Development Director

Development Director

The Development Director leads and executes comprehensive fundraising strategies that advance the American Alpine Club's mission and long-term sustainability. Reporting to the Vice President of Advancement, this role is both strategic and hands-on — responsible for designing and implementing AAC's development strategy and tactics across individual giving, planned giving, corporate partnerships, and foundation and grants support, while personally managing a portfolio of major donors. The Development Director oversees a Development team of two.

This position is directly responsible for approximately $2 million in annual revenue. The Development Director oversees all philanthropic revenue streams, strengthens donor stewardship practices and development systems, and plays a central role in expanding AAC's philanthropic capacity in alignment with its strategic priorities.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, relationship-driven fundraiser and leader with demonstrated success across multiple giving channels. They bring strong planning and organizational skills, a donor-centered mindset, and the ability to work collaboratively across teams. Experience in the outdoor, recreation, or conservation sectors is a plus but not required.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute a comprehensive development strategy aligned with AAC's strategic priorities and annual revenue targets.
• Drive revenue growth across individual donors, corporate partners, foundations, and grants — identifying and pursuing opportunities to diversify and expand fundraising streams.
• Develop, document, and refine policies and procedures to ensure clarity, efficiency, and accountability across Development.
• Build and manage the development budget; lead revenue forecasting, tracking, and compliance reporting in partnership with Finance and Operations.
• Set clear performance targets and timelines for each giving channel and implement dashboards and metrics to assess progress and adjust strategies in real time.

• Lead the strategy, planning, and execution of the AAC's individual giving program, including annual giving, mid-level and major donor engagement, planned giving, and direct response campaigns, with responsibility for achieving annual revenue and pipeline goals.
• Manage, coach, and support the Individual Giving Officer, providing clear priorities, goals, portfolio strategy, and accountability while ensuring effective coordination between annual, mid-level, and major giving efforts.
• Maintain a personal portfolio of high-value major donors and prospects, with direct responsibility for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, including personally making and closing five- and six-figure gifts and developing multi-year and transformational giving opportunities.
• Develop and oversee a comprehensive donor stewardship strategy that strengthens relationships, increases retention, creates opportunities for donor upgrades, and drives sustainable year-over-year growth in individual giving.
• Develop compelling philanthropic opportunities and donor strategies that connect individual donors with AAC priorities, including grants, programs, facilities, publications, and other organizational needs.
• Guide the development of donor-facing materials, including proposals, impact reports, stewardship communications, and solicitation materials, ensuring they clearly communicate the AAC's mission, impact, and opportunities for philanthropic investment.
• Use fundraising data and portfolio metrics to monitor performance, identify gaps and opportunities, and regularly adjust strategies to ensure individual giving goals are met.

• Manage and grow the AAC's portfolio of corporate partners, including outreach, proposal development, reporting, and relationship stewardship.
• Identify and pursue new corporate partnership opportunities aligned with AAC's mission, programs, and audience, including endemic and non-endemic opportunities.
• Develop sponsorship and partnership packages that offer compelling value to corporate partners while advancing organizational goals.
• Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications team to ensure appropriate brand integration and visibility for corporate partners.

• Manage AAC's foundation and grants opportunities, ensuring timely submission of letters of inquiry, proposals, reports, and renewal applications.
• Research and identify new foundation funding prospects.
• Write and submit high-quality grant proposals and reports in collaboration with program staff and leadership.
• Build and maintain relationships with program officers at key foundations to position AAC for long-term funding partnerships.

• Maintain the integrity and effective use of AAC's CRM (Salesforce) for donor tracking, portfolio management, and reporting, including processes for gift acknowledgments and donor communication workflows, in concert with IT and operations.
• Work closely across teams to align fundraising content, storytelling, and donor communications with AAC's brand and strategic priorities.
• Partner with Finance and Programs staff to ensure accurate gift processing, fund tracking, and compliance with donor intent and grant restrictions.
• Support the VP of Advancement and Executive Director in engaging board members as fundraising ambassadors, helping them leverage their networks for cultivation and solicitation.
• Foster a culture of philanthropy, creativity, collaboration, and effectiveness.

Qualifications and Competencies

• 6+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, with demonstrated success; proven ability to supervise, coach, and support staff (preferred 3+ years of management experience).
• Familiarity with DAFs, QCDs, and other planned giving vehicles. Experience with mid-level or major gift programs. CFRE certification is a plus.
• Proven ability to personally cultivate, solicit, and close gifts at the five- and six-figure level.
• Demonstrated ability to design and execute a fundraising strategy, manage a development budget, and use data to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Commitment to AAC's mission and values.

Work Environment and Travel

• 75% Desk-Based Work: Work using Google Workspace, Slack, Salesforce.
• 25% Travel and In-Person Engagement: Includes donor visits, events, conferences, and in-person team gatherings.

Benefits

The AAC currently offers a comprehensive benefits package including employer-paid medical (with reproductive and gender-affirming care), HSA, dental, vision, life, AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, a wellness program, a matching 401k retirement plan, flexible work scheduling, pro deals, generous paid time off, and bonding leave. Benefits are reviewed annually and changed as needed. Team members are notified when any benefit changes occur.

How to Apply

All who love the AAC mission are encouraged to apply, including people of color, Black, Indigenous, transgender, and non-binary people. Apply online. No phone calls or emails, please. Cover letters are required. Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to those who apply by September 15, 2026. Candidates will not be contacted prior to the priority deadline.

The AAC is an equal-opportunity employer. Your gender, religion, sexual orientation, skin color, first language, marital status, and body size and ability do not factor into employment decisions here. If you love our mission and are good at what you do, come as you are. A note about applying: our position descriptions outline general needs for a role, but these are not set rules. If you meet more than two-thirds of the suggested skills, we encourage you to apply. Include any applicable experience, both paid and volunteered, that helped you build these competencies.

About the AAC

Founded in 1902, the American Alpine Club (AAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to providing climbers with resources that advance knowledge, inspiration, and advocacy. Through our rescue benefit and medical expense coverage, climbing and grief grants, campgrounds, and discounts, we are committed to empowering our members. We share knowledge and inspiration through the American Alpine Journal, Accidents in North American Climbing, and preserving climbing history in the AAC Library and Archives. Finally, we advocate for our members and the places we climb by breaking down barriers to climbing and seeking to preserve our climbing landscapes and public lands nationally and locally. At the AAC, we are connected through our passion for climbing. United We Climb.