Director of Development

Position Objective: The Director of Development is responsible for leading United Way of Kennebec Valley’s (UWKV’s) fundraising strategies, building and sustaining donor relationships, and expanding the organization’s revenue. This position oversees the annual fundraising campaign, manages major giving societies, supports the growth of planned giving, and ensures donor retention and acquisition strategies are in place and effective.

The Director will also supervise and mentor the Marketing & Events Coordinator (MEC), ensuring marketing, events, and donor engagement strategies align seamlessly with UWKV’s development goals and brand identity.

This outward-facing, results-driven role requires a high-energy, relationship-focused professional with strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who thrives in collaborative environments and leads with integrity and accountability.

Responsibilities:

Fundraising Campaign Leadership

• Develop annual goals for resource development and oversee strategic implementation to meet those goals
• Lead the planning, execution, and evaluation of UWKV’s annual fundraising campaign
• Formulate business projections and analyze account data to refine individual business goals
• Cultivate, steward, and solicit corporate and individual donors across Kennebec County
• Serve as the staff liaison for the Campaign Chair(s) and Campaign Champions Committee
• Assign workplace campaigns to appropriate staff and volunteers, and oversee their progress
• Deliver compelling presentations to workplace and public audiences
• Direct and support the MEC in developing campaign materials (themes, print, digital, video) that align with brand standards and inspire giving
• Oversee and guide MEC’s role in planning and executing campaign and donor events, ensuring they enhance donor experience and campaign goals
• Collaborate with the Director of Community Impact (DCI) and MEC to align messaging and storytelling across development and community impact work
• Lead year-round small business fundraising strategies
• Design and host campaign trainings for employee campaign managers

Relationship Management

• Build relationships with new and prospective business partners; set and meet new donor acquisition goals
• Conduct regular meetings with current and potential donors, business leaders, and volunteers
• Create strategies to reconnect with lapsed donors and grow engagement
• Maintain all aspects of relationship management for key donors, including accurate recognition materials and oral and written communications, to ensure their ongoing satisfaction and participation
• Collaborate with DCI to communicate UWKV’s community impact work to donors and stakeholders
• Manage and expand major giving programs including the Leadership Circle, Alexis de Tocqueville Society, Emerging Leaders Society, and Legacy Society
• Set and achieve annual goals for each giving society
• Engage with donors on planned giving opportunities and grow UWKV’s endowment
• Serve as staff liaison to giving society committees

Marketing & Events Oversight

• Supervise the Marketing & Events Coordinator, providing guidance, coaching, performance evaluation, and professional development opportunities
• Ensure MEC’s work supports and amplifies fundraising and donor engagement efforts, including messaging, design, and branding consistency
• Collaborate with the MEC on strategy and execution for all fundraising and recognition events, ensuring they align with development objectives and provide exceptional donor experiences

Administrative & Strategic Leadership

• Recruit and manage development interns, volunteers, and “Loaned Executives” from businesses or schools to support campaign efforts
• Develop and manage the annual campaign budget, ensuring effective and responsible resource use
• Collaborate with the Finance & Operations Manager and President & CEO on gift processing practices and reporting
• Generate, analyze, and present fundraising reports, ensuring 100% accuracy and timely delivery
• Use CRM database to document donor interactions, gifts, and milestones; ensure other staff do the same, as needed
• Share donor feedback and insights with internal teams to inform strategy and improvement
• Represent UWKV at community events, cultivating relationships and raising awareness
• Participate in organizational strategy discussions and support cross-departmental collaboration
• Assist with general office operations as needed and uphold a positive, team-oriented environment
• Promote and model UWKV’s core values of integrity, transparency, professionalism, and service
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in business, sales, communications, or related field
• 5-plus years working in fundraising, sales or relationship management, with strong track record of meeting or exceeding revenue goals
• 1+ years of experience supervising or mentoring staff preferred

Required Skills:

• Proven relationship-building skills with donors, volunteers, and business leaders
• Experience designing and leading fundraising strategies with measurable success (meeting or exceeding revenue goals)
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills
• Fluent in the English language, both written and verbal, including correct punctuation, spelling and grammatical usage
• Demonstrated ability to manage staff or contractors in marketing, events, or campaign coordination
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across departments
• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and efficiency
• Strong analytical skills and comfort with CRM systems and Microsoft Office
• Familiarity with budgeting and reporting
• Committed to UWKV’s mission and community impact
• Access to reliable transportation

Working Conditions:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to office work environment conditions. Internally controlled working environment with little or no hazardous conditions (e.g., fumes, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme heat/cold conditions, vibrations, and/or airborne particles) in normal work location. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate. Participation in early morning or weekend events is required a few times a year; evening events are required 1-2 times per month. The employee will frequently be required to utilize their own transportation to travel throughout the Kennebec Valley region to visit with stakeholders. The employee will also be required to occasionally attend meetings and events out of the area.

Physical demands include:

• Remaining stationary ~60% of the time
• Operating a computer and other office productivity machinery
• Ability to communicate clearly and accurately
• Moving about the office and in the community
• Moving boxes or supplies up 50 pounds, with or without accommodation

Diverse & Inclusive Workplace:

United Way of Kennebec Valley is an equal opportunity employer. UWKV is committed to seeking and sustaining a culturally and ethnically diverse environment and to the principles that promote inclusive practices.

Diversity, equity and inclusion lies at the core of achieving our mission, living our values, and advancing the common good. We acknowledge that injustices have persisted throughout history and continue to exist in our communities today. Within our own organization, we strive to create and maintain an equitable and inclusive environment that leverages the unique contributions of diverse individuals and organizations in all aspects of our work. We constantly work to:

• take the broadest possible view of diversity, going beyond visible differences, to affirm the humanity of all individuals.
• bring an equity lens to our organizational practices to guide decision-making and advance goals in this space.
• engage the power of inclusion to create the innovative solutions and community ownership necessary to address complex community issues.
• hold ourselves accountable, consistently examining and evolving our core beliefs over time, to honor the members of our communities.
• work toward our staff and volunteers broadly reflecting the diversity of the communities we serve.

For more information: https://uwkv.org/Diversity