Director of Philanthropy – Nonprofit Youth Health

Senior Director of Philanthropy

Our client is a leading youth health equity organization working across Mississippi and Arkansas to empower young people with comprehensive health education and resources. Through evidence-based programming and advocacy, they build equitable communities where all young people can make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.

Jackson or Clarksdale, Mississippi;
Little Rock, Arkansas; or hybrid arrangement. Regular travel required throughout Mississippi, Arkansas, and other locations as needed for donor engagement.

• Develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies supporting work in Mississippi and Arkansas whilst pursuing national and global funding opportunities.
• Partner with Executive Director, Managing Director, and Board to embed a culture of philanthropy across the organization.
• Lead efforts to diversify revenue streams, balancing foundation, government, corporate, and individual donor support from local to international sources.
• Set annual fundraising targets and monitor progress toward goals across all geographic markets.

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors across Mississippi, Arkansas, other U.S. states, and international markets.
• Develop tailored engagement strategies for donors at different geographic levels whilst maintaining cohesive mission-driven messaging.
• Lead high-quality stewardship that builds long-term loyalty and advocacy for the organization's work.

• Oversee multistate, national, and global grants pipeline, including prospect research, proposal writing, budgeting, and compliance.
• Build relationships with local, national, and international program officers, agencies, and grant-making bodies.
• Collaborate with program staff to ensure proposals and deliverables are compelling and achievable.

• Plan and implement annual appeals, digital campaigns, and special initiatives with both local resonance and broad national/international appeal.
• Lead capital campaigns and large-scale fundraising efforts that leverage multistate and cross-border support.
• Coordinate events in multiple states and abroad (as applicable), adapting for audience and context.

• Partner with the Board of Directors to identify and engage prospective donors at all geographic levels.
• Provide fundraising training and resources to board members and senior staff for local, national, and global donor cultivation.
• Present regular fundraising reports highlighting opportunities in all markets.

• Align fundraising systems, messaging, and donor engagement strategies across all levels of work, from Mississippi to global partnerships.
• Share fundraising data and insights across teams to inform organizational priorities and investment decisions.
• Collaborate with communications team to produce donor-centered materials that resonate locally, nationally, and internationally.

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 7–10 years of progressive fundraising experience, including demonstrable success in multistate, national, and/or international development work.
• Proven track record securing major gifts, managing donor portfolios, and leading large-scale campaigns.
• Strong grant writing, prospect research, and donor cultivation expertise.

• Advanced degree or CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) certification.
• Experience working in or strong familiarity with Arkansas, particularly leveraging local connections for philanthropic work.
• Previous experience in youth development, health equity, public health, or related mission-driven sectors.
• Demonstrated success navigating politically or culturally sensitive funding environments.
• Bilingual capabilities or experience working across international contexts.

• Exceptional relationship-building and networking skills across cultures and sectors.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
• Proficiency with donor management software (e.g., NEON, Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce).
• Ability to work effectively across diverse…