Development Director

Are you ready to build corporate and foundation partnerships that expand opportunities for young people nationwide? Do you have experience securing multi-million-dollar, multi-year commitments and engaging executive decision-makers? National 4-H Council is seeking a Development Director to lead new business development and advance partnerships that support our mission and Beyond Ready initiative.

At National 4-H Council, we empower nearly 6 million young people each year to become confident leaders who are ready for life and work. As the nation's largest youth development organization, we prepare young people to be Beyond Ready through hands-on learning experiences in STEM, Agriculture, Healthy Living, and Civic Engagement.

As the Development Director , you will report to the Senior Development Director and contribute to a team fundraising goal of over $50 million, with an individual goal of $5 million annually. You will build and advance a portfolio of 90-100 national prospects; engage C-suite executives, senior corporate leaders, and foundation decision-makers; and lead opportunities from initial outreach through proposal development, negotiation, and close. Working with Council executives, Trustees, and cross-functional teams, you will develop proposals that connect philanthropic investment, corporate engagement, and program priorities.

Join us in building partnerships that extend 4-H's reach and impact across the country. In this role, you will connect corporate and foundation partners with opportunities to invest in hands-on learning, career readiness, and the experiences that help more young people become Beyond Ready. #4HBeyondReady

Mission

4-H, the nation's largest youth development organization, grows confident young people empowered for life today and prepared for careers tomorrow. In collaboration with the USDA and our network of 110 public universities, we serve every county and parish in the United States in more than 3,000 local 4-H Extension offices. Our programs have a positive impact on young people: 4-H youth are 2x more likely to excel in school, 4x more likely to contribute to their communities, 2x more likely to make healthier choices, and 2x more likely to pursue STEM education or careers.

National 4-H Council (Council), 4-H's private sector nonprofit partner, builds public-private partnerships and provides resources and leadership development opportunities that expand the reach and impact of 4-H. With the Beyond Ready Initiative, 4-H has the potential to reach 10 million young people annually to help them lead healthy, productive, and engaged lives. Young leaders will have the experience and mentorship to succeed in an evolving workforce and thrive in their communities.

Position Summary

National 4-H Council seeks a dynamic Development Director to contribute to the Development and Marketing fundraising goal of over $50M that includes coordinated solicitation of grants ranging from $250K to $5M from major national corporations and foundations to support unrestricted operational efforts as well as major programmatic initiatives. The Director will be responsible for outbound outreach to Fortune 500 companies to secure funding in support of the 4-H mission and the Beyond Ready initiative. This role will be responsible for researching and contacting C-Suite executives and senior leaders to secure partnership discussions. The Director will work to generate leads, cultivate prospects, build relationships and identify new transformational partnership opportunities.


Responsibilities

Development Portfolio Duties

• Drive new business development through outreach and cultivation to support team fundraising goal of $50M, with an individual fundraising goal of $5M annually, with a focus on multi-year, multi-million-dollar gifts.
• Build, cultivate, and advance a high-value portfolio of 90-100 national prospects from initial engagement through solicitation to close.
• Develop sophisticated fundraising strategies for complex opportunities, identifying the right combination of philanthropic investment, corporate engagement, consumer activation, employee engagement, and brand alignment to build mutually beneficial partnerships.
• Cultivate relationships with C-suite executives, senior corporate leaders and philanthropic decision makers, representing National 4-H Council with credibility, confidence and strong executive presence.
• Partner closely with National 4-H Council executives, Board of Trustee members, and other senior leaders to develop and execute cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Serve as a strategic leader and thought partner within the Corporate & Foundation Partnership team, contributing ideas and fundraising expertise to strengthen team strategy, pipeline development, and overall performance.
• Build long-term, trusting relationships with prospects to qualify leads as partnership opportunities.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of corporate and foundation giving interests, staff and trends.
• Maintain a disciplined approach to portfolio management, including accurate and timely tracking of prospect activities, pipeline movement, and next steps in Council's CRM.
• Other duties as assigned.

Development-Program Collaboration Duties

• Serve as fundraising lead for complex opportunities, establishing clear strategy, roles, timelines, and next steps while ensuring internal teams are aligned throughout proposal development, negotiation and close.
• Partner with program, marketing, digital, relationship management and finance teams to develop integrated 360-degree proposals and meet deliverables.
• Work with the research team and Donor Communications Director to develop high-quality prospecting and outreach templates.
• May manage and mentor a high-performing team of 1 or more direct reports.
• As a team member, collaborate to ensure the growth of the portfolio while maintaining excellent donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Lead and supervise other projects as assigned by the Senior Director, Corporate Development.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, public administration, business administration, sales management, or related discipline, or equivalent in work experience.
• 10+ years of experience or other relevant experience in successfully securing multi-million-dollar, multi-year corporate or foundation partnerships.
• 8+ years of progressively responsible work experience in planning, managing, and initiating relationships between private and/or nonprofit sectors.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Proficiency in Raisers Edge NXT or equivalent fundraising/CRM software.
• Ability to perform in a team-oriented environment and to successfully navigate a highly complex organization.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to prioritize and effectively manage multiple project deadlines and deliverables.

Preferred Skills

• Experience building and maintaining multi-million-dollar, multi-year corporate and foundation partnerships at a national nonprofit.
• Experience navigating a complex nonprofit system to build comprehensive partnerships that have national and local reach.

Travel Requirements: Travel may be necessary, up to 50% of the time (local, regional & national). This role would require travel by air, car, rail.


ADA Requirements: The physical demands described here represent those that an Associate must meet to perform the position's essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Mostly a sedentary role; however, some movement is required.
• Routinely uses standard office equipment, including computers, telephones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
• Requires the ability to handle routine work materials and bend or stand as necessary.
• Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds.

Disclaimer: This position description indicates, in general, the nature and levels of work, knowledge, skills, abilities, and other essential functions (as covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act) expected of an incumbent. It is not designed to include or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required. An incumbent may be asked to perform other tasks as needed.