Development Director [Leadership Austin]

We seek a strategic, people-centered Development Director to lead our comprehensive fundraising and development program. This individual will be responsible for building and managing relationships across multiple funding streams—including corporate sponsorships, foundations, individual donors, and major gifts. They will oversee fundraising initiatives, lead stewardship efforts, collaborate with our alumni including Vision Council, and play a central role in advancing Leadership Austin’s strategic plan.

We have bold plans. We are serving Central Texans beyond Austin, launching new leadership development offerings, and scaling the business for greater impact. To get there, we need a development leader who is as organized as they are inspired, and as results-driven as they are people-centered.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising Strategy & Execution

• Create and execute a comprehensive development and fundraising strategy. 
• Secure $1 million in contributed funding through sponsorships, major gifts, events, foundations, and individual donations.
• Identify and pursue new corporate sponsorship opportunities, and manage relationships with existing 
• corporate partners.
• Cultivate foundation partnerships, including grant research, proposal writing, and timely reporting.
• Lead efforts to secure and grow major gifts.
• Implement a robust system for tracking prospect engagement and measuring success.

Stewardship & Donor Engagement

• Design and implement a robust donor stewardship strategy to foster long-term donor loyalty and recognition.
• Manage a portfolio of donors, corporate partners, and foundation partners, ensuring consistent engagement and communication.
• Create and maintain donor communications, impact reports, and personalized engagement strategies.
• Plan and execute donor cultivation and recognition events, including private receptions, annual galas, and campaign launches.
• Steward relationships with donors, corporate partners, foundations, and stakeholders to engage their support and commitment to our mission.

Strategic Collaboration

• Serve as the primary liaison to the advisory Development Committee, facilitating collaborative strategy-setting, sharing fundraising progress, and activating their networks for support.
• Collaborate with the leadership team, Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers to align fundraising efforts with organizational priorities and programs.

Proposal Writing & Reporting

• Lead the development and submission of compelling partnership proposals, sponsorship packages, grant submissions, and campaign collateral.
• Track proposal deadlines, reporting requirements, and deliverables to ensure compliance and timely submissions.
• Collaborate with program staff to gather stories, data, and metrics to effectively communicate impact.

Fundraising Campaigns & Events

• Plan and execute signature fundraising events and campaigns, including annual giving drives, online fundraising efforts, peer-to-peer initiatives, and ticketed events. Examples include but not limited to: Courageous Leaders Lunch, Leadership Austin Conference, Alumni Holiday Party, Community Engagement Awards, and Vision Council.
• Collaborate with marketing/communications staff to develop event materials, promotions, and donor engagement tools.
• Monitor event ROI and fundraising performance to inform future planning and strategy.

Data Management & Reporting

• Direct the organization’s customer relationship management (CRM) system(s) to maintain accurate donor records, track donor interactions, analyze donor data, and generate reports for fundraising analysis and decision-making.
• Produce regular reports on fundraising performance, donor retention, and campaign progress for the Chief Advancement Officer, Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors.
• Analyze donor data and trends to inform strategic decisions and optimize fundraising efforts.
• Ensures compliance with applicable laws and fundraising best practices

Grant Writing and Management

• Oversee a comprehensive grants portfolio, identifying and developing compelling grant proposals.
• Manage grant application process from start to finish, ensuring compliance with grant requirements and reporting deadlines. 
• Manage the relationship(s) with grant-writing contractors if utilized.

Work Environment

• Highly collaborative work environment
• Schedule: Leadership Austin provides work schedule flexibility. Remote working is available on Mondays and Fridays with standard office hours on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The job does require occasional evening or weekend events. 
• Hybrid/remote work includes team meetings at our headquarters in Austin and in-person meetings and networking events, with an expectation of community-facing connections to foster donor relationships.

EXPERIENCE

We don’t expect you to check every box—what matters most is your potential and passion.

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

• Passion for the mission and values of Leadership Austin and ability to generate funding for organizational sustainability.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive fundraising and development experience, including success securing major gifts, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and a proven track record of building long-term relationships with donors and stakeholders.
• Strong writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, especially in crafting compelling proposals and donor materials.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience that demonstrates strong organizational and project management skills, including success in steering key stakeholders toward organizational goals
• Experience (professional or extracurricular) that showcases an achievement orientation and ability to turn efforts into results
• Ability to educate others and communicate persuasively 

Preferred Qualifications (Not Required):

• Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Fundraising, Business Administration, or related field required. Advanced degree preferred.
• CFRE certification 
• Experience working with a CRM and/or other technology to manage relationships, optimize work flows, and track status and deadlines of key initiatives.