Director of Development & Engagement

The Colorado LiftED Foundation is a long-term partner to youth and families in the Denver metro area, offering academic, social, and emotional support so no one has to navigate school and life alone. Since our founding in 1988, we've leveraged proven methods to give youth equal access to the resources they need to succeed — working toward a Colorado where every young person has equal access to educational and career opportunities that ignite their innate potential.

The Director of Development & Engagement owns CLF's individual-giving engine — donor relationships, signature events, and year-round giving campaigns that turn community belief into sustained support for youth. Reporting to the Senior Director of Development, the Director sets and executes the strategy for donor cultivation and stewardship, the Annual Gala and signature events, and CLF's giving campaigns (Colorado Gives Day, End-of-Year Giving, and beyond), and owns the revenue those efforts produce.

This is a builder's role with a growth path: in year one it is non-supervisory, with the Director carrying strategy and donor relationships directly, supported by a contracted event coordinator and volunteers, and partnering closely with the CEO, Senior Director of Development, and Development Operations & Communications Manager. The ideal candidate is a strategic relationship-builder who is equally comfortable shaping a multi-year donor plan, running a flawless gala, and reading a campaign dashboard to course-correct mid-stream — someone who treats each donor as a long-term partner whose commitment is meant to outlast any single gift.

• A Seat at the Table — Donor and volunteer experiences authentically include the voices of youth, families, and community.
• An Inch Wide, A Mile Deep — A focused, high-quality donor portfolio beats chasing volume.
• Once a Dreamer, Always a Dreamer — Every donor and volunteer is stewarded with the same long-term commitment CLF brings to youth.
• Whatever It Takes — Relentless, creative follow-through on cultivation, events, and campaigns alike.
• We Not Me — Individual giving is shared organizational infrastructure, not a department off to one side.

• Own the individual-giving strategy and pipeline. Design and execute a multi-year plan for donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship — partnering with the CEO and Senior Director of Development to set cultivation stages and ensure every high-value donor has a clear next step.
• Carry a personal portfolio. Cultivate and steward individual and donor-advised-fund (DAF) donors with high-touch stewardship; standard acknowledgments are generated centrally.
• Make leadership effective in donor moments. Prepare the CEO and Senior Director of Development with briefing materials and deeper-engagement opportunities like site visits and program showcases.

• Own the Gala and signature events end-to-end. Hold the strategy, budget, and execution — from concept through vendor and venue management and run-of-show, to post-event reconciliation and debrief, so each event outperforms the last.
• Lead contracted and volunteer event capacity. Direct a contracted event coordinator and volunteers, setting scope and holding accountability for execution.
• Design a year-round engagement calendar of cultivation moments — receptions, showcases, board touchpoints — between major events.

• Own campaign strategy and revenue. Hold the strategy, segmentation, timeline, and revenue goals for Colorado Gives Day, End-of-Year Giving, and new campaigns you design — tracking performance in real time and adjusting tactics to meet or exceed targets.
• Keep storytelling true. Ensure campaign storytelling authentically reflects the youth, families, and communities CLF serves.

• Report up with rigor. Meet weekly with the Senior Director of Development to align priorities and surface risks; engage in quarterly coaching and an annual review.
• Coach down to the capacity you lead. Set clear scope and give growth-oriented…