Development Director, Reading Partners (San Francisco)

Job Summary Reading Partners is changing the education landscape. We are a leader in solving the literacy crisis by leveraging community volunteers in under-resourced schools. Our volunteer base provides one‑on‑one tutoring to students twice weekly, and our program is proven to help children master the reading fundamentals they need to unlock their potential as successful, happy, and confident readers in school and in life. Our people are our heartbeat and our greatest resource; we are passionately rallied around our mission to help children become lifelong learners by empowering communities to provide individualized instruction that truly works. Join our stellar, committed team to deepen our impact and expand our service. Position Information Title: Development Director Type: Staff Location: San Francisco, CA Salary: $103,165 – $128,956 Full Job Description The Development Director is part of a team of fundraisers and relationship builders supporting Reading Partners’ strategic growth plan. The Director’s main roles are to create and implement the overarching regional fundraising strategy, lead cultivation and stewardship of high‑level external relationships, and mobilize the region to achieve ambitious fundraising goals. The Director directly manages a Development Manager and works closely with the Executive Director. This hybrid role requires in‑person meetings and site visits across the Bay Area. Responsibilities Each year, create, lead, and drive overarching fundraising strategy, operational plans, and all revenue activities to meet or exceed fundraising goals for the region. Maintain high renewal rates. Maintain donor relationships and build new ones. Maximize upgrade opportunities for individual and institutional gifts. Increase revenue in all streams by 10% in FY26. Identify strategies to generate prospects to support impact goals through 2027. Own, develop, and implement innovative strategies to increase individual and institutional funding streams and identify prospective government funding opportunities. Deliver on a comprehensive development plan for FY26 with a private revenue goal of $2.9 MM and support current local government fundraising sources $1.2 M. Personally manage a high‑level portfolio of major individual donors, corporate partners, and foundations, driving cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to secure six‑ and seven‑figure gifts and achieve personal fundraising targets. Develop a comprehensive communications and public relations plan to elevate the Reading Partners brand. Build external relationships essential for donor cultivation, prospect identification, and partnership opportunities. Oversee all external communications, ensuring persuasive and compelling messaging, campaigns, and alignment. Support and cultivate individual donors. Manage relationships with institutional donors, including corporate and entertainment alignments. Staff and provide strategic support to the board through management of Fundraising & Engagement and Corporate committees. Support and project‑manage the internal development team and external vendors/consults in planning and executing the annual fundraising event, Literacy is Liberation, raising $250,000 against a $60,000 budget. Manage a development manager to meet ambitious goals by overseeing their portfolio and executing excellent development operations. Provide performance management reviews, training, and ongoing support to direct reports. Ensure systems and operations of the development department, optimizing efficiencies and skills. Provide strategic advice and direction to the Executive Director to ensure regional success against goals and benchmarks. How You’ll Do It Strategy Development: Devise innovative regional strategic fundraising plans, create action steps, and mobilize stakeholders to achieve goals. Build sustainable plans to maximize market opportunities and report progress to senior leadership and board. External Relations & Communication: Demonstrate advanced experience in external relations, corporate alignment, board management, and stewardship. Serve as an ambassador, create compelling external materials, engage press, and lead social media strategies. New Revenue Generation: Drive development in rapidly growing organizations, hit fundraising goals, generate new funding sources, and run sophisticated corporate and individual giving campaigns. People Leadership: Collaborate with SFBA leadership, lead an internal team, coach, grow, and create stretch assignments for future leaders. Recruit and co‑lead the Regional Advisory Board and Associate Board to achieve give‑get goals. About You Have ≥5 years of increasing responsibility in a development or related role, including ≥3 years of team management or leadership. Demonstrate a strong track record in driving development in rapidly growing, mission‑oriented organizations, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area. Can maintain strong long‑term donor relationships. Provide examples and demonstrate strong grant writing skills and understanding of grant writing requirements. Have experience reading, interpreting, and providing financial reports for donors. Are an exceptional and persuasive communicator in writing and verbally. Are achievement‑oriented with a demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding aggressive fundraising goals. Demonstrate a commitment to fostering a dynamic and collaborative work environment. Display a deep belief in our mission and root your work in our core values. Ability to prove eligibility to work legally in the U.S. and be at least 18 years of age. Bonus Points AmeriCorps VISTA, Peace Corps, or other national service alum/alumna. Experience working in launch or growth phases of organizations. Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, public administration, or a comparable field. High degree of comfort with Salesforce or other fundraising database. Experience working in education or literacy. What We Offer Compensation: Full‑time, exempt, salaried position. Pay range is $103,165 – $128,956 per year. Salaries are set based on objective, high‑quality market data and adjusted for geographic region. Benefits: Health & Insurance – Medical, dental, and vision insurance with substantial employer contributions toward employee and family premiums; life and disability insurance at no cost. Pre‑Tax Medical Support – Significant pre‑tax employer funding to offset out‑of‑pocket medical expenses. Mental Health Support – Spring Health for easy access to therapy, coaching, and wellness resources, including six sessions at no cost. Inclusive Health Support – Carrot for guidance related to hormonal health, fertility, family‑building, and gender‑affirming services. Retirement – 403(b) retirement plan with immediate eligibility and employer matching. Paid Time Off – Flexible PTO (Unlimited PTO) and Paid Parental Leave up to 8 weeks for birth and non‑birth parents. Holidays & Office Closures – 14 paid holidays annually plus one week office closure in early July and two weeks in late December. Culture & Growth – Mission‑driven culture with strong commitment to employee development and career growth. Other Things You Need To Know This hybrid role requires in‑person meetings and site visits across the Bay Area, with flexibility for remote work when not engaged in field activities, based primarily in our Oakland or San Francisco offices. The position may require weekend and evening activities related to community engagement and fundraising. Frequent travel throughout the San Francisco Bay Area is required, and reliable transportation is necessary. At Reading Partners, we respect and honor inclusion in our workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Gate Chapter (AFP Golden Gate)