Director of Development

Director of Development
Upward Community

Upward Community is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Development to lead and grow our fundraising efforts and help advance our mission of developing emotionally healthy children, teens, young adults, and families through our Circle of Support.

The Director of Development will work closely with the Executive Director, leadership team, board, donors, and community partners to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy that supports Upward Community’s continued growth and long-term sustainability.

This role is ideal for an experienced development professional who is passionate about building meaningful relationships, cultivating and growing a strong donor base, identifying new funding opportunities, and translating Upward Community’s mission and impact into compelling opportunities for investment.

The Director of Development will take ownership of Upward Community’s overall development strategy and fundraising goals, with a particular focus on individual giving, major donor cultivation, donor stewardship, campaigns, institutional funding, and building the systems necessary for sustainable fundraising growth.

Qualifications
We are looking for someone who brings strong relationship-building skills, strategic thinking, initiative, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to Upward Community’s mission.

The ideal candidate will have:

Experience working with the Jewish Orthodox community.
Experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, advancement, or a related field.
Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual and major donors.
Experience developing and executing fundraising strategies and campaigns with measurable goals and results.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build authentic, lasting relationships with donors, community members, organizational leadership, and other stakeholders.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate an organization’s mission and impact in a compelling way.
Familiarity with grant research, proposal development, grant writing, and reporting.
Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
A high level of initiative and the ability to independently move relationships, projects, and fundraising opportunities forward.
The ability to work collaboratively with organizational leadership, staff, and board members.
Experience working with donor databases, CRMs, or other fundraising tracking systems.
A thoughtful, professional, and relationship-driven approach to representing Upward Community within the community.
A results-oriented mindset combined with the patience and relationship-building skills necessary for long-term fundraising success.