Development Director

JOB DESCRIPTION

Do you believe that Washington should have smart, progressive policies that build a just society, thriving communities, and a better future for our kids? Are you passionate about advancing racial equity, creating an economy that works for all of us, and supporting a clean energy future? Do you want a political climate that supports strong progressive leadership and demands accountability?

Fuse Washington is hiring a Development Director to lead and grow our fundraising program to support innovative election and issue campaigns that engage more people in our democracy and advance progressive change in Washington state. The Development Director is the senior leader of Fuse's development department, responsible for building the relationships, systems, and strategies that sustain and grow our organization across our family of c3, c4, and PAC entities.

The Development Director will manage a broad portfolio of individual major donors, mid-level donors, and foundation funders; lead and mentor development staff; oversee special fundraising initiatives; and serve as a key partner to the Executive Director, board, and senior leadership on all fundraising matters. Applicants should be experienced in and deeply committed to progressive change. The goal of this position is to grow Fuse's resources so we can build a more progressive political landscape in Washington state for years to come.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising Strategy & Capacity Building

• Develop and implement an integrated fundraising strategy that aligns major gifts, mid-level donors, foundation funding, monthly giving, and events into a coherent, mission-driven approach
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and senior staff to track progress toward annual fundraising goals and adjust strategy as needed
• Use data, storytelling, and donor feedback to continuously refine what moves donors and deepens their alignment with Fuse's work
• Lead the development and improvement of fundraising systems, including CRM practices, donor segmentation, and pipeline management
• Develop and maintain internal and external fundraising tools, including data analysis, donor briefing materials, and training resources
• Support and train staff and board in fundraising and donor engagement, helping to build a shared culture of fundraising confidence and ownership
• Support the Executive Director in managing relationships with key institutional partners, program officers, and major funders
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to senior leadership on fundraising priorities and organizational sustainability

Major Donor Fundraising

• Co-manage, grow, and steward a portfolio of major donors ($2,500+), including scheduling and conducting one-on-one cultivation and solicitation meetings
• Develop and execute management strategies to renew, upgrade, and acquire major donors across Fuse's c3, c4, and PAC entities
• Conduct and oversee prospect research to identify new major donor prospects
• Coordinate regular major donor updates in partnership with the Executive Director and senior staff
• Personally make direct fundraising asks and support board members and staff in doing the same
• Lead strategy to retain, upgrade, and grow Fuse's mid-level donor base
• Develop personalized cultivation and stewardship plans including phone outreach, one-on-one meetings, and donor communications
• Oversee the revitalization of the mid-level donor program, including testing new engagement strategies and improving automation

Foundation, Grant, & Other Fundraising

• Maintain and strengthen relationships with current foundation partners in partnership with the Executive Director
• Oversee grant writing, submission, and reporting processes, ensuring high-quality, timely submissions and reporting across all funding cycles
• Identify, pursue, and renew foundation funding opportunities aligned with Fuse's long-term goals
• Lead Fuse's GiveBig campaign and other annual giving initiatives

Team Leadership & Management

• Supervise development staff, including conducting regular check-ins, annual performance reviews, and supporting professional growth
• Oversee strategy and fundraising for two annual fundraising events and other cultivation events
• Provide strategic oversight and guidance for Fuse's Progress Partners monthly giving program

Systems, Data & Operations

• Oversee Fuse's fundraising database (Salesforce) and ensure accurate tracking of donor communications, gifts, and pipelines
• Develop and improve automated donor communications using ActionNetwork and Salesforce to increase efficiency
• Maintain and improve systems for tracking major donor portfolios, gift acknowledgment, and tax receipts

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Work, volunteer, academic, and life experience are all acceptable.

• Minimum 5 years of nonprofit fundraising experience with a demonstrated track record of success in major gifts and individual donor fundraising
• Experience making direct fundraising asks and personally managing a major donor portfolio
• Proven ability to build authentic, long-term relationships with donors, funders, board members, and organizational partners
• Experience supervising staff and building team capacity
• Strong project management skills and demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience crafting compelling donor communications and grant narratives
• Experience working with fundraising databases and donor management systems (Salesforce or similar CRM)
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to maintain rigorous tracking and follow-through systems
• Personal passion for advancing racial, social, environmental, and economic justice
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, campaign-style work environment

EXTRA CREDIT QUALIFICATIONS

These skills or experiences are not required for an applicant to be competitive.

• Familiarity with c3, c4, and PAC fundraising structures and legal distinctions
• Experience with foundation grants strategy, including program officer cultivation and grant writing oversight
• Existing relationships in Washington state's philanthropic, progressive, or political donor communities
• Experience planning and executing major fundraising campaigns or organizational milestone campaigns

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this full-time position is $100,000-$115,000 based on experience.

Fuse Washington offers excellent medical, dental, and vision benefits, as well as a retirement package with a 3% employer match, generous paid vacation, paid holidays and sick leave, and a paid sabbatical after five years of employment. Fuse has a strong team environment with great coworkers and a vibrant organizational culture.

This position is based in Seattle, Washington. Fuse Washington is a hybrid work environment with an in-office requirement of two days per week. The Development Director will report to the Executive Director.

HOW TO APPLY

If this sounds like the job for you, please email a letter of interest and resume to View email address on click.appcast.io with the subject heading "Development Director." This position will be open until filled. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. However, applications submitted by Aug 30th will be given priority consideration.

Please send all questions regarding this position to View email address on click.appcast.io. No phone calls, please.

Fuse Washington is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. All interested individuals, including people of color, women, persons with disabilities, and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex are particularly urged to apply.

About Fuse

Fuse Washington ( is the state’s largest progressive organization – people creating change online, on the ground, and on issues that matter.

Our goals at Fuse are to help progressives win more often and give ordinary people a strong voice in politics. We aim to provide organizing and communications power that helps progressives win today and tomorrow on critical issues and in electoral campaigns, while strengthening the foundation for greater success over time. We achieve our goals through three core capacities that we believe are critical to long-term success:

1. Organizing – we add more people to the most important campaigns
2. Communications – we deliver stories and messages that move people through new media and the news media, and we train others in the progressive community to communicate more effectively.
3. Political troubleshooting – we provide creative problem solving and rapid response for critical political challenges and opportunities, and we aim to increase accountability and promote leadership.

Fuse has several strengths as an organization that fuel our work:

• A culture of innovation and creativity: we always aim to be an engine of innovation and a game-changer.
• Long-term timeline and a focus on movement and capacity building: our strategies are designed to build long-term power for progressives in Washington while also delivering short-term results.
• Speed and nimbleness: we possess dynamic flexibility to tackle urgent challenges and capitalize on opportunities.