Director of Development

Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP) Director of Development Job Description About BYEP Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP) is an adventure-based group mentoring program that has served 1,200+ young people in the Gallatin Valley over the past 25 years. BYEP participants are young people in our community who are most likely to benefit from mentorship and support: teens exposed to trauma, neglect, loss, and mental health challenges. We provide a life-changing program where youth are grouped with peers, mentors, and staff for weekend adventures, weekday workshops, life skills development, and mental health support. The goal is to equip teenagers with skills to make educated decisions towards an empowered and independent future. BYEP serves a population of approximately 150 youth aged 12 to 18 annually, with the support of over 60 volunteer mentors and tutors. Governed by a Board of Directors, BYEP has an annual budget of approximately $2.2 million, and a full-time staff of 11. Over the next 5 years, the organization plans to expand services to additional communities in the region. The expansion will enable BYEP to serve 250+ teens with the support of 75 volunteer mentors and tutors, a staff team of 15+- BYEP’s Director of Development will scale the organization’s annual budget from $2.2 million to approximately $2.8 million. Visit for more details on our organization and events. Position Summary The Director of Development leads BYEP’s comprehensive development strategy, building and executing a relationship-driven approach that grows philanthropic revenue, deepens donor investment, and advances BYEP’s mission, positioning the organization for long-term financial sustainability. Collaborating with Executive Leadership and serving as a key partner to the Board of Directors, the Director of Development will bring strong fundraising expertise, strategic thinking, relationship-building skills, and will provide leadership across BYEP’s fundraising and development efforts, inspiring investment in the organization’s mission. The specific scope of responsibilities will be shaped by the successful candidate’s experience and strengths, as well as the evolving needs of the organization. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Fundraising & Development Strategy Lead the development and execution of BYEP’s comprehensive fundraising strategy in partnership with Executive leadership. Establish fundraising goals, priorities, and strategies that support BYEP’s mission and long-term sustainability. Lead and/or oversee 8+ fundraising initiatives across a diverse mix of philanthropic revenue streams - major giving, expansion funding, 4+ special events, corporate partnerships, grants, annual giving, and associated fundraising communications. Identify opportunities to grow and diversify philanthropic support. Monitor fundraising performance and use data and results to inform strategy. Manage development resources and budgets in alignment with organizational priorities. Donor Engagement & Philanthropic Partnerships Build and strengthen relationships with current and prospective donors, funders, businesses, and community partners. Cultivate, solicit, and steward donors through thoughtful, timely, and meaningful communications, in coordination with the Executive Director and other organizational leaders. Strengthen donor retention, engagement, and opportunities for increased investment. Translate BYEP’s impact into compelling storytelling and develop impactful strategies for communications that connect donors to BYEP’s mission and impact and strengthen BYEP’s visibility. Board & Executive Leadership Partnership Partner with the Board Development Committee to advance BYEP’s philanthropic priorities. Engage and equip Board members to participate meaningfully in donor cultivation, stewardship, relationship-building, and fundraising. Provide fundraising insights, performance updates, and strategic recommendations to organizational leadership and the Board. QUALIFICATIONS M.A.preferred; B.A. required. Minimum 3 years with preferred 5 years fundraising experience with demonstrated success in raising funds and meeting goals. Proven track record of growing revenue and securing major gifts from new donors, engaging new corporate partnerships and foundation giving. Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to engage effectively with donors, Board members, community partners, staff, and organizational leadership. Demonstrated leadership and people-management experience. Demonstrated strategic thinking, planning, project management, and organizational skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate organizational impact and inspire philanthropic investment. Ability to move comfortably between high-level strategy and hands-on execution. Experience working collaboratively across teams and functions. Familiarity with fundraising systems, donor management, and data-informed decision-making. Experience with Salesforce or comparable CRM systems, report building, and donor database management. Passion for BYEP’s mission and commitment to youth development, mental health, and outdoor education. Preferred qualifications include experience with event strategy and overseeing special events, nonprofit communications, fee-for-service fundraising models, or other areas of nonprofit fundraising and/or sales experience. BYEP recognizes that strong candidates may bring different combinations of these experiences and encourages applicants with diverse development backgrounds to apply. Specific roles and responsibilities will be tailored to the selected candidate. Physical Demand and Work Environment The physical demands and work environment described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear; use hands and fingers to handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls; and reach with hands and arms. Position requires walking, climbing stairs, driving and lifting at least 25 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment can be quite loud during hours when teens are in the BYEP Headquarters. Reports to: Executive Director Hours of Work: This is a full-time, exempt salaried position with a 40 hour work week. Some evening and weekend work is required. Compensation: Pay will be competitive and commensurate with experience. Benefits: BYEP provides a wide range of competitive benefits as part of their total compensation package, including medical, dental, vision, wellness stipend, IRS match, PTO, paid holidays, and sick leave for full-time employees. Probation Period: 12 months TO APPLY: After reviewing the full job description, please submit a letter of interest, resume and the contact information of three professional references, as attachments to Danica Jamison at View email address on click.appcast.io by Monday, October 26 at 8:00 am. Please include in the subject line the following: “Director of Development.First Name.Last Name”. In the letter of interest, please tell us why you are interested in working for BYEP and why you would be a good fit for this position - including detailed information about your development experience. Applications received by 10/26/2026 will be reviewed in a first round, however applications after 10/26/2026 may still be considered until the position is filled. Incomplete applications may not be considered. We do not accept applications through LinkedIn. Equal Opportunity Statement Big Sky Youth Empowerment is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. BYEP values diversity. We believe that all employees and applicants should be treated with dignity and respect. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, religion, creed, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, marital status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or association with a person or group with any of the above characteristics, except where the reasonable demands of the job require such a distinction to be made. BYEP will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to the organization, within legal requirements of the law. Individuals who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, and individuals who have experienced systemic oppression, are encouraged to apply.