At Paws & Stripes, we believe in saving two lives at a time—helping Veterans heal while giving rescue dogs a second chance. The Director of Development & Communications plays a pivotal role in advancing this mission by inspiring philanthropy, building meaningful relationships, elevating the organization's visibility, and ensuring that every story we tell creates greater opportunities for the Veterans, families, and rescue dogs we serve.
We are seeking a collaborative, innovative, relationship-driven leader who is excited to help shape the future of one of New Mexico's most respected Veteran-serving nonprofits.
The Director of Development & Communications is responsible for leading Paws & Stripes' philanthropic and external engagement efforts. This position develops and implements integrated fundraising, marketing, communications, and community engagement strategies that increase philanthropic investment, strengthen organizational visibility, and build meaningful relationships with donors, corporate partners, foundations, volunteers, Veterans, and the community.
As a member of the Leadership Team, the Director works collaboratively across the organization to ensure fundraising, communications, marketing, and community engagement efforts are strategically aligned with the mission and organizational priorities.
The Director serves as the organization's chief storyteller and relationship builder, ensuring every communication, campaign, partnership, and donor interaction reflects the mission, values, and impact of Paws & Stripes.
This is a hands-on leadership role requiring both strategic thinking and active execution. The Director develops strategy while partnering with staff, volunteers, contractors, and community partners to successfully implement initiatives.
Primary Responsibilities
1. Philanthropy & Fund Development
Provides leadership for all fundraising activities while building a sustainable culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
Essential Responsibilities
- Develop and implement the annual Development Plan.
- Establish fundraising goals, priorities, and performance metrics.
- Build and manage a diversified fundraising program including annual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, planned giving, foundation relationships, grants collaboration, and special events.
- Identify, cultivate, solicit, recognize, and steward donors and sponsors.
- Maintain a healthy donor pipeline using moves management principles.
- Partner with the Executive Director and Board members on major donor cultivation and solicitations.
- Collaborate with program staff and grant writers to align funding opportunities with organizational priorities.
- Prepare fundraising forecasts, dashboards, and performance reports.
- Evaluate fundraising effectiveness and recommend new revenue opportunities.
Measures of Success
- Annual fundraising goals achieved.
- Growth in unrestricted revenue.
- Increased donor retention and acquisition.
- Growth in major gifts and sponsorships.
- Healthy and active donor pipeline.
- Strong donor stewardship program.
2. Marketing & Communications
Provides strategic leadership and hands-on oversight of the organization's marketing and communications efforts to strengthen visibility, inspire support, and advance the mission.
Essential Responsibilities
- Develop and implement an integrated annual marketing and communications plan.
- Ensure consistent messaging and brand standards across all external communications.
- Oversee marketing campaigns that support fundraising, program awareness, volunteer recruitment, advocacy, and community engagement.
- Serve as the primary steward of the Paws & Stripes brand.
- Oversee website content, functionality, and ongoing improvements to ensure an engaging, accessible, and donor-focused experience.
- Provide strategic oversight of social media platforms, including content planning, campaign development, audience engagement, and performance metrics.
- Develop and manage email marketing campaigns, newsletters, annual reports, publications, and digital communications.
- Direct public relations efforts by cultivating relationships with media outlets and identifying opportunities to elevate the organization's visibility.
- Coordinate storytelling efforts that highlight Veteran success stories, organizational impact, and rescue dog transformations while ensuring privacy, dignity, and trauma-informed practices.
- Manage relationships with marketing, communications, design, photography, videography, website, and public relations contractors and vendors.
Measures of Success
- Increased community awareness.
- Growth in media coverage and public visibility.
- Increased website traffic and engagement.
- Growth in social media reach and engagement.
- Increased digital fundraising performance.
- Consistent brand identity across all communications.
3. Community Engagement & Partnerships
Builds relationships that expand the organization's reach, visibility, and impact throughout New Mexico.
Essential Responsibilities
- Cultivate partnerships with corporations, civic organizations, Veteran-serving organizations, foundations, and community leaders.
- Identify opportunities for community engagement and public presentations.
- Support volunteer recruitment and engagement efforts.
- Provide strategic oversight of fundraising events, awareness campaigns, and third-party fundraising initiatives.
- Represent Paws & Stripes within the community as assigned.
- Identify collaborative opportunities that strengthen the organization's mission and visibility.
Measures of Success
- Increased community partnerships.
- Growth in sponsorships.
- Successful fundraising events.
- Expanded volunteer engagement.
- Increased organizational visibility.
4. Leadership & Operations
Provides leadership for the Development & Communications function while ensuring operational excellence.
Essential Responsibilities
- Supervise, mentor, and develop assigned staff.
- Manage contractors, consultants, and volunteers supporting fundraising and communications efforts.
- Establish departmental priorities and annual work plans.
- Foster collaboration across all organizational departments.
- Manage departmental budgets and resources.
- Maintain accurate donor records and data integrity within the organization's CRM.
- Ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.
- Promote innovation, continuous improvement, and accountability throughout the department.
Measures of Success
- High-performing and engaged team.
- Accurate and reliable fundraising data.
- Efficient project management.
- Strong cross-department collaboration.
5. Strategy & Board Engagement
Supports organizational leadership in advancing strategic priorities and cultivating a strong culture of philanthropy.
Essential Responsibilities
- Partner with the Executive Director to implement fundraising and communications strategies aligned with the Strategic Plan.
- Support the Board Development Committee.
- Prepare fundraising dashboards and reports for leadership and the Board.
- Assist Board members with fundraising, sponsorship, and donor engagement activities.
- Monitor fundraising and communications trends and recommend strategic improvements.
- Participate as an active member of the Leadership Team.
Measures of Success
- Informed Board engagement.
- Effective strategic planning.
- Data-driven decision making.
- Strong alignment between fundraising, communications, and organizational priorities.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, marketing, communications, public administration, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Five years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, communications, marketing, or related leadership roles.
- Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor cultivation, sponsorship development, and relationship management.
- Experience developing and implementing marketing and communications strategies.
- Strong project management, organizational, and leadership skills.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Experience managing CRM systems and donor databases.
- Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and common fundraising and communications platforms.
- Valid driver's license with the ability to travel throughout New Mexico.
Preferred Qualifications
- Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential or progress toward certification.
- Experience working with Veteran-serving organizations, behavioral health organizations, or animal welfare organizations.
- Experience with Bloomerang or comparable CRM systems.
- Experience overseeing websites, email marketing platforms, and social media management.
- Experience managing external marketing or communications contractors.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to occasionally lift up to 30 pounds.
- Ability to attend evening and weekend events as needed.
- Daily interaction with dogs in an office environment.
Frequent travel within New Mexico for meetings, donor visits, community events, and fundraising activities.
Pay: $72,000.00 - $78,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
