Director of Development

Director of Development

The Director of Development will lead and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy to support My Connect Community's mission to build community and opportunity in the Gulfton and Sharpstown neighborhoods. This role focuses on cultivating relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporate donors, while working to develop a strong culture of philanthropy across the organization. This position will not initially manage direct reports but will work collaboratively across departments and report directly to the President & CEO. As the department grows, this role may expand to include supervision of development staff or interns.

Essential Functions

• Cultivate and steward relationships with individual donors, corporate sponsors, and institutional funders aligned with My Connect Community's mission.
• Develop and implement donor communication strategies, including appeals, acknowledgments, and donor impact reporting.
• Coordinate donor engagement events, community tours, and site visits to deepen connection with the work on the ground.
• Build and sustain a pipeline of major donors through thoughtful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.

• Collaborate with the President & CEO, Board, and Finance Committee to create annual fundraising plans that include individual giving, corporate partnerships, and campaigns.
• Provide leadership and strategic direction for special fundraising initiatives, including capital campaigns and legacy giving efforts.
• Track and analyze fundraising performance data to inform decisions, improve donor retention, and ensure targets are met.

• Collaborate with the organization's grant writer to support foundation and government funding strategies, including identifying opportunities, gathering content, and ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
• Support post-award stewardship activities such as funder reports, updates, and compliance coordination.
• Maintain up-to-date records on grant activity and ensure deadlines and deliverables are met in collaboration with relevant staff.

• Support development-related content creation for digital and print communications including newsletters, social media, web content, annual reports, and appeals.
• Ensure consistency in messaging and branding across fundraising and public-facing materials.
• Collaborate with communications and program staff to gather impact stories and data for use in fundraising materials.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8-10 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising or development, with a track record of success in donor cultivation and revenue generation.
• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, or a related field preferred.
• Experience working in community-based or place-based nonprofit settings is strongly preferred.
• Experience establishing and sustaining long-term partnerships and donors.
• Familiarity with CRM software (e.g., Salesforce), donor research tools, and digital marketing platforms. Instrumentl grant platform experience.
• Strong understanding of development operations, donor lifecycle management, and nonprofit communications best practices.
• CFRE (Certified Fund-Raising Executive) credential preferred.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to set goals, prioritize, and implement effectively.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work across teams and with external stakeholders.
• Passion for equity, community development, and My Connect Community's mission.
• Highly organized, proactive, and self-motivated.

Work Environment and Benefits

• This position operates in a hybrid work environment, with flexibility for remote work, regular in-person meetings, and community-based activities. 1-3 days per week on site are expected for this position.
• Requires occasional evening and weekend availability for events.
• Ability to lift up to 20 pounds occasionally for event support and materials.

Compensation: $100,000 to $125,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Benefits include:

• Four weeks of paid vacation annually
• All paid federal holidays off
• Office closure and paid time off during the week between Christmas and New Year's
• Medical, dental, visions plans
• Retirement contributions
• Professional development support

My Connect Community is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages candidates from all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences to apply. Flexible work from home options available.