Development Director

Director of Development

Friends Center for Children

New Haven, CT

Friends Center for Children is an early childhood education center providing high-quality, full-time year-round care for children ages 3 months to 5 years. We offer a child-centered, hands‑on learning experience in a safe and nurturing environment. At Friends Center, children learn through creative play and a wide range of developmentally‑appropriate activities. We are non‑sectarian and our values‑based curriculum is guided and enhanced by its foundations in the Quaker principles of community, equity, peace, simplicity, truth and stewardship. As a cooperative organization, parents and teachers at Friends Center work together to create a diverse and supportive community. Our mission is: educate children, empower families, inspire teachers, engage community, embrace diversity, embody equity.

Reports to : Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer

Classification: FTE - Exempt

Hours: 40 hours per week, with some evening and weekend hours

Salary Range: Starting at $100,000 and dependent on experience

Benefits: Employer-sponsored health insurance, PTO, and childcare

As Friends Center enters a new chapter of growth—expanding our school locations, advancing our nationally recognized free teacher housing model, and preparing for the next phase of organizational growth—we are seeking a Director of Development to lead a comprehensive fundraising program that secures the philanthropic resources needed to sustain and scale our impact.

Position Summary

This senior leadership role is responsible for developing and executing Friends Center's comprehensive advancement strategy, including major gifts, annual giving, foundation and corporate support, grants, capital campaigns, planned giving, donor stewardship, and fundraising communications.

The Director of Development will cultivate meaningful relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, and community leaders while building the systems and strategies that strengthen Friends Center's long‑term philanthropic capacity.

This role is ideal for an experienced advancement professional who is equally comfortable developing fundraising strategy, managing a portfolio of major donors, leading campaigns, and building a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Advancement Strategy & Fundraising (45%)

• Design and lead a comprehensive fundraising strategy, including annual giving, major gifts, foundation giving, grants, planned giving, special events, and capital campaigns
• Set and achieve ambitious revenue goals aligned with organizational growth
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors and institutional funders
• Partner with senior leadership to align fundraising with strategic priorities

Donor Engagement & Stewardship (25%)

• Develop compelling donor proposals, reports, and investment opportunities.
• Design stewardship experiences that deepen donor engagement and inspire transformational giving.
• Support C‑Suite in board engagement, fundraising and partnership development.
• Oversee donor communications, ensuring alignment with organizational voice/values.
• Create meaningful opportunities for funders to engage with Friends Center’s work and community.

Community Partnerships & External Engagement (15%)

• Represent Friends Center with funders, civic leaders, and community partners.
• Support strategic relationships that advance fundraising and organizational visibility.
• Identify opportunities for philanthropic collaboration.

Leadership & Advancement Operations (15%)

• Strengthen advancement infrastructure, systems, and reporting.
• Oversee CRM strategy, donor data integrity, moves management, and analytics.
• Build a culture of philanthropy across Friends Center for Children programs/staff.
• Collaborate across departments to support fundraising priorities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit fundraising, advancement, or development leadership.
• Demonstrated success securing major gifts, foundation grants and institutional funding.
• Experience developing and implementing comprehensive fundraising strategies that achieve ambitious revenue goals.
• Proven ability to cultivate, solicit, steward, and retain donors.
• Experience managing a donor portfolio and moving prospects through the full donor cultivation cycle.
• Proficiency with donor databases and CRM systems, including donor tracking, reporting, moves management, and fundraising analytics.
• Experience developing fundraising proposals, donor reports, case statements, and stewardship materials.
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to analyze fundraising performance, prepare reports, and use data to inform strategy.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to engage donors, volunteers, board members, and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and lead complex projects from conception through execution.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and relationship‑centered philanthropy.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience planning, supporting, or leading a capital campaign, comprehensive campaign, or other significant fundraising initiative.
• Experience working closely with a Board of Directors on fundraising, donor cultivation, and campaign activities.
• Experience supervising staff, consultants, or cross‑functional project teams.
• Familiarity with planned giving and endowment fundraising strategies.
• Experience in early childhood education, education, housing, or another mission‑driven nonprofit organization.
• Knowledge of fundraising best practices, donor stewardship, and ethical philanthropy.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to walk up/down a flight of stairs