Director of Development

Reports To: President and Founder

Employee Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Location: New York, NY (CAI has a hybrid work schedule of working 2 days in the office and 3 days remote)

About CAI

CAI is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that helps health and social service organizations strengthen their capacity, improve service delivery, and advance health equity. Through training, technical assistance, research, evaluation, and strategic support, CAI partners with providers, systems, and communities to address complex public health and social challenges.

General Statement of Responsibilities

CAI is seeking a visionary and results-oriented Director of Development to lead and expand the organization’s fundraising and resource development strategy during a critical period of growth.

Reporting directly to the President and Founder, the Director will play a transformative leadership role in positioning CAI for long-term sustainability and expanded national impact. The Director will identify and secure new government and foundation funding opportunities, strengthen strategic partnerships, and lead the development of high-quality, competitive proposals that align with CAI’s mission and growth priorities.

This role oversees the full proposal development process — from opportunity assessment and strategy through submission — while building stronger systems, processes, and collaborations that elevate CAI’s overall development capacity. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, exceptional writer, and collaborative leader with a demonstrated track record of securing funding within the public health, health care, social services, and workforce development sectors.

Major Tasks and Responsibilities (include, but are not limited to):

Strategic Leadership & Growth

• • Lead CAI’s fundraising and resource development strategy in partnership with senior leadership.
  • Identify and assess federal, state, local, foundation, and other funding opportunities aligned with CAI’s strategic priorities.
  • Support organizational growth and long-term sustainability by strengthening CAI’s positioning with funders and strategic partners.
  • Help expand CAI’s visibility, partnerships, and reputation within the nonprofit and public health sectors.

Funding Opportunity Development & Proposal Management

• • Lead and manage the full lifecycle of competitive proposal development and submission.
  • Assess funding opportunities and provide strategic recommendations regarding pursuit decisions.
  • Develop proposal strategies, timelines, and coordination plans for internal teams and external partners.
  • Facilitate proposal development meetings and manage contributions from staff, consultants, and collaborators.
  • Ensure proposals are high-quality, compliant, strategically positioned, and submitted on time.
  • Conduct proposal writing, editing, research, and content development as needed.

Relationship Management & Collaboration

• • Build and maintain strong relationships with government agencies, foundations, partners, consultants, and collaborators.
  • Work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to advance development priorities and proposal efforts.
  • Partner with communications staff to strengthen CAI’s visibility and reputation among funders and external stakeholders.

Systems & Organizational Effectiveness

• • Strengthen internal systems and processes that support efficient, high-quality development activities.
  • Maintain tools and systems for tracking funding opportunities, proposal timelines, submissions, and development activities.
  • Support continuous improvement in proposal development strategy, coordination, and organizational learning.

Additional Responsibilities

• • Perform other duties as necessary and/or assigned.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• • Master’s degree in a related field and at least 5 years of professional experience in nonprofit program management, fundraising, partnership development, or related areas; OR Bachelor’s degree with at least 7 years of relevant professional experience and a demonstrated track record of success.
  • Demonstrated success securing government and foundation funding through competitive grant proposals.
  • Experience developing program budgets, work plans, logic models, and program designs.
  • Experience working collaboratively with organizational leadership and cross-functional teams.

Technical & Operational Skills

• • Excellent project management, writing, editing, and organizational skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple complex proposals and deadlines simultaneously.
  • Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to work independently while leading collaborative, cross-functional processes.
  • Experience with Microsoft Office, Zoom (or similar virtual meeting platforms), and project management software such as Quickbase.

Knowledge & Preferred Experience

• • Knowledge of the national funding and nonprofit landscape.
  • Preferred: Knowledge of the health and social services sectors, including capacity building, training, technical assistance, professional development methodologies, adult learning, and/or research-to-practice initiatives.
  • Preferred: Familiarity with public health and social issues such as HIV/AIDS, substance use disorders, reproductive health, mental health, community health, and population-based/public health strategies.

Competencies

• • Strategic and entrepreneurial mindset
  • Strong leadership and relationship-building skills
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Highly organized with strong attention to detail
  • Collaborative, diplomatic, and solutions-oriented
  • Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment

Other Requirements

• • Up to 10% travel to meet with senior leadership, funders, partners, and collaborators in support of development activities.

Physical Demands:

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the Director of Development’s job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the Director of Development’s job.

While performing the Director of Development’s responsibilities, the employee is required to talk and hear. This position requires the employee to be on-site at a CAI office. The employee is often required to sit and work at a desk for prolonged periods of time and use their hands and fingers to handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the Director of Development’s position and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Disclaimer

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the Director of Development position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with the role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

CAI offers a generous benefits package including:

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible spending Account (FSA)
• Dependent Care Account (DCA)
• Transit Reimbursement Account
• Life Insurance – company sponsored up to $50,000
• Long term disability (LTD)
• Short term disability (STD)
• 401K retirement plan after three (3) months of employment
• Semi-monthly payroll, the 15th and last day of each month
• Flexible and Hybrid work schedules
• Ability to work fully remotely up to 3 weeks each calendar year

Vacation and Leave benefits:

• 11 Holidays per year
• 2 Personal days year
• 12 Sick days per year
• 15 Vacation days per year for this position increasing after 4 years of service
• 1 Cancer Screening Day per year
• Bereavement Leave
• Jury Duty Leave