Director of Development

Position Summary

The Director of Development leads Sixteen:

Fifteen’s fundraising strategy and donor engagement efforts, helping build the financial foundation necessary to advance the organization’s mission. This role is responsible for cultivating relationships with individual donors, churches, foundations, and strategic partners while developing sustainable systems and processes that support long‑term growth. As a member of the Leadership Team, the Director of Development contributes to organizational strategy, collaborates across departments, and serves as a key advocate for the vision and impact of Sixteen:

Fifteen.

• Design, implement, and refine a comprehensive development strategy encompassing individual, church, foundation, and organizational giving.
• Establish annual development goals and key performance indicators aligned with organizational priorities.
• Develop fundraising systems, processes, and reporting structures that support long‑term sustainability.
• Develop and maintain a documented major donor pipeline and fundraising forecast that provides leadership with visibility into future funding opportunities and organizational revenue projections.
• Provide regular fundraising updates, forecasts, and strategic recommendations to leadership.
• Collaborate with the President and Director of Operations on major fundraising initiatives and strategic opportunities.

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of individual donors, church partners, and prospective major supporters.
• Personally manage and grow a portfolio of major donors, church partners, foundations, and prospective supporters through a combination of in‑person and virtual engagement.
• Build meaningful relationships that deepen engagement with the mission and vision of Sixteen:
  
  Fifteen.
• Conduct regular donor visits, calls, meetings, and stewardship activities.
• Identify opportunities to increase donor retention, recurring giving, and major gift support.
• Collaborate with church‑facing staff to strengthen relationships with existing and prospective church partners.

• Identify and pursue foundation, grant, and institutional funding opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
• Prepare proposals, reports, and stewardship communications for foundation partners.
• Maintain relationships with existing grantors and cultivate new funding opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with program leaders to identify projects and initiatives suitable for grant funding.

• Partner with Operations and Communications to develop donor communications, fundraising campaigns, impact reports, and stewardship materials.
• Ensure donor‑facing messaging accurately reflects organizational impact and priorities.
• Contribute content and strategic direction for newsletters, annual reports, appeals, and fundraising initiatives.
• Assist in planning and execution of donor events, webinars, and engagement opportunities.

• Serve as a member of the Leadership Team, contributing to strategic planning and organizational decision‑making.
• Participate in weekly staff meetings, leadership meetings, and organizational initiatives.
• Support a culture of collaboration, stewardship, and mission alignment across the organization.

Required

• Demonstrated experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, advancement, or related leadership roles.
• Proven ability to cultivate and steward donor relationships.
• Experience securing major gifts and developing strategic fundraising initiatives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to cast vision, inspire generosity, and build meaningful partnerships.
• Experience managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to think strategically while executing with excellence.
• Strong organizational and relationship‑building skills.
• Alignment with Sixteen:
  
  Fifteen’s mission, values, and statement of faith.

Preferred

• Experience in a Christian nonprofit, missions organization, church, or ministry context.
• E…