Head of Development (Remote)

Are you a fundraising strategist who still loves the craft of a well-built proposal? Footprint Project is seeking a Development Director to lead (and grow) the resource development side of our organization in both a strategic and hands‑on role. As a key member of our senior leadership team reporting to the CEO, you will design and implement a holistic development strategy, covering foundation grants, government funding, corporate sponsorships, earned revenue, in‑kind donations and individual gifts. You will drive the work itself: managing the pipeline and calendar, writing and submitting proposals, and stewarding funder relationships.

We remain a start‑up‑style nonprofit with big goals, so this is a true player‑coach role: you’ll set the direction, build the team over time, and stay hands‑on throughout. If you thrive in a fast‑moving environment, are passionate about clean energy and sustainable disaster response, and have a track record of winning and keeping funding, we’d love to meet you.

Footprint Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit disaster service organization headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. We develop and deploy sustainable response technologies to empower community resilience. Footprint Project works across the disaster management cycle to expand frontline access to mobile microgrids and reduce fossil fuel use. open to fully remote for the right candidate.

Communications Coordinator, with additional development team hires planned as the organization grows.

Workplace Policy: Hybrid or fully remote, depending on location.

Job Type: Full‑time exempt if based in Louisiana or North Carolina. Applicants based outside of Louisiana or North Carolina will be considered for a 1099 contractor position with a revised, deliverables‑focused contract.

Schedule: Monday‑Friday within the hours of 8am to 6pm local time for a total of approximately 40 hours/week.

Travel: ~10-20% of the time for conferences, events, and partner meetings.

For applicants based outside of Louisiana or North Carolina, our contract rates are benchmarked against local market standards for independent consultants. The final rate offered will be based on the contractor’s primary location, level of experience, specialized expertise, and complexity of the deliverables.

31 days per calendar year for vacations and holidays

Unpaid Family and Medical Leave

Professional development financial assistance

Career growth opportunities within a small, lean nonprofit organization

Development Strategy & Leadership

Design, implement, and lead a comprehensive development strategy spanning our three primary revenue streams – foundation grants, government grants/contracts, and corporate partnerships/sponsorships – including how we prioritize and position each for sustainable growth.

Serve on the senior leadership team and participate in executive‑level decision‑making as appropriate, contributing a development perspective to organization‑wide strategy and planning.

Set annual revenue and funder engagement goals in partnership with the CEO; Supervise the Communications Coordinator, aligning storytelling, digital presence, and donor‑facing communications with development goals.

Help build the development team as the organization grows, including hiring and supervising future development staff.

Grants: Foundations & Government

Own the foundation grants portfolio end‑to‑end: prospect research, cultivation, LOIs, proposal writing and submission (approximately 1-3 proposals per month), renewals, and funder relationships.

Manage the organization‑wide grants calendar of deadlines and deliverables across an active portfolio of 15-20 grants.

Support existing government grants/contracts and own new government funding opportunities end‑to‑end.

Collaborate closely with the Grants Accounting Manager on grant budgets, restricted‑spending compliance, and timely submission of financial reports.

Coordinate the cross‑team grant reporting effort (Programs, Communications, and executive staff) as capacity allows, in advance of a dedicated reporting hire.

Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships

Own corporate partnerships and sponsorships end‑to‑end: identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward corporate funders and sponsors.

Play a lead development role in events involving corporate sponsors and partners.

Support fee‑for‑service revenue development.

Partner with the CEO on strategy and outreach for high‑net‑worth donors.

Support in‑kind equipment donation.

At least 3 years of nonprofit development experience with a demonstrated track record of securing funding, including success winning five‑ and six‑figure grants from foundations, corporations, and/or government sources.

Budget literacy: comfortable building, reading, and managing grant and program budgets.

Exceptional writing and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce persuasive proposals and high‑impact funder materials.

Strong project management skills and adept at working within CRM systems.

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree.

Experience with federal, state, or local government grants and contracts.

Experience building or managing corporate partnership or sponsorship programs.

Salesforce or other CRM software proficiency.

You’re equally at home setting strategy with leadership and rolling up your sleeves to research a funder, draft a proposal, or polish a budget. Strong interpersonal communication and training skills. You can readily say I don’t know or What the heck are you talking about or I need help with this.

You are able to work independently and remotely without needing handholding.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please send (via BambooHR) a cover letter, your resume, and a writing sample, ideally a grant proposal or letter of inquiry excerpt (2-3 pages; redact confidential details as needed). Applications without a cover letter, resume, and writing sample will not be considered.

Footprint Project is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Footprint Project makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. We expect all Footprint Project employees uphold and demonstrate these same values, wherever we go and with whomever we work.

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