Director of Development

The Role at a Glance

The Director of Development will lead Halcyon’s fundraising efforts, including corporate contributions, foundation grants, individual giving, annual fund, major gifts, planned giving, and special events. This position involves effectively communicating Halcyon’s mission to diverse stakeholders and cultivating strong relationships with funders. The Director will create and implement a 2–3 year growth strategy, manage the fundraising team, coordinate across departments, and ensure systems support long-term success.

Halcyon supports early-stage, impact-driven entrepreneurs across Climate, Health, and EquityTech. Our fellows have launched over 600 fellows who have impacted millions of lives.

Who You Are

• Passionate and entrepreneurial fundraiser in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• Strategic thinker who can balance long-term vision with short-term execution.
• A strong project manager with the ability to prioritize, coordinate, and deliver across multiple initiatives.
• Experienced in data-driven fundraising approaches and knowledgeable about current best practices in the field.
• Natural relationship-builder engaging donors, partners, and colleagues with warmth and professionalism.
• Collaborative leader with emotional intelligence, inspiring others to do their best work.
• Creative problem-solver who is adaptable, resilient, and thrives on challenges.
• Organized and detail-oriented, juggling multiple priorities while maintaining a big-picture view.
• Enthusiastic about social entrepreneurship, equity, and building inclusive communities.

Key Responsibilities

1. Fundraising Strategy and Leadership

• Develop, recommend, and implement comprehensive fundraising strategies to achieve annual revenue goals of $6M+
• Ensure achievement of revenue targets through retention, renewal, and acquisition of new foundation, government, corporate, and individual supporters.
• Lead and manage all aspects of donor cultivation, donor segmentation, stewardship, solicitation, and recognition across donor levels.
• Identify and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders including major donors/prospects, corporate and foundation donors, and other mission-aligned organizations.
• Provide strategic guidance to the CEO and Board on fundraising trends, opportunities, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with the Board in philanthropic activities, including conducting peer reviews and empowering Board members to engage their networks.

1. Operational Leadership and Team Management

• Serve as a key member of the senior management.
• Develop and track fundraising targets, providing insights on performance and challenges.
• Lead and mentor a high-performing fundraising team, setting clear performance standards.
• Oversee fundraising operations and technology systems, including CRM, to enhance efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with tax rules and reporting obligations for donation processing.
• In coordination with operations and finance staff, track all contributed revenue from all sources.
• Analyze fundraising data to inform strategy and track giving trends.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure fundraising strategies align with programmatic goals and organizational priorities.
• Collaborate with programs and finance teams on fundraising proposals and donor reporting

1. Relationship Management and Donor Engagement

• Act as a primary ambassador for Halcyon with prospective and existing donors, cultivating, stewarding, and expanding relationships.
• Build collaborative partnerships with team members, fellows, advisors, stakeholders, and external networks, including congressional and diplomatic contacts.
• Represent Halcyon at internal, co-hosted, and external events Ensure donor communication and engagement aligns with Halcyon’s mission, values, and fundraising goals.

1. Field Expertise and Professional Development

• Maintain current knowledge of fundraising trends, emerging strategies, and sector best practices.
• Actively participate in relevant professional organizations, conferences, and networks.
• Leverage insights and innovations to strengthen Halcyon’s development strategy and operational effectiveness.
• Continuously model Halcyon’s values of nimbleness, humility, risk-tolerance, nurturing, and optimism.

Position Requirements

• Minimum eight years of professional fundraising experience in a fast-paced nonprofit environment.
• At least four years of supervisory/management experience with a team of two or more.
• Experience fundraising for social entrepreneurship, venture support organizations, impact investing, or ecosystem building preferred

Skills Required

• Entrepreneurial, self-starting, and socially conscious mindset.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to foster inclusive environments across diverse communities.
• Emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills to build trust with varied stakeholders.
• Exceptional organizational, project management, and time management skills.
• Persistence, adaptability, and problem-solving in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Docs, and both PC and Mac platforms.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently with a strong work ethic and sense of humor.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends as required by program responsibilities.
• Domestic and International travel up to 25%

Compensation and Benefits:

Overview of pay, perks, and other benefits that make this role rewarding.

Healthcare: We offer competitive healthcare benefits starting from Day One, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, ensuring our team members have immediate access to resources that promote their overall health and well-being.

Financial Security: We prioritize financial security by offering short-term and long-term disability coverage at no cost, allowing you to focus on recovery without the stress of income replacement. Additionally, we provide a retirement plan with a matching contribution of up to 3%, empowering our team members to plan for their financial futures.

Time Away From Work: We value the importance of time away from work and offer our team members 12 paid holidays, 3 weeks of vacation time, 5 sick days, and an additional week off from December 25th to January 1st, when the entire office is closed.

Flexible Work Arrangements: Recognizing the need for work-life balance, we offer flexible work arrangements, including 3 Work-From-Home days per week. Plus, enjoy our unique perk to Work-From-Anywhere in the world for up to 2 weeks each year.

Professional Development: We are committed to supporting the growth and development of our team members. Halcyon offers mentorship programs, skill-building workshops, and opportunities for further education and training, providing ample support for professional development and career advancement

To learn more about working with the Halcyon Team, please visit https://www.halcyonhouse.org/careers/.

Halcyon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Compensation and Benefits:

Overview of pay, perks, and other benefits that make this role rewarding.

Healthcare: We offer competitive healthcare benefits starting from Day One, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, ensuring our team members have immediate access to resources that promote their overall health and well-being.

Financial Security: We prioritize financial security by offering short-term and long-term disability coverage at no cost, allowing you to focus on recovery without the stress of income replacement. Additionally, we provide a retirement plan with a matching contribution of up to 3%, empowering our team members to plan for their financial futures.

Time Away From Work: We value the importance of time away from work and offer our team members 12 paid holidays, 3 weeks of vacation time, 5 sick days, and an additional week off from December 25th to January 1st, when the entire office is closed.

Flexible Work Arrangements: Recognizing the need for work-life balance, we offer flexible work arrangements, including 3 Work-From-Home days per week. Plus, enjoy our unique perk to Work-From-Anywhere in the world for up to 2 weeks each year.

Professional Development: We are committed to supporting the growth and development of our team members. Halcyon offers mentorship programs, skill-building workshops, and opportunities for further education and training, providing ample support for professional development and career advancement

Position Requirements

• Minimum eight years of professional fundraising experience in a fast-paced nonprofit environment.
• At least four years of supervisory/management experience with a team of two or more.
• Experience fundraising for social entrepreneurship, venture support organizations, impact investing, or ecosystem building preferred

Skills Required

• Entrepreneurial, self-starting, and socially conscious mindset.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to foster inclusive environments across diverse communities.
• Emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills to build trust with varied stakeholders.
• Exceptional organizational, project management, and time management skills.
• Persistence, adaptability, and problem-solving in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Docs, and both PC and Mac platforms.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently with a strong work ethic and sense of humor.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends as required by program responsibilities.