Development Director

Summary

Aaron's Presents is seeking a dynamic and strategic Director of Development to lead our fundraising efforts and drive significant growth. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a mission-driven organization, building a sustainable funding model that empowers youth to create meaningful change in their communities.

This pivotal role requires a proven leader with a track record of success in non-profit fundraising, a deep understanding of donor cultivation, and the ability to operate both strategically and autonomously. The successful candidate will leverage their extensive network and expertise to secure significant financial support, ensuring the continued growth and sustainability of our mission.

About Aaron’s Presents

Aaron’s Presents’ mission is "inspiring kids to give of themselves for the good of the world." We are empowering youth to create and lead positive change in their communities, while developing empathy and self-worth within themselves.

Leah Okimoto, Executive Director, started Aaron’s Presents in 2014 in memory of her infant son Aaron to help youth find self-worth, purpose and meaning by having an early experience using their unique gifts to impact others. In nearly 11 years, AP has mentored over 3,000 youth who have chosen to join Aaron’s Presents, and their 2,200+ ideas have helped over 64,000 people and animals in their communities and impacted over 130 nonprofit organizations.

About the Role

Aaron’s Presents has aspirations to expand its impact across Lawrence, Lowell, and Andover to meet the demand coming from the communities it serves. We are looking for an entrepreneurial Director of Development to build a high-impact fundraising program. We need someone who has the experience and desire to set our Development strategy and build our fundraising capabilities. This individual needs to be a self-starter who can take initiative with limited top-down supervision. This role will require both immediate action to strengthen existing revenue streams and a long-term vision for sustainable growth. They need to simultaneously love delivering short term results while establishing an approach that will scale over the long-term.

Key responsibilities include:

• Strategy: Develop and implement a comprehensive, multi-faceted fundraising strategy encompassing individual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and special events.
• Major Gifts Solicitation: Identify, cultivate, and solicit major gifts from high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and foundations. Develop personalized cultivation plans, conduct face-to-face solicitations, and steward major donor relationships.
• Donor Cultivation and Stewardship: Build and nurture strong, long-lasting relationships with existing and prospective donors, cultivating a culture of philanthropy and engagement. Implement effective donor stewardship practices to ensure ongoing support and recognize contributions.
• Grant Acquisition and Management: on Identify and pursue grant opportunities from foundations, government agencies, and new funding sources. Oversee and guide contract grant writers. Proactively build relationships to increase chances of success and grow relationships with existing donors to secure renewal and multi-year funding. Note - we do not expect the Development Director to be writing grants.
• Special Events Management: Plan, organize, and execute successful fundraising events, such as galas, auctions, and donor appreciation gatherings. Oversee event logistics, manage budgets, and ensure a positive and impactful donor experience.
• Team Leadership and Development: Supervise, mentor, and inspire a high-performing development team, made up of internal and external staff, and in some cases, without direct reporting authority.. Foster a collaborative and results-oriented culture, providing guidance, support, and professional development opportunities.
• Budget Oversight: Develop and manage the annual development budget, ensuring efficient and effective allocation of resources. Track and analyze fundraising results, providing regular reports to leadership and the Board of Directors.

This role will report to Aaron’s Presents’ Executive Director and work closely with the Aaron’s Presents’ board. Both the ED and board expect to be highly engaged and active in fundraising, and will look to the Development Director to equip them with tools and strategies.

The role will have access to additional Development support, such as:

• Contracted grant writers
• Advertising agencies
• In-house shared service resources for administrative tasks (i.e., scheduling, email creation, donor database management)

About You

We are looking for someone skilled at identifying new funding opportunities, proactively engaging potential donors, and crafting compelling fundraising pitches.

This includes:

• Proven Fundraising Expertise: Significant experience in non-profit fundraising, with a demonstrated track record of success in securing major gifts, grants, and individual donations. Ability to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy, setting ambitious goals, and inspire others to achieve them.
• Prospecting Capability: Able to conduct outreach across all channels (phone, social, in-person, etc.), crafting compelling pitches to widen the funnel of potential donors.
• Donor Relationship Mastery: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Extensive Network: A strong existing network of contacts within the philanthropic community, including major donors, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Self-motivated, results-oriented, and able to work independently with minimal supervision; doesn’t wait or need to be told what to do
• Agile: Able to flex into multiple donor categories and pivot to what’s needed most.
• Natural Collaborator: Can work with the Aaron’s Presents Executive Director and Board with ease.
• Passion for the Mission: A deep commitment to Aaron's Presents' mission and values, with a genuine desire to make a positive impact in the community.

Compensation & Benefits

The base pay range for this position is $80,000 to $120,000.

For benefits, we offer health insurance, unlimited sick days, and 20 days per year paid time off.

Aaron’s Presents invests in its staff by:

• Upholding a workplace culture of inclusion, respect, and empowerment
• Providing professional development training
• Facilitating mentor relationships
• Providing opportunities for career advancement

This role does not have a specific requirement for the number of in-person office days, however is expected to be physically present in AP communities (Lawrence, Lowell, Andover) to carry out fundraising activities and collaborate with other AP staff.