Job / Position Title:         Director of Development, Central Region 

Supervisor:             Vice President of Development 

Status & Classification:     Full-Time & Exempt 

Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. From our humble beginnings with one boy’s wish to be a police officer, we have evolved to be one of the world’s leading children’s charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 400 volunteers, Make-A-Wish Central & Northern Florida granted 425 wishes last year. 

Position Summary 

The Director of Development will play a pivotal role as a front-line fundraiser, representing Make-A-Wish Central & Northern Florida in the Central Florida community. This dynamic and motivated individual will be responsible for establishing a prominent organizational presence, forging and nurturing relationships with individuals, corporations, and foundations capable of making philanthropic investments in our mission. Additionally, the Director of Development will lead and inspire a dedicated development team in the Central region of our chapter to exceed budgeted revenue goals, ensuring mission-aligned stewardship of donors, and collaborating closely with development colleagues and organizational leadership. This role requires a dynamic, motivated, energetic, and personable individual with a go-getter attitude and a drive to meet and exceed budgetary fundraising goals. 
 

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Collaborate with the Vice President of Development, CEO, and Board of Directors to lead the strategic growth and revenue development Central region of the chapter territory, representing $6M+ of revenue annually. 

• Recruit, motivate, and manage a high-performing team of fundraising professionals. 

• Set clear and consistent performance goals and expectations to ensure the team meets and exceeds budgeted revenue goals.  

• Provide guidance, mentorship, feedback, and professional development opportunities to team members. 

• Foster a culture of excellence, teamwork, and innovation within the development team, cross-collaborating with other departments and regions.  

• Develop and implement strategies to optimize revenue generation. 

• Regularly update the VP of Development with progress reports, financial data, revenue forecasts, and key performance metrics. 

• Prepare reports for the CEO and Board of Directors to provide insights into fundraising achievements and challenges. 

• Cultivate and manage a portfolio of individual, corporate, and foundation donors and prospects, moving prospective donors through the qualification, cultivation, and solicitation processes to secure philanthropic investment with a focus on $10K+ gifts and $250K+ personally secured annually.  

• Develop and execute strategies for donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. 

• Develop and implement relationship-focused projects/initiatives aimed at bringing new donor prospects into the organizations pipeline. 

• Achieve activity metrics that serve as a roadmap to the revenue goal; meaningful touchpoints, solicitations, and gifts received. 

• Support donor recognition activities and events which have a strategic impact on the success of organization-wide priorities. 

• Identify opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration to create and enhance partnerships that support both revenue and mission delivery objectives. 

Knowledge and Abilities 

• Proven track record in fundraising with a strong ability to meet and exceed revenue goals. 

• Exceptional leadership skills, including the ability to motivate and manage a high-performing team.  

• Strategic thinker with the capacity to develop and execute comprehensive development plans. 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to build and maintain strong donor relationships. 

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and organizational leadership. 

• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively. 

• Passion for the mission and values of Make-A-Wish Central & Northern Florida. 

• Highly motivated, goal-oriented self-starter with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and responsibilities; a team player who can work independently and as part of a team. 

• Ability to work in a demanding, fast-paced, results-oriented, and deadline-based environment effectively and independently. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required. 

Desired Qualifications 

• Minimum experience of 5 years in nonprofit development with a demonstrated track record of developing donor relationships and exceeding revenue goals. 

• Experience managing, motivating, and leading a team of individuals towards revenue-based goals with a focus on relationship-based fundraising.  

• Demonstrated ability to form and leverage relationships with prospects, donors, and board/committee members, preferably in a role with a heavy focus on increasing local visibility, presence, and revenue gains. 

• Experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding philanthropic based gifts, including $10,000+ individual and $25,000+ corporate donations. 

• Experience with fundraising events (generating $1M+) 

• Must possess an outgoing and positive personality, collaborative working style, and an enthusiasm for building bridges between and among key stakeholders. 

• Must be able to clearly articulate the case for supporting Make-A-Wish Central & Northern Florida (one-on-one and in audiences of all sizes) 

• Possess integrity, maturity and ethical awareness; ability to handle sensitive information and maintain strict confidentiality.  

• Must be willing travel within the chapter territory which expands to Northeast and Northwest Florida, covering 45 counties.  

• Availability for occasional evening and weekend events.  

• Proficient in computer skills including Microsoft Office products and donor software (Salesforce preferred) 

Working Conditions 

This position is hybrid in Maitland, FL. The position requires the individual to work in an office environment in a shared office space and in a dedicated home-work space. The individual must have the ability and willingness to travel regionally as required in this position. Incumbent must be willing to work some nights/weekends. 

Rewards and Benefits 

• Comprehensive benefit package: Medical, Vision, Dental 

• 100% employer paid for employee: Long Term Disability and Life Insurance 

• Annual incentive potential  

• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan: up to 3% Match 

• 15 PTO days, 11 Paid Holidays, and 2 Personal Days  

• Paid maternity and paternity leave 

• Quarterly Team Outings 

• Early release Fridays (3pm) 

• Individual and Leadership Development 

• Employee Rewards and Recognition Programs 

Join Our Team of Inspired People Transforming Lives 

We are more than a great place to work - our work is life changing. We are an inclusive and diverse group of people who, through a mosaic of backgrounds, thoughts and experiences are united in purposeful work. We are fueled and guided by our values - values that are represented in the inspired people we work with and the transformational work we do every day. We respect and ensure equal opportunity, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, perceived disability and other legally protected characteristics. 

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.