Position Type: Full-time/Exempt
Reporting To: Executive Director
Location: Northeast (New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Maine)
Salary: $125,000-$135,000
Position Summary:
The Director of Development is responsible for leading and advancing the development function of Courageous Parents Network (CPN) in support of our mission to serve families caring for children with serious illness. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role joins CPN at a meaningful point of organizational growth. The Director will assess and formalize existing systems, strengthen the foundation for expanded fundraising efforts, and lead strategy and execution across all areas of development. This position is well suited for a development professional with a track record of progressive responsibility who is ready to step into a leadership role and drive results in a mission-driven environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning and Development Infrastructure
- Evaluate existing development systems and processes and implement formalization and improvements that support sustainable revenue growth
- Partner with the Executive Director to develop and implement a comprehensive, multi-year development plan including revenue goals, donor acquisition and retention strategies, and fundraising priorities
- Develop metrics and evaluation frameworks to track advancement performance and organizational impact
- Create a strategic roadmap for team growth and capacity building as the organization scales
- Collaborate with the Executive Director and board to set ambitious and achievable fundraising goals
Fundraising Strategy and Revenue Development
- Design and execute fundraising campaigns across individual, corporate, and foundation donor segments
- Develop compelling cases for support and fundraising narratives that connect program impact to donor engagement
- Conduct prospect research to build and manage a growing pipeline of potential supporters
- Cultivate and solicit mid-level and major gift prospects and corporate partners
- Manage grant strategy, including foundation research, proposal development, and funder relationships
- Refine donor stewardship framework that recognizes contributions and communicates impact
Communications Strategy
- Oversee creation of donor communications including annual impact reports, newsletters, case statements, and multimedia content
- Ensure all external communications reflect organizational values and resonate with diverse audiences
- Partner with senior staff to craft authentic storytelling that illustrates organizational impact
- Explore peer-to-peer and third-party fundraising opportunities to broaden organizational reach
Database Management and Analytics
- Maintain and strengthen the existing development database, ensuring accurate donor records, giving history, and engagement tracking
- Develop reporting frameworks to inform strategic decisions and demonstrate organizational progress
- Create donor segmentation strategies to support targeted campaigns and personalized outreach
- Prepare donor profiles and briefing materials to support cultivation and solicitation efforts
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
- 3-5 years of fundraising and development experience with demonstrated growth in responsibility
- Proven ability to contribute to or support fundraising strategies and campaigns with measurable results
- Experience in communications and organizational positioning for nonprofit or mission-driven organizations
- Demonstrated success building or contributing to development systems, processes, and infrastructure
- Experience with donor cultivation and solicitation across individuals, corporations, and foundations
- Strong grant writing skills with a track record of contributing to successful proposals
- Proficiency with fundraising databases, CRM systems, and analytics tools
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to craft compelling narratives
- Working knowledge of fundraising ethics, best practices, and current trends in nonprofit development
Skills, Experience, and Attributes:
- Strategic and systems thinker with strong initiative, process development, project management, and analytical skills, able to execute with significant ownership
- Authentic relationship-builder with high emotional intelligence across donors, board members, staff, and community partners
- Creative problem-solver open to innovative and inclusive fundraising approaches
- Collaborative, entrepreneurial, and adaptable, comfortable building in a dynamic, startup-like environment
- Ambitious and goal-oriented with a detail-oriented, ethical, and transparent approach to development work
- Empathetic professional with an understanding of the unique challenges facing families navigating serious childhood illness
- Experience contributing to or building development programs in a growing nonprofit; background in healthcare, family-centered, or cause-driven organizations preferred
Qualified interested individuals should send cover letter and resume to BLord@CourageousParentsNetwork.org.