Senior Director of Development and Major Gifts

The Position

Reporting to the Executive Director and serving as a member of the executive leadership team, the Senior Director of Development & Major Gifts leads Island Senior Resources’ comprehensive contributed revenue program and serves as the organization’s lead frontline fundraiser. The Senior Director supervises one direct report, the Director of Annual Giving, and will spend the majority of their time directly engaging donors through visits, conversations, proposals, solicitations, and stewardship while providing strategic direction for the broader development program. Building upon a strong annual giving foundation, the Senior Director will help ISR intentionally expand major giving.

A primary focus will be strategically managing a portfolio of major donors and prospects, expanding that portfolio over time, and developing individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.

The Senior Director will lead the formation and annual refinement of a written development plan, establish revenue goals and performance measures, monitor donor retention, and ensure disciplined use of ISR’s donor management system for documentation, forecasting, and reporting. The position will also help translate ISR’s programs, financial position, and community impact into a compelling case for support.

The Senior Director will partner with the Executive Director on key donor relationships and strategic asks; engage board members in cultivation and stewardship; collaborate with communications, community engagement, finance, and program staff; and support donor gatherings and cultivation activities.

The Ideal Candidate

Island Senior Resources is seeking an accomplished fundraising professional who understands that successful development is built on relationships, trust, and connecting donor interests with meaningful organizational impact. The successful candidate will be both a strategist and a hands-on fundraiser, with a thoughtful, disciplined approach to donor engagement and follow-through.

The ideal candidate will be a strong team player and relationship builder who works effectively with the Executive Director, Board, staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners. This person will bring accountability, transparency, sensitivity to equity and inclusion, and local knowledge or the ability to build meaningful community connections. ISR is looking for someone with a growth mindset, humility, humor, sound judgment, and a genuine heart for the mission.

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Education & Experience

Candidates must have at least five years of progressive fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in individual and major giving. Eight to ten years of experience, including at least three in a senior development role, is preferred. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to build donor trust and personally cultivate, solicit, and close significant gifts, ideally within a small or mid-sized nonprofit environment.

Experience developing and implementing a comprehensive development plan, managing a major donor portfolio, using donor database/CRM and moves-management systems, establishing fundraising metrics, forecasting contributed revenue, and partnering with executive leadership and Board members is highly desirable. Experience supervising or mentoring development staff is also preferred.

A record of success supporting a capital or special campaign, experience with planned and legacy giving, and an event-management background are strongly desired. Experience with a nonprofit serving older adults, people with disabilities, human services, or a similarly mission-driven organization is preferred. CFRE certification or the ability to achieve certification within the first 12 months of employment is preferred.

Candidates should bring strong nonprofit financial literacy and excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Discretion and sensitivity will also essential when handling confidential donor information.

Compensation & Benefits

• $135,000 - $140,000 DOQ
• Work Schedule: Hybrid, with a combination of remote and in-office work. Specific arrangements will be determined based on organizational needs and team collaboration.
• Vacation: 12 days accrued per year, increasing to 20 days per year by five years.
• Paid Holidays: 11 federal holidays with full office closure, plus one anniversary holiday per year.
• Sick Leave: 12 days per year.
• Paid Leave: Bereavement and jury duty.
• Health Insurance: Employer-paid health insurance for the employee with buy-up options available; employee-paid options are available for dependents. Employees who opt out of the group plan because they have other minimum essential coverage may be issued cash up to $420 per month.
• Vision Insurance: Employer-paid vision insurance for the employee; employee-paid options are available for dependents.
• Group Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance: Up to a $10,000 benefit.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Optional 401(k).
• Relocation Assistance.