Director of Development

Director of Development

Full-Time | Exempt | Massachusetts/New Hampshire

Join Our Mission

Catie's Closet seeks a strategic Director of Development to build fundraising infrastructure and lead our major gifts program. This is a foundational role for an experienced leader who can establish systems, generate revenue, and cultivate transformational donor relationships.

About Catie's Closet

Catie's Closet provides clothing and basic necessities to students in high-poverty communities, removing barriers to school attendance and academic success. We serve over 100,000 children across Massachusetts and New Hampshire through free "Closets" stocked with clothing, toiletries, and supplies inside schools. Learn more at catiescloset.org

The Role

Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Development builds the infrastructure to support ambitious growth. You'll establish donor database systems, prospect research processes, stewardship protocols, and board engagement while personally cultivating major gifts. You'll create the foundation for a high-performing development operation and eventually lead a team.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gifts Program

• Build major gifts infrastructure including prospect identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship systems
• Manage portfolio of 30-40 major gift prospects and donors
• Implement moves management tracking in Salesforce
• Partner with CEO on donor strategy and meetings
• Identify prospects within existing corporate and foundation partnerships

Systems and Infrastructure

• Establish Salesforce workflows for documenting activity and overall data managment
• Utilize wealth screening and implement capacity-based donor segmentation
• Create standardized stewardship timelines and acknowledgment processes
• Develop impact reporting connecting gifts to measurable outcomes

Culture and Strategy

• Create donor recognition programs (giving societies, spotlights, acknowledgments)
• Develop systematic donor storytelling demonstrating philanthropic impact
• Build civic, philanthropic, and corporate network relationships
• Support board engagement with donors through briefings, talking points, and coordination
• Staff Development Committee with regular progress reporting

Revenue Generation

• Execute fundraising plans across individual, corporate, foundation, and event channels
• Write proposals and make direct solicitations
• Leverage events for major donor cultivation
• Track progress and report on fundraising outcomes
• Manage fundraising budget

Qualifications

Required:

• 8+ years development experience building major gifts programs and infrastructure
• Proven success personally cultivating and closing major gifts ($25,000+)
• Experience implementing donor database systems (Salesforce or similar CRM)
• Track record creating systematic prospect research, cultivation, and stewardship processes
• Strong strategic planning and execution abilities
• Excellent relationship-building with diverse stakeholders
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Entrepreneurial mindset balancing infrastructure building with revenue generation
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Bachelor's degree
• Reliable transportation for regular travel across MA/NH

Preferred:

• CFRE credential
• Background in capacity-building for emerging nonprofits
• Knowledge of MA/NH philanthropic landscape

Compensation and Benefits

Salary: $115,000-$130,000 based on experience

Benefits: Health/dental insurance, vacation and paid time off

To Apply

Submit resume and cover letter describing your experience building fundraising infrastructure and major gifts programs to hr@catiescloset.org.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Catie's Closet is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion