JOB SUMMARY:
Heart, Love & Soul is experiencing significant growth in both community impact and philanthropic support, making this an exciting opportunity for an experienced fundraising professional to build upon a strong foundation while helping shape the organization's future.
Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Development Director is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive fundraising strategy that advances the organization's mission to nourish people in need – body, mind, and soul. This position builds and strengthens relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, and community leaders.
The Development Director serves as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team and provides strategic leadership for the organization's fundraising, marketing, communications, and donor engagement efforts. The Development Director will also play an important leadership role in the organization's current capital campaign and future philanthropic growth.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Strategic Fundraising Leadership
· Develop, implement, and regularly evaluate a comprehensive fundraising plan that supports organizational priorities and annual revenue goals.
· Build and maintain a strong pipeline of individual, corporate, foundation, and community supporters.
· Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects and donors.
· Assist in identifying emerging philanthropic opportunities and fundraising trends.
Annual Giving and Donor Engagement
· Direct all annual fundraising campaigns, including the Spring Appeal, Holiday Appeal, and other direct response initiatives.
· Develop meaningful donor stewardship strategies that strengthen relationships, increase donor retention, and inspire philanthropic investment.
· Ensure timely gift acknowledgments and stewardship communications.
· Expand planned giving and leadership giving opportunities.
Capital Campaign
· With the Executive Director, advance Heart, Love & Soul's capital campaign.
· Coordinate campaign activities with outside campaign counsel as engaged.
· Assist with campaign planning, prospect strategy, and donor communications.
Grants & Institutional Giving
· Coordinate with the organization's grant consultant to maintain a robust grant pipeline.
· Assist with proposal development by providing organizational information, program data, budgets, and supporting documentation.
· Help strengthen relationships with institutional funders through thoughtful stewardship and reporting.
Marketing and Communications
· Supervise the Marketing & Communications Manager.
· Provide strategic oversight for all organizational communications, including website, email communications, social media, print publications, media relations, annual report, and promotional materials
· Ensure consistent messaging that accurately reflects Heart, Love & Soul's mission, values, and impact.
Events
· Provide leadership for the planning and execution of the Annual Dinner and other fundraising and donor engagement events.
· Collaborate with staff, volunteers, vendors, and committees to ensure successful events that strengthen community relationships and philanthropic support
Board and Community Leadership
· Serve as staff liaison to the Board Development Committee.
· Prepare fundraising reports, dashboards, and presentations for the Board of Directors.
· Represent Heart, Love & Soul at community meetings, networking events, speaking engagements, and donor functions.
· Serve as an organizational spokesperson alongside the Executive Director when appropriate.
· Perform other duties as requested by Executive Director
Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
· Demonstrated commitment to the mission and values of Heart, Love & Soul
· Proven ability to build relationships with donors, board members, and community leaders
· Demonstrated success securing major gifts and managing comprehensive fundraising programs.
· Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
· Strong organizational and project management abilities with exceptional attention to detail.
· Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of professionalism.
· Experience supervising professional staff.
· Ability to think strategically while effectively managing day-to-day work
· Experience utilizing donor CRM systems (Bloomerang preferred).
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office and other Windows-based software.
· Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends for special events.
Qualification Standards
Required
· Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
· Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
· Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors.
· Experience supervising staff.
Preferred
· Master's degree.
· Capital campaign experience.
· Experience working with nonprofit Boards of Directors.
· Planned giving experience.
· Knowledge of the Western New York philanthropic community.
ERGONOMIC REQUIREMENTS
The employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, reach, carry light materials, and perform repetitive hand movements associated with computer use.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
Management reserves the right to change duties or combine duties at any time.
Pay: $75,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
