Director of Philanthropy

Description

Position Summary

The Director of Philanthropy will lead Mercy Culture’s fundraising strategy across all Housed Visions. This is Mercy Culture’s first senior fundraising hire and will be responsible for building and scaling the development function from the ground up. This role requires a seasoned fundraising leader who thrives in high-growth, high-ambiguity environments and can build diversified, sustainable revenue streams while stewarding donor relationships with excellence and integrity. The Director of Philanthropy partners closely with executive leadership, Housed Vision directors, and boards to ensure fundraising readiness, compliance, and long-term impact.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute a multi-year philanthropic strategy aligned with Mercy Culture’s mission and growth goals
• Lead major gifts, institutional giving (foundations and corporations), grants, and donor stewardship efforts
• Establish short- and long-term fundraising goals, metrics, and revenue projections
• Build compelling case statements, proposals, and donor-facing materials

Grant Readiness & Compliance

• Lead grant readiness efforts across Housed Visions, including systems, documentation, and compliance
• Establish frameworks for reporting, transparency, and fund stewardship
• Partner with leadership and boards to ensure internal controls and audit-ready processes
• Oversee gift acceptance policies and ethical fundraising standards

Fundraising Systems & Infrastructure

• Build and modernize donor databases, pipelines, and reporting dashboards
• Establish prospect research, donor analytics, and moves-management systems
• Ensure consistent use of fundraising systems and data accuracy

Donor & Partner Engagement

• Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors, institutional funders, and strategic partners
• Maintain active donor portfolios and lead high-level donor engagement efforts
• Partner with leadership and Housed Vision directors on donor meetings and cultivation strategies

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Build, hire, and lead the philanthropy team over time
• Set performance expectations and foster a culture of accountability and excellence
• Collaborate with Finance, Communications, and external partners to align fundraising efforts
• Manage the philanthropy budget and partner with Finance on revenue tracking and reporting

Requirements

• Minimum of 10 years of professional fundraising experience
• Demonstrated success in:
  • Major gifts
  • Institutional giving
  • Fundraising strategy development and execution
• Experience building or scaling a development function in a growing or complex organization
• Experience in multi-entity or faith-based organizations preferred

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of foundation, corporate, and grant funding processes
• Experience with grant compliance, reporting, and stewardship
• Expertise in donor pipeline development and relationship management
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills

Leadership Attributes

• Strategic thinker with strong execution skills
• High relational intelligence and integrity
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and organizational growth
• Strong alignment with Mercy Culture’s mission and values

Core Competencies

• Strategic Planning
• Relationship Management
• Fundraising Systems & Analytics
• Risk Awareness & Compliance
• Collaborative Leadership
• Change Management

Why This Role Matters

The Director of Philanthropy is mission critical for Mercy Culture’s continued growth and sustainability. This leader will build the fundraising foundation that enables Mercy Culture’s Housed Visions to expand their reach, deepen impact, and steward resources responsibly and faithfully.

Work Schedule:

This position is full-time, exempt and offers flexibility, including the ability to work remotely. However, candidates must live in the Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) area to regularly participate in in-person meetings, events, and ministry gatherings.