LOCATION: Central Florida

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-time, Exempt

SALARY RANGE: $75,000 - $80,000, commensurate with experience

REPORTS TO: Executive Director

PALS Mission:

PALS exists to improve the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Central Florida by fostering personal development, community inclusivity, and equitable opportunities through collaboration with community organizations.

About PALS:

Providing Autism Links & Support (PALS) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit established in 2002 serving individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families across seven counties in Central Florida. Our focus is fostering personal development, community inclusivity, and equitable opportunities through collaborative social programming.

Opportunity

We seek an accomplished development leader who combines strategic fundraising expertise, marketing acumen, and technology proficiency to scale PALS's revenue and amplify our impact serving the autism spectrum community in Central Florida.

Position Summary

The Development Director reports to the PALS Executive Director and leads comprehensive fundraising strategy across major gifts, annual campaigns, corporate and foundation partnerships, and digital channels. In addition to development, this role oversees marketing and communications to elevate the PALS brand, engage donors and community partners, and deploy modern fundraising technologies that catalyze growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute a multi-year development plan aligned with PALS's strategic goals, targeting $300,000+ in new contributed revenue within two years as part of a long-term $1M+ fundraising strategy.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners in Central Florida, including annual reporting on named fund outcomes to donors and family foundations.
• Serve as primary event manager for major fundraising events, managing venue selection, vendor relationships, sponsorships, and overall logistics.
• Develop marketing and communications strategy across website, social media, and email campaigns; create donor, sponsor, and vendor development materials (prospectus, giving guides, impact reports) to elevate PALS brand and raise regional visibility.
• Lead grant initiatives through each phase of procurement—researching, vetting for alignment, and applying with support from the Executive Director and PALS staff as needed.
• Deploy and manage fundraising technology platforms (CRM, donor database, analytics, online giving tools) to increase efficiency, measure results, and inform strategy.
• Partner with program staff to articulate impact metrics and ensure fundraising initiatives align with programmatic outcomes and service delivery across the seven-county region.
• Prepare budgets, forecasts, donor proposals, grant applications, fundraising reports, and analytics.
• Manage external relationships with marketing/PR vendors, graphic design, event partners, and oversee third-party fundraising events.
• Serve as a key member of the leadership team, participating in strategic planning, board engagement, and helping build a culture of philanthropy across PALS.
• Other duties as requested by the Executive Director.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, marketing, communications, or related field (Master's a plus).
• Minimum 5-7 years of successful fundraising/development experience in a nonprofit environment, including major gifts, digital fundraising, and annual campaigns.
• Minimum 3 years of management experience directing comprehensive development strategy in organizations with $1M+ revenue.
• Deep understanding of the philanthropic environment in Central Florida (individual donors, foundations, corporate giving trends, regional networks).
• Strong technology skills including donor CRM systems, online giving platforms, email marketing software (e.g., Constant Contact), data analytics, social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube), and campaign automation tools.
• Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal, and communication skills (written & verbal).
• Strategic, results-oriented mindset, with a track record of scaling fundraising outcomes and driving growth.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup-nonprofit environment, with ability to manage multiple initiatives and report outcomes.
• Commitment to PALS's mission, values, and inclusive culture.

Preferred

• Understanding of services for people on the autism spectrum or experience in the disability/nonprofit sector.
• Experience with capital campaigns or transformative fundraising initiatives.
• Knowledge of marketing automation, SEO/SEM, and analytics tools (Google Analytics, social media metrics).

Working Conditions

• Hybrid work environment with flexible scheduling requirements, including early mornings, evenings, and weekend hours for events and donor engagement.
• Extensive engagement with donors, community partners, vendors, and internal stakeholders; reliable transportation and valid Florida driver's license required.

Salary and Benefits

Salary is commensurate with experience and is expected to range between $75,000 - $80,000.

• We offer a comprehensive benefits package supporting health, financial security, and work-life balance:
• Employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Two weeks of paid time off (PTO)
• PALS observes the following holidays each year in accordance with the UCF Academic Calendar:
• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Weekend (2 days)
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day
• New Year's Eve

Conditions of Employment

Employment requires successful completion of a Florida Level II background screening (F.S. Chapter 435), including fingerprinting and statewide and national criminal history checks, to ensure a safe environment for individuals served.

How to Apply

To apply, please send resume and cover letter to Kaileigh Anne Tayek (kaileighanne.tayek@ucf.edu).

PALS is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.