Job Summary: The Development Director is a key leadership role responsible for advancing Educational First Steps' fundraising strategy. This includes driving corporate and individual giving efforts, overseeing the annual campaign, and leading the planning and execution of the annual gala. This position is instrumental in building and stewarding relationships with mid-to-high-level individual donors ($10,000 - $99,999) and corporate partners, ensuring alignment between donor priorities and the organization’s mission.

Additionally, this role collaborates with the Grants Manager on family foundation proposals and corporate gift and grant opportunities. The position carries a fundraising goal of $1.25 million annually, with specific targets for the gala, individual giving, and corporate partnerships.

Position Duties & Responsibilities:

 Strategic Fundraising Leadership & Oversight

• Oversee the annual campaign, ensuring a coordinated approach to donor solicitation, stewardship, and engagement.
• Manage and cultivate relationships with individual donors contributing $10,000 - $99,999, implementing tailored stewardship strategies to grow donor investment.
• Lead corporate giving efforts, securing partnerships and sponsorships to expand the organization’s corporate donor base.
• Supervise and support the Development Manager, ensuring alignment across fundraising initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Grants Manager on individual family foundation proposals and corporate gift and grant proposals to align corporate and foundation fundraising strategies.

 Annual Gala & Sponsorships (Goal: $750,000)

• Lead the planning and execution of the annual gala, including sponsorship and ticket sales, donor engagement, and fundraising strategies.
• Manage all gala consultants, ensuring seamless coordination among event planners, vendors, PR firms, and other external partners.
• Manage the gala committee, working closely with members to maximize revenue and event participation.
• Ensure stewardship and recognition of gala sponsors and donors, overseeing engagement strategies throughout the entire gala cycle.

 Individual Giving & Annual Campaign (Goal: $250,000)

• Develop and implement an individual giving strategy focused on securing gifts between $10,000 - $99,999.
• Lead stewardship efforts, ensuring donor retention and increased giving levels through personalized outreach and engagement.
• Work closely with the Chief Development Officer to identify major donor prospects and upgrade strategies for existing supporters.

 Corporate Giving & Sponsorships (Goal: $250,000)

• Develop and implement a corporate giving strategy, identifying new sponsorship and philanthropic partnership opportunities.
• Build relationships with corporate decision-makers to establish multi-year giving commitments.
• Ensure proper fulfillment of corporate sponsorship benefits to maintain strong donor relationships.
• Partner with the Grants Manager to align corporate grant and sponsorship opportunities with organizational needs.

 Development Committee & Internal Collaboration

• Participate in development committee meetings, providing insights and updates on fundraising strategies.
• Partner with the marketing and communications team to ensure consistent messaging for donor engagement materials.
• Work closely with the program and finance teams to align fundraising efforts with programmatic priorities and budget goals.

 Qualifications & Experience

• 5+ years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, or major gifts.
• Proven success in event fundraising, major donor cultivation, and corporate giving.
• Strong ability to build and maintain relationships with donors, sponsors, and key stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success in securing gifts in the $10,000 - $99,999 range and managing donor portfolios.
• Experience in planning and executing large-scale fundraising events, particularly galas.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including donor engagement materials and sponsorship proposals.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Familiarity with CRM and donor database management (Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or similar).
• Passion for early childhood education and a commitment to the mission of EFS.

 Fundraising Goals & Expectations

• Annual Gala Revenue Target: $750,000
• Individual Giving Target ($10,000 - $99,999 donors, Annual Campaign): $250,000
• Corporate Sponsorship & Giving Target: $250,000

 Core Competencies for All EFS Staff:

• Mission-Focused: Deep rooted passion for ensuring children have access to high quality early childhood education opportunities.
• Relationship-Oriented: Understands that people come before process and is astute in cultivating and managing relationships toward a common goal.
• Collaborator: Understands the roles and contributions of all members of the team and community stakeholders; and can mobilize resources (financial and human) through meaningful engagement.
• Results-Driven: Dedicated to shared and measurable goals that align to creating, resourcing, scaling, and leveraging strategies and innovations for greater impact.
• Brand Steward: Steward of the brand and understands his/her role in growing and protecting the reputation and results of the organization.

 Additional Requirements:

• Has a valid Texas driver's license and proof of current auto insurance.
• Passes an agency-administered, comprehensive background check satisfactorily.
• Is able to speak, read, and write English well.
• Has access to reliable transportation to travel throughout the metroplex.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Educational First Steps is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. Employment decisions are not based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex (which includes pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, citizenship status, genetic information, age, disability, political belief, membership or application for membership in a uniformed service, or any other unlawful basis.

Working Conditions: This position may include prolonged periods of sitting, standing, working at a computer, and speaking on the phone. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds.

Please review the job description and apply through our careers webpage.