than one functional area at once — for example, development plus communications, or development plus volunteer programs — rather than depth in a single lane alone.
• A track record of setting goals and holding other managers accountable to them, not just executing against goals set by someone else.
• Comfort stepping into an organization's external relationships — donors, partners, community stakeholders — built by a predecessor, and a clear approach to earning trust with those relationships rather than assuming it transfers with the title.
• Demonstrated track record diversifying revenue sources and meeting or exceeding fundraising goals.
• Strong understanding of brand stewardship and multi-channel communications strategy.
• Experience building corporate, civic, or community partnerships that produced measurable volunteer or in-kind support.
• Comfort serving as a public spokesperson for the organization, including with media and major partners.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with sound judgment under time pressure.
• Experience with donor CRM systems and comfort using data to make resourcing decisions.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with common marketing and fundraising platforms (email marketing tools, CMS, social media analytics).

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Primary work is conducted in an office setting, with regular attendance at donor, community, and partner events statewide. Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods; occasional lifting of up to 40 pounds may be required. Ronald McDonald House New Mexico operates 24/7 to support families, and this role requires flexibility outside standard weekday hours, including evenings and weekends for events and donor engagement.

Benefits:

• 403(b) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance