Senior Director of Development

Senior Director of Development Employer: JCC of Greater Albuquerque Type: Full-time General Description Position Summary The Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque seeks an experienced, strategic, and relationship-oriented Senior Director of Development to lead and strengthen the organization's comprehensive fundraising efforts. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Senior Director of Development will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to increase philanthropic revenue, deepen donor engagement, expand institutional support, and build a sustainable culture of philanthropy throughout the organization. The Senior Director of Development will manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, cultivate relationships with individuals and families, identify and pursue foundation and corporate funding opportunities, and oversee the preparation of compelling grant proposals, reports, and donor communications. The Director will work closely with executive leadership, program staff, board members, volunteers, and community partners to align fundraising priorities with the JCC's mission, strategic goals, and programmatic needs. This position requires a balance of relationship-building, strategic planning, persuasive writing, prospect research, project management, and development operations. The successful candidate will understand that effective fundraising is rooted in authentic relationships, a compelling case for support, consistent stewardship, and a clear demonstration of impact. The Senior Director of Development will serve as a key ambassador for the JCC, connecting the generosity and philanthropic interests of donors with opportunities to strengthen Jewish life, support community programming, and ensure the organization's long-term sustainability. Major Responsibilities 1. Fundraising Strategy and Leadership • Develop, implement, and evaluate annual and multiyear fundraising plans aligned with the JCC’s strategic priorities, programmatic needs, and financial objectives. • Establish fundraising goals, revenue projections, performance measures, and strategies to grow and diversify contributed revenue. • Lead a comprehensive fundraising program encompassing major gifts, annual giving, grants, planned giving, sponsorships, special campaigns, and other philanthropic opportunities. • Articulate a compelling case for support that communicates the JCC’s mission, community impact, funding priorities, and opportunities for philanthropic investment. • Partner with the Executive Director and board leadership to set fundraising priorities, assess performance, identify emerging opportunities, and foster a culture of philanthropy. • Expand the donor base and develop sustainable funding sources that support immediate needs and long- term organizational growth. 2. Major Gifts and Donor Relationship Management • Build and manage a portfolio of major donors and qualified prospects, developing individualized strategies for cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and long-term engagement. • Identify, research, qualify, and cultivate prospective donors through networking, referrals, community engagement, and collaboration with board members and organizational leadership. • Conduct donor meetings and solicit annual, multiyear, capital, planned, and other significant gifts that align donor interests with the JCC’s priorities. • Develop tailored proposals and giving opportunities for programs, facilities, scholarships, community initiatives, and other organizational needs. • Coordinate with the Executive Director and board members on high-level donor cultivation, solicitation, and engagement strategies. • Explore blended gifts, legacy commitments, and other philanthropic arrangements in collaboration with organizational leadership and appropriate professional advisors. 3. Grant Writing and Institutional Fundraising • Research and pursue funding opportunities from private, family, community, and corporate foundations, as well as other institutional funders. • Develop and manage a grants pipeline aligned with the JCC’s programs, strategic initiatives, and funding priorities. • Prepare compelling letters of inquiry, grant proposals, funding requests, renewal applications, and supporting materials that demonstrate community need, program effectiveness, and alignment with funder priorities. • Collaborate with program and finance staff to gather program descriptions, budgets, outcome measures, and other documentation required for proposals and reports. • Manage grant submissions, reporting schedules, renewal applications, and compliance requirements, ensuring accurate and timely completion. • Build relationships with foundation representatives, corporate partners, and institutional funders to strengthen existing partnerships and identify opportunities for collaborative funding and sponsorships. • Maintain accurate records of grant awards, funding restrictions, reporting obligations, and renewal opportunities. 4. Prospect Research and Pipeline Development • Identify and assess prospective individual donors, family foundations, institutional funders, corporate sponsors, and community partners based on philanthropic interests, giving capacity, and alignment with the JCC’s mission. • Prepare prospect profiles, donor briefings, and funding analyses to inform cultivation and solicitation strategies. • Maintain a structured fundraising pipeline that tracks prospects from identification and qualification through solicitation and stewardship. • Monitor philanthropic trends, funder priorities, and community developments to identify new funding opportunities. • Engage board members, volunteers, staff, and community stakeholders in identifying prospective supporters and facilitating introductions. • Develop strategies to expand the JCC’s reach among individuals, families, businesses, and foundations interested in Jewish communal life, education, culture, wellness, and community-building. 5. Donor Stewardship and Communications • Develop and implement a donor stewardship program that recognizes generosity, demonstrates impact, and strengthens donor retention and long-term support. • Ensure timely gift acknowledgments, personalized outreach, impact updates, grant reports, and appropriate donor recognition. • Prepare fundraising appeals, donor correspondence, proposals, newsletters, impact summaries, and other development communications. • Partner with marketing and communications staff, as available, to align fundraising messages with the JCC’s broader communications and engagement strategies. • Create meaningful opportunities for donors to experience the JCC’s impact through program visits, events, staff interactions, and community engagement. • Coordinate donor briefings, cultivation gatherings, recognition activities, and other engagement opportunities tailored to donor interests and organizational values. • Evaluate donor retention, giving patterns, and engagement trends to identify opportunities to deepen relationships and increase support. 