Director of Development

Position Summary

Young Moms Together is looking for a Director of Development -- someone who knows that strong relationships, built with care over time, change what an organization can do for families. You will lead the fundraising vision, relationships, and systems that fund our 2026–2030 Strategic Plan: a plan that charts an ambitious course across safe and stable housing, education and employment, life skills and family support, culture and community, and the organizational sustainability that holds it all together. Ambitious plans begin with resources, and this is the role where they get built.

This is a builder's role with a clear center of gravity: major gifts. You will create and lead a relationship-based major gifts program, manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors, and chart a path toward the plan's goal of growing unrestricted revenue by 50% — flexible funding that lets YMT respond to what young families actually need. You will shape the narrative around our transition from congregate care to individualized, community-based housing, translating strategic change into a case for investment that donors understand and believe in.

You will supervise one development/communications professional, hire and manage a grant contractor, and partner with the Executive Director, the Board, program leaders, and external stakeholders. Your work will show up at the board table and in every program YMT is able to sustain, expand, or launch.

If you lead with curiosity, follow-through, and genuine care for people, and you want your next chapter to invest in something that lasts, we would love to hear from you.

Duties and Responsibilities  

Development Strategy and Strategic Plan Implementation 15%  

• Develop and implement annual and multi-year fundraising strategies aligned with YMT’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan. 
• Establish fundraising goals related to major gifts, unrestricted revenue, donor retention, grants, and revenue diversification. 
• Translate YMT’s strategic priorities into clear, compelling cases for support for donor investment. 
• Connect fundraising strategies to the organization’s housing, education and employment, family support, community, and operational priorities. 
• Help communicate YMT’s evolving housing and service model to donors and funders. 
• Track progress toward fundraising goals and provide regular updates to senior leadership and the Board. 
• Use donor feedback, fundraising performance, and organizational learning to strengthen development strategy. 

Major Gifts and Donor Relationships 35%  

• Develop and lead a major gifts program focused on donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. 
• Develop individualized donor engagement and solicitation plans including the preparation of donor briefings, proposals, presentations, talking points, and follow-up communications. 
• Partner with the Executive Director and Board members on major donor meetings and solicitations. 
• Cultivate opportunities for unrestricted, multi-year, transformational, and capacity-building gifts. 
• Strengthen donor retention, renewal, upgrade, and recurring giving strategies. 
• Maintain accurate records of donor contacts, proposals, solicitations, commitments, and stewardship activity. 
• Build long-term relationships with donors, community partners, and prospective supporters. 

Fundraising Events and Donor Engagement 15%  

• Plan, manage, and execute YMT's fundraising events, including the annual signature event, giving days, donor cultivation and stewardship gatherings, and partner or community events with a fundraising component. 
• Set revenue goals and budgets for each event, track income and expenses against goal, and report results to leadership and the Board. 
• Build and staff event committees, recruit volunteers, and coordinate vendors, venues, and logistics. 
• Use events deliberately as cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship opportunities that connect attendees to YMT's mission, programs, and strategic priorities. 
• Manage event follow-up, including timely acknowledgment and the conversion of event donors into ongoing major, recurring, or multi-year supporters. 
• Coordinate event planning and communications with the development/communications staff member and grant contractor so events reinforce annual giving, major gifts, and institutional giving goals. 

Grants and Institutional Giving 15%  

• Provide strategic oversight of foundation, corporate, and government grant activity. 
• Manage the grant contractor’s priorities, work plan, deadlines, and deliverables. 
• Maintain a coordinated grant calendar aligned with YMT’s strategic priorities and funding needs. 
• Review grant proposals, letters of inquiry, budgets, reports, and other institutional fundraising materials. 
• Partner with program and finance staff to ensure applications and reports are accurate and complete. 
• Track submissions, awards, renewals, restrictions, reporting deadlines, and funder communications. 
• Strengthen relationships with existing funders and identify opportunities for renewal and expanded support. 

Team Leadership and Development Communications 20%  

• Supervise, coach, and support one development/communications staff member through clear goals, priorities, work plans, and expectations.
• Develop clear, compelling donor communications that explain YMT’s mission, strategic direction, programs, impact, and transition toward an individualized, community-based housing model.
• Foster a collaborative team environment grounded in accountability, learning, shared ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate the work of staff and contractors so fundraising, grants, communications, donor stewardship, and reporting efforts are aligned and mutually supportive.
• Review work products, provide timely feedback, and partner with leadership to assess staffing, contractor, and resource needs as the development function grows. 

Development Operations, Reporting, and Board Engagement 10%  

• Establish systems for tracking donor activity, major gift progress, grant activity, stewardship, and revenue projections. 
• Maintain the development calendar, including campaigns, solicitations, grant deadlines, stewardship, events, and Board engagement. 
• Track and report on major gifts, donor retention, recurring giving, grant performance, and revenue against goal. 
• Provide regular development reports and recommendations to leadership and the Board. 
• Equip Board members and organizational leaders to participate in donor cultivation, stewardship, and fundraising. 
• Prepare donor lists, briefings, talking points, and meeting materials for leadership and Board engagement. 
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, templates, and documentation for the development function. 
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Executive Director. 

Minimum Qualifications  

• Commitment to the mission of Young Moms Together and to supporting young mothers and families across South Carolina. 
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; or minimum of ten years of experience in nonprofit development, major gifts, institutional giving, advancement, or a related field. 
• Demonstrated experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors. 
• Experience managing a donor portfolio and fundraising pipeline. 
• Experience with foundation, corporate, or government grants. 
• Experience supervising staff and/or managing contractors or consultants. 
• Strong writing, communication, project management, and organizational skills. 
• Experience using a donor database or CRM system. 
• Ability to connect fundraising strategy to organizational priorities, strategic plans, and program outcomes. 
• Ability to manage confidential information with discretion and professionalism. 

Preferred Qualifications  

• Experience leading a major gifts program in a small or growing nonprofit organization. 
• Experience securing unrestricted, multi-year, transformational, or capacity-building gifts. 
• Experience working with an organization undergoing strategic, programmatic, or leadership transition. 
• Experience managing a grant writer or institutional giving contractor. 
• Experience supporting Board members in fundraising. 
• Experience with Virtuous CRM or a comparable donor management platform. 
• Experience with planned giving, corporate partnerships, campaign planning, or public funding. 
• Experience developing participant-centered and trauma-informed donor communications. 

Core Competencies  

The successful candidate will demonstrate: 

• Relationship-based fundraising 
• Strategic thinking and sound judgment 
• Strong written and verbal communication 
• Donor cultivation and solicitation skills 
• Team leadership and contractor management 
• Organization and follow-through 
• Data-informed decision-making 
• Cross-functional collaboration 
• Commitment to participant dignity and voice 
• Adaptability in a growing organization 

Compensation and Benefits  

Young Moms Together offers a competitive compensation package, including employee health care stipend and retirement plan. 

Salary: $85,000 - $90,000 

Work Schedule: Full-time, exempt 

Equal Opportunity Statement  

Young Moms Together is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace. Candidates from diverse backgrounds and individuals with lived experience are encouraged to apply.