Development Director

Preferred Start Date: June 2026; outgoing Development Director will be available to support onboarding for this role during this time period.Location: This position is currently remote. Occasional in-person meetings and events in and around the Seattle area are required.Classification: Exempt, Full-time (Monday-Friday, 40 hours/week)Reports to: Co-Executive Director, Finance and OperationsSalary: $95,000Benefits: Paid medical, vision, and dental insurance; 13 paid holidays plus week-long office closures in July and December; 12 vacation days and 12 Sick and Safe Time days in the first year; 100% of Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums paid by employer, 401K retirement plan and access to free personalized retirement planning advisors; monthly stipends for remote work and personal phone expenses; and paid professional development expenses.About Communities RiseCommunities Rise’s mission is to foster movements to build power in communities impacted by systemicoppression. To create a more equitable system, we pursue cross-sector collaborations and providecapacity building and legal services for community organizations and small businesses.Cross-Sector Collaborations: We team up with funders, community organizations and community leaders to co-design, implement, and elevate initiatives for equity, diversity, and Inclusion.Capacity Building: We build capacity in community organizations working in communities impacted by systemic oppression through our nonprofit cohort program, grant writing, and fundraising clinics.Legal Services and Trainings: We provide legal support to nonprofit organizations and small businesses on their business legal needs through direct representation, legal clinics, and legal trainings.About the role: The Development Director will establish and lead fund development strategies to support organizational strategic priorities. This role reports to the Co-Executive Director, Finance and Operations, but partners closely with the Co-Executive Director, Capacity Building and the Co-Executive Director, Legal Services as all Co-Executive Directors have fundraising responsibilities. This role interfaces regularly with program staff, Board Members, institutional and individual donors, and volunteers over the phone, via email, and in-person. The outgoing Development Director will be available for onboarding support of this role to ensure a smooth and healthy transition after 9 years of dedicated service. Strong candidates for this role are relationship-centered, have a sense of humor, and are committed to personal growth.ResponsibilitiesInstitutional Giving (40%)Partner with the Co-Executive Directors to ensure new grant opportunities meet established goals and are aligned with organizational prioritiesManage program staff in tracking and completing grant contracts and deliverablesCompile information and data in Salesforce to create comprehensive reports for all funders within their requirements and deadlinesSubmit all grant renewals, applications, and reports, and manage grants calendar for tracking purposesTrack and submit all invoices and payments made in partnership with external accounting firmIdentify new prospective grant opportunities, attend webinars, and build relationshipsStrategy and Relationship Building (25%)Create and implement an annual fundraising plan to meet Communities Rise’s annual revenue goals, raising $1.8M annuallyPartner with the Co-Executive Directors to develop short and long-term fund development strategies to support new and existing programsRepresent Communities Rise in funder meetings, steward existing relationships and establish new partnerships in collaboration with Co-Executive DirectorsPartner with the Co-Executive Directors and Board of Directors on annual budget planning and revenue forecastingPresent a clear narrative to engage stakeholders in Communities Rise’s mission and advocate for greater equity and increased resources for BIPOC led and serving organizations in the sectorServe as the staff liaison to the Board’s Fundraising Committee; work with committee to strategically engage board and/or community members in fund development and stewardshipAttend program team meetings to strengthen communication and collaborative visioning for future projects and funding opportunitiesEvents and Sponsorships (20%)Lead events and sponsorship strategy in partnership with Co-Executive Directors Lead in planning and execution of annual fundraising event, “Voices”, with a goal of $100k, including program strategy, sponsorship solicitation, donor stewardship, outreach, and associated logistics in partnership with staff and volunteersDesign 1-2 additional opportunities for relationship building and stewardship with our donors and volunteersIdentify, cultivate, solicit, and steward annual sponsorships from partners, local law firms, and corporate legal departmentsIndividual Giving (10%)Lead major gift cultivation and stewardship strategies which strategically utilize the Co-Executive Directors’ time and relationshipsPersonally steward and solicit a portfolio of donors, including regular phone calls and meetingsPlan and execute strategies for growing our individual and recurring donor pool, including creating content for email campaigns and social media communications Create and manage tracking systems for gifts, pledges, thank yous, and stewardshipEnter, manage, and analyze donor data using Salesforce, prepare regular reports to track and evaluate progress toward goalsOther duties as assigned (5%)Participate in all-staff meetings, retreats, and other org-wide activitiesCoordinate with Co-Executive Director, Finance and Operations to regularly check PO Box, deposit checks, and maintain deposit recordsAs applicable (based on our current contracts) provide RFP support via 1:1 technical assistance to clients on their grant applicationsOther duties as assignedRequired SkillsAlignment with Communities Rise’s mission and experience working with communities impacted by systemic oppressionBrings a race equity lens to funding decision-making processesAt least 2 years of experience leading development and/or grants in a nonprofit settingAbility and willingness to engage in both big picture fund development strategy and administrative development tasksAbility to build relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and solicit gifts 1:1, including some local travel for donor meetingsStrong leadership skills and the ability to balance meeting annual revenue goals with a vision for greater funding equity in the sectorPositive attitude and a focus on problem-solving and proactively identifying challenges and solutionsAbility to create and implement work plans, managing multiple short and long-term projectsStrong writing skills, ability to condense large amounts of information into a clear and compelling narrativeThis position requires the use of Salesforce for data tracking and reporting and Soapbox forevent registrationProficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint). Our office uses Google Workspace and SlackPreferred SkillsAbility to use Canva or other design softwareAbility to use MailChimp or other email platformsAbility to coach others and meet people where they areFamiliarity with the current nonprofit funder landscape in the Greater Seattle / Puget Sound RegionFamiliarity with Community-Centric Fundraising principlesInstructions to apply:Please send the following in one email to jobs@communities-rise.org with the subject line “Development Director” by Monday, May 11, 2026:Resume2-3 paragraphs describing your interest in this role at Communities RiseAttach a development-focused writing sample. Examples of writing samples could include an annual development or campaign plan, grant applications, impact reports, grant reports, etc. Your materials will not be shared outside of the hiring committee.Communities Rise is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other class protected by law.  We encourage people from communities of color, people with disabilities, indigenous, refugee, immigrant, working class, and/or LGBTQIA+ communities to apply for this position. Communities Rise will provide, excepting any undue hardship, reasonable accommodations for candidates taking part in all aspects of the hiring process. To request assistance or accommodations, please contact jobs@communities-rise.org.