Development Director

Location: Hiawatha, Iowa
Employment Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Schedule: Primarily Monday–Friday, with flexible working hours and occasional evenings and weekends as required.
Salary: Competitive compensation commensurate with qualification, experience, and demonstrated expertise.

Position Overview

The Development Director is responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight of all fundraising and resource development initiatives for the Zach Johnson Foundation (ZJF). This position leads the development and execution of comprehensive fundraising strategies, including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and capital campaigns.

The primary focus of this role is to drive significant revenue growth, strengthen donor and community relationships, expand philanthropic support, and ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the Foundation and its Kids on Course programming.

In addition to fundraising responsibilities, the Development Director serves as a member of the Foundation's Leadership Team, contributing to organizational strategy, decision-making, operational priorities, and long-term growth. This position plays a key leadership role in advancing the Foundation's Community Investment Campaign and ensuring alignment between fundraising strategies, organizational goals, and programmatic impact.

Duties and Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy and Development

• Develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive fundraising and resource development strategy aligned with the Foundation's mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
• Establish annual fundraising goals, revenue projections, and development budgets in collaboration with the Executive Director and Board of Directors.
• Lead efforts to diversify and grow revenue through individual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, planned giving, and other philanthropic opportunities.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and prospective donors, including gifts ranging from six to seven figures.
• Develop and maintain relationships with a portfolio of key donor prospects and ensure meaningful, consistent engagement.
• Identify new funding opportunities and build relationships that strengthen the Foundation's philanthropic reach.
• Evaluate fundraising performance, track progress toward goals, and adjust strategies to maximize results.
• Partner with the Executive Director in advancing the Foundation’s vision of serving more students by implementing fundraising strategies, cultivating and soliciting prospects, and driving progress towards expansion.
• Engage board members, volunteers, and community partners
• Maintain a strong understanding of Kids on Course programming, outcomes, and community impact to effectively communicate the Foundation's case for support.

Donor Relations and Stewardship

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with existing donors, supporters, and community partners.
• Develop meaningful donor engagement strategies that strengthen relationships and encourage long-term philanthropic investment.
• Create individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies for major donors and prospective supporters.
• Ensure timely and thoughtful acknowledgment, recognition, and stewardship of all gifts.
• Partner with the Marketing and Events team to create opportunities for donors to experience Kids on Course programming and understand the impact of their investments.
• Identify opportunities to increase donor retention, deepen engagement, and grow giving levels.
• Represent the Foundation at donor meetings, community events, and other opportunities to strengthen relationships and expand philanthropic support.

Grant Writing and Management

• Identify, research, and pursue potential funding opportunities through private foundations, corporate foundations, government sources, and other grant opportunities.
• Develop and manage the grant application process, including timelines, deadlines, supporting documentation, budgets, and submission requirements.
• Lead the development of compelling grant proposals that align programmatic needs and measurable outcomes with funder priorities.
• Coordinate with internal program and finance teams to gather data, financial information, and program outcomes for proposals and reports.
• Oversee grant compliance, reporting, and stewardship to ensure all funding requirements and commitments are met.
• Source, manage, and oversee grant writing support through internal staff or third-party consultants when appropriate.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with foundation and corporate funding partners.

Leadership Team Member and Organizational Strategy

• Serve as an active member of the Zach Johnson Foundation Leadership Team, contributing to organizational vision, strategic planning, and decision-making.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and fellow leadership team members to establish organizational priorities, annual goals, key performance indicators, and long-term objectives.
• Provide leadership and accountability for development-related goals, initiatives, and organizational priorities.
• Participate in regular leadership meetings, strategic planning, quarterly goal setting, and organizational problem-solving.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure fundraising strategies, programmatic priorities, marketing initiatives, and financial resources are aligned.
• Work closely with the Director of Finance and Operations to develop revenue projections, monitor fundraising performance, and ensure responsible financial planning.
• Partner with the Director of Marketing and Events to develop consistent messaging, donor communications, fundraising materials, and engagement opportunities.
• Work closely with the Program Director to understand student and family needs, communicate program outcomes, and identify opportunities for growth and expansion.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as an organizational ambassador, representing the Foundation's mission, values, and impact within the Cedar Rapids community and beyond.

Communication, Database Management, and Organization

• Oversee the fundraising process and ensure accurate documentation of gifts, donor interactions, pledges, and commitments within the donor database.
• Collaborate with the Director of Finance and Operations to maintain accurate records of fundraising receipts, disbursements, and revenue reporting.
• Maintain and regularly evaluate a comprehensive database of current and prospective individual, corporate, and foundation donors.
• Establish effective systems for tracking donor relationships, campaign progress, grant opportunities, and fundraising performance.
• Work with the Director of Marketing and Events to develop compelling fundraising materials, impact reports, donor communications, and public-facing messaging.
• Communicate fundraising progress, opportunities, and challenges to the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and appropriate committees.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Proven track record of success in fundraising, preferably with a strong background in personal solicitation and major gift development.
• Demonstrated experience leading significant fundraising initiatives at the six-figure level and above,
• Experience developing and implementing fundraising strategies that produce sustainable revenue growth.
• Strong understanding of donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, planned giving, and philanthropic trends.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with high-net-worth individuals, corporate partners, foundations, and community leaders.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, establish timelines, and evaluate progress.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop persuasive proposals and communicate organizational impact.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships across diverse groups of staff, students, families, donors, and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated leadership abilities, strategic thinking, sound judgment, and creative problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a leadership team while taking ownership and accountability for assigned responsibilities.
• Competence with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, and PowerPoint), donor databases, and other technology and software necessary to fulfill position responsibilities.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and the mission and values of the Zach Johnson Foundation.

Preferred Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Experience managing a comprehensive capital or community investment campaign.
• Experience working with nonprofit boards, fundraising committees, campaign consultants, and volunteer leadership.
• Knowledge of charitable giving regulations, tax considerations, planned gifts, deferred giving strategies, and a variety of philanthropic financial instruments.
• Experience in nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, and organizational development.
• Experience working with education-focused organizations, youth-serving programs, or community-based initiatives.

Measures of Success

Success in this position will be demonstrated through:

• Achievement of annual fundraising and revenue goals.
• Growth in major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation support, and individual philanthropy.
• Meaningful contribution to the successful execution and advancement of expansion.
• Increased donor retention, engagement, and long-term philanthropic investment.
• Development of a strong and sustainable pipeline of major gift and campaign prospects.
• Successful grant acquisition, compliance, and reporting.
• Strong collaboration and accountability as a member of the Foundation's Leadership Team.
• Alignment of fundraising strategies with the Foundation's mission, strategic priorities, and Kids on Course programmatic impact.