Director of Development

Job Description

Job Description

Director of Development

Westchester, Putnam, Fairfield & The Bronx 

Salary: $120,000–$135,000 + performance bonus + retirement plan

About Organization

Our client is a mission-driven nonprofit fighting hunger and food insecurity through food rescue, meal preparation and distribution, community partnerships, volunteer engagement, and innovative programming. The organization serves individuals and families across Westchester, Putnam, Fairfield, and The Bronx - and is now expanding into Mount Kisco to reach growing pockets of need. 

The Opportunity

This is a newly created position and a rare chance to build a development function from the ground up. As the first member of the Executive Director's leadership team, the Director of Development will have real autonomy to shape strategy, build systems, and grow the organization's philanthropic reach - all backed by a highly engaged, committee-driven board that treats development as a true partnership.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this role will lead the board's Fundraising Committee and play a central part in the organization's next chapter, including its strategic expansion into Mount Kisco and northern Westchester.

What You'll Do

Major & Individual Donor Cultivation

• Build and manage a portfolio of major donors and corporate partners, using a warm, consultative approach rather than high-pressure sales tactics
• Cultivate and steward relationships with donors, sponsors, and community partners with consistent, trust-building follow-through
• Identify and pursue new fundraising opportunities, including expanding donor relationships into the Mount Kisco region

Events & Community Fundraising

• Grow and evolve the organization's signature events, including its annual Gala and 5K
• Design and launch new, intimate cultivation events - think small gatherings, tastings, or receptions at board members' homes - to open doors with new donor pockets in northern Westchester and Fairfield County
• Prepare board members with the right information and context to engage effectively with guests at events

Board & Organizational Partnership

• Lead the Fundraising Committee in close partnership with the Executive Director
• Engage the board and funders as true partners — with transparency, openness, and shared ownership of the mission
• Help build out the development department over time as the organization grows

Systems & Donor Communications

• Build the processes and cadence that keep donor communication consistent: timely acknowledgments, impact reporting, newsletters, and stewardship touchpoints
• Maintain and help evolve the donor database, and play a key role in selecting and implementing a new CRM as the organization scales
• Balance big-picture strategy with the ability to independently manage day-to-day details

Grant Support (light-touch)

• Support the Executive Director with occasional grant research and proposal input as needed - this is not a primary grant-writing role

Who Thrives in This Role

We're looking for someone who leads with warmth and genuine curiosity about people - the kind of person donors trust after one good conversation, not because of polish, but because of authentic engagement and reliable follow-up. You listen well, ask great questions, and know how to let people arrive at "yes" on their own terms.

You're comfortable holding both the big picture and the small details - able to plan strategically, then execute independently without needing to be managed closely. You bring order and process to fundraising (nobody falls through the cracks, every acknowledgment goes out on time) without getting lost in the weeds.

You treat board members and funders as partners, not check-writers, and you're excited by the idea of building something - not just running an existing playbook, but shaping a department from its earliest days.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of nonprofit development or fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in major/individual donor cultivation and event fundraising
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
• Experience managing donor databases and fundraising software (Little Green Light, Bloomerang, or similar)
• Strong project management skills with the ability to juggle multiple priorities independently
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Experience in food insecurity, human services, or community-based nonprofits a plus