Director of Development

Director of Development Position Overview

The Director of Development (DoD) will be based in Indiana, with required statewide and some national travel. The DoD will serve as a senior fundraising leader responsible for growing philanthropic revenue through individual giving, corporate partnerships, and strategic fundraising initiatives.

This position works closely with the Chief Development & Communications Officer (CDCO) to develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies that support Foster Success’s strategic priorities and long-term sustainability.

The ideal candidate is a highly relational fundraiser who excels at being donor-centered, a self-starter in identifying opportunities, building meaningful partnerships, crafting compelling cases for support, and securing transformational investments.

This role reports directly to the Chief Development & Communications Officer (CDCO). This position supervises the Assistant Director of Donor Relations.

• Lead the Individual Giving program and manage a portfolio of donors and prospects.

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward donors with gift‑making capacity up to $10,000 annually.

• Develop and execute individualized donor engagement strategies with the Assistant Director of Donor Relations.

• Conduct regular donor meetings to move donors through the donor cycle process.

• Partner with the CDCO on major gift solicitations and leadership‑level donor strategies.

• Identify opportunities to upgrade annual donors into major gift supporters.

• Support planned giving identification and relationship development.

• Develop and manage relationships with corporate partners and community organizations.

• Identify sponsorship, volunteer engagement, cause‑marketing, and philanthropic opportunities.

• Create customized partnership proposals aligned with Foster Success priorities.

• Lead sponsorship strategy and revenue generation for organizational events and initiatives.

• Steward corporate relationships throughout the year through impact reporting, recognition, and engagement opportunities.

• Represent Foster Success within the business community and professional associations.

• Supervise and support the Assistant Director of Donor Relations.

• Establish, with support from the CDCO, annual fundraising goals for Individual and Corporate giving, performance metrics, and professional development plans.

• Support the Asst. Director of Donor Relations in establishing goals and performance metrics on donor retention, donor relations/stewardship, and volunteer engagement.

• Partner with the CDCO to establish fundraising priorities, strategies, and revenue goals.

• Contribute to annual budget development and revenue forecasting.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and donor‑centered philanthropy both internally and externally.

• Embrace innovation, thoughtful risk‑taking, and continuous improvement.

• Support the Assistant Director of Donor Relations in developing and overseeing comprehensive stewardship strategies that improve donor retention and lifetime value.

• Support the Assistant Director of Donor Relations in the planning and execution of events.

• Ensure timely donor acknowledgment, reporting, and impact communications.

• Partner with the Program and Marketing & Communications teams to create compelling donor‑facing content.

• Utilize storytelling, program outcomes, and participant experiences to demonstrate impact.

• Maintain accurate donor records and prospect activity within Salesforce and Tableau.

• Monitor fundraising performance and pipeline activity.

• Analyze donor trends and giving patterns to inform strategy, and pivot when…