Regional Development Officer- Macon and Jackson Counties

Regional Development Officer - Macon and Jackson Counties

Salary: $49,471.00 - $86,890.00 Annually

Final date to receive applications:
Oct 15, 2026

Nonprofit

Onsite
Base office in Highlands, NC or Cashiers, NC
Position Status:
Full-Time
FLSA Status:
Exempt
Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) is a community-based non‑profit legal aid agency governed by a local Board of Directors. PLS has an annual budget of $14.4 million from a multitude of funding sources. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina (WNC), Pisgah Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance to low‑income people in WNC. The organization currently has offices in Asheville, Brevard, Burnsville, Cashiers, Hendersonville, Highlands, Marshall, Newland, Rutherfordton and Waynesville.

With over 120 dedicated staff, including over 30 attorneys plus program staff, and an active group of 250 volunteer attorneys, the organization provides free services to over 25,000 people per year to meet their basic needs, primarily in the poverty law areas of housing, public benefits, domestic violence prevention, health care, immigration, and consumer law.

The Regional Development Officer works as part of a dynamic and experienced development team. The Regional Development Officer will work with an entire legal aid staff to expand free legal assistance and anti‑poverty advocacy to help a growing number of very low–income people each year to solve problems related to housing, domestic violence, health care and insufficient income. This position will work on growing Pisgah Legal Services’ contributed revenue streams across its service area to sustain our essential work.

While touching on all aspects of Development work, this position is primarily responsible for Annual Campaign and Major gifts in Macon and Jackson counties.

• Commitment to PLS’ mission, values, and vision.
• With a focus on Macon, and Jackson counties, manages a portfolio of individuals by creating a strong annual donor strategy, transitioning that into a multi‑year strategy, and by integrating planned giving, endowment, and other major asks into the strategy where appropriate.
• Communicate with portfolio through face‑to‑face cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings, and written strategies; ensure that each major donor and prospect has a clear strategy and timeline for cultivation, solicitation and stewardship
• Track and record donor interactions and solicitation requests to meet annual assigned performance metrics and fundraising results.
• Assist the Chief Development Officer in establishing and managing annual and long‑range development goals for targeted donor segments within Macon and Jackson counties
• Creates, plans, implements, and staff’s special projects and events in support of fundraising priorities.
• Possess current awareness of PLS’ program operations and priorities.
• Represents PLS at a variety of community events, including some evening and weekend events.
• Engages in and coordinates public speaking presentations for various audiences, including businesses, civic and community groups, and faith communities.
• Recruit and support volunteers across PLS program areas in collaboration with the Volunteer and Pro Bono Teams.
• Support the Grants Team as needed with relevant funding sources in assigned counties
• Assist the Community Outreach Team with building relationships with local community partners and other outreach toto client‑eligible populations
• Identifies appropriate contacts in advance of grant submissions and continuously build and strengthen county grantor relationships through ongoing communication about PLS within the community.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Passion for and commitment to PLS’ mission, values, and vision.
• Must be able to meet all essential job functions.
• Ability to work with low‑income clients and communities within a multi‑ethnic/ multi‑cultural environment.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in Development, Fundraising, or related field Required.
• Has a lived connection and/or a deep understanding of Western North Carolina and the assigned counties
• Self‑motivated, able to work independently but has the ability to shift from…