6. Development Operations, Data Management, and Reporting • Maintain accurate donor, prospect, gift, and grant records in the organization’s donor management system, ensuring data integrity, confidentiality, and ethical stewardship of information. • Establish systems to track donor interactions, solicitation strategies, fundraising commitments, grant deadlines, stewardship activities, and revenue projections. • Manage an integrated development calendar covering appeals, solicitations, grant submissions and reports, campaigns, and donor engagement activities. • Collaborate with finance staff to reconcile contributions, monitor fundraising revenue, track restricted gifts, and support accurate financial reporting. • Prepare regular reports on fundraising performance, progress toward goals, donor retention, pipeline activity, and grant submissions and awards. • Use development data to evaluate effectiveness, inform strategic decisions, and improve fundraising outcomes. • Use technology and AI-assisted research or drafting tools responsibly, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and appropriate independent review. 7. Board, Staff, and Community Collaboration • Work closely with the Executive Director, board of directors, committees, and staff to align fundraising efforts with the JCC’s mission, programs, financial needs, and long-term vision. • Equip board members and volunteers with prospect information, talking points, and fundraising materials to support their roles as ambassadors, advocates, and connectors. • Collaborate with program leaders to identify fundable initiatives and communicate program outcomes and community impact to prospective supporters. • Represent the JCC at donor meetings, community events, foundation gatherings, and other activities that advance fundraising and relationship-building efforts. • Develop partnerships with Jewish communal organizations, civic groups, businesses, and other community stakeholders to advance shared priorities and expand philanthropic opportunities. • Participate in organizational events and initiatives as needed, demonstrating a commitment to the JCC’s mission and the community it serves. Required Qualifications • Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience. • A minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, institutional giving, major gifts, or a related field. • Demonstrated success cultivating donor relationships and securing significant philanthropic contributions. • Experience managing donor portfolios, developing solicitation strategies, and meeting or exceeding fundraising goals. • Strong grant-writing and editing skills, including experience preparing proposals, letters of inquiry, funding requests, and grant reports. • Experience researching and qualifying individual donors, family foundations, corporate partners, and institutional funding opportunities. • Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation skills. • Strong project management, organizational, and analytical abilities, including the capacity to manage multiple priorities and deadlines. • Experience using donor relationship management systems and fundraising databases; familiarity with Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, or comparable platforms is preferred. • Ability to interpret program information, budgets, and outcome data and translate them into compelling fundraising narratives. • Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with executive leadership, board members, staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners. • Strong attention to detail, sound judgment, discretion, and commitment to ethical fundraising practices. • Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque and an appreciation for Jewish communal life and community-centered programming. Preferred Qualifications • Experience leading or supporting a comprehensive fundraising program within a Jewish communal organization, Jewish Community Center, or comparable nonprofit. • Familiarity with the Jewish philanthropic landscape, including local and national Jewish foundations and communal funding organizations. • Experience securing major gifts, multiyear commitments, capital or special campaign gifts, and planned gifts. • Experience developing foundation and corporate partnerships and managing institutional fundraising portfolios. • Familiarity with fundraising analytics, revenue forecasting, donor segmentation, moves management, and development performance reporting. • Experience working with a board of directors and engaging volunteer leaders in fundraising. • Experience using digital fundraising platforms, prospect research tools, and AI-assisted research or writing tools responsibly. Core Competencies The successful candidate will demonstrate: • Relationship-centered fundraising: A genuine interest in building trust, understanding donor motivations, and developing lasting philanthropic partnerships. • Strategic thinking: The ability to connect fundraising activities with organizational strategy, community needs, and long-term financial sustainability. • Compelling communication: The ability to articulate the JCC's mission, programs, and impact in ways that inspire generosity and engagement. • Initiative and accountability: A proactive approach to identifying opportunities, setting priorities, following through, and achieving measurable results. • Collaboration: The ability to work effectively across departments and with leadership, board members, volunteers, and community partners. • Organization and execution: Strong project management skills and the ability to maintain accurate records while managing competing deadlines. • Community commitment: An appreciation for the role the JCC plays in strengthening Jewish life, fostering belonging, and serving the broader Albuquerque community. • Adaptability and curiosity: A willingness to learn about the JCC's programs, participants, donors, and evolving community priorities. Work Environment and Schedule This is a full-time, exempt position based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Senior Director of Development will work primarily in collaboration with the JCC's executive leadership, staff, board members, donors, and community partners. Occasional evening and weekend work will be required to support donor meetings, fundraising events, community programs, and organizational priorities. Local travel for donor visits, community meetings, and partner engagement may be necessary. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions of the position. Equal Opportunity The Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for employees, participants, donors, and community members. Employment decisions are made in accordance with applicable equal employment opportunity laws and organizational policies. Employer Information About the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque The Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque is a vital resource for Jewish life, connection, culture, wellness, and community engagement in Albuquerque and the surrounding region. Through its programs, services, and community partnerships, the JCC creates opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect, learn, grow, and participate in a welcoming and vibrant community. Rooted in Jewish values and committed to strengthening community, the JCC provides a place where individuals and families can build meaningful relationships, celebrate Jewish life and traditions, pursue personal enrichment, and engage in programs that promote well-being and belonging. The JCC's continued success depends on the generosity, commitment, and partnership of individuals, families, foundations, businesses, and community organizations. Philanthropic support enables the JCC to sustain and expand its programs, invest in its facilities and people, respond to evolving community needs, and advance its mission for future generations. Learn more about the JCC and its outstanding programs at