Development Director

Development Director

Kuda Vana Partnership International |Remote & Location-Flexible| Independent Contractor

$5,000–$5,500/month | 1-year initial contract | Part-time to full-time flexible

Full Job Description

You've won competitive grants. You know how a family foundation thinks differently from an institutional funder. You've cultivated donors from first conversation to major commitment. Now you want a role where the stakes are real — and the mission means something.

Kuda Vana Partnership International (KVPI) is a U.S.-based nonprofit partnering with communities in Southern Africa to keep vulnerable children in families, not orphanages. We believe in the Family Care Model — that every child thrives best surrounded by people who know and love them. Our roots are in Zimbabwe, but our ambition extends further: we expect our work to grow across Southern Africa and beyond over time.

We are entering a deliberate shift in how we fund that work. Historically, KVPI has relied on individual donors, monthly givers, and faith-community partners. To grow sustainably, we are building toward institutional and major philanthropy — competitive foundation and government grants, and relationships with family foundations and family offices whose giving can underwrite our programming at scale. This role exists to lead that shift.

We have board-approved funding for a dedicated Development Director role and a clear path to a $1M annual operation by 2029. What we need now is the person who can build the development program to get us there.

The Role

This is a senior-level fundraising contract with real ownership. You will guide and execute KVPI's full development strategy — institutional grants, major gifts, monthly giving, church and corporate partnerships, and year-end campaigns. You will work directly with the Executive Director and Board, manage an active donor portfolio, and build a grant pipeline from the ground up.

Year 1 is deliberately weighted toward building: identifying the right funders, positioning KVPI, laying relationship groundwork, and opening the pipelines that will yield revenue in Year 2 and beyond. We are recruiting now to be ready for the grant cycles that open in the fall. The right person understands that competitive institutional fundraising is built months ahead of the deadline — not at it.

This is not a coordinator role. We are looking for someone who can prospect, write, cultivate, solicit, and close — and who takes personal responsibility for results.

What You'll Do

• Research and qualify foundation and government grant opportunities; write and submit 6–8 proposals or LOIs in Year 1 with a target of $40,000 in secured grants; build a $50,000+ pipeline to seed Year 2
• Cultivate direct relationships with program officers, family foundation staff, and family office advisors — not just written submissions
• Own the individual donor portfolio — personally cultivate, steward, and retain mid- and major-gift donors ($5,000+)
• Prioritize early relationship-building with donors whose ties have been to founding leadership; retain 60%+ of the active donor base
• Lead the year-end campaign in partnership with the Board, targeting $175,000
• Grow KVPI's monthly giving program to 75+ formally enrolled donors at a $100/month average; steward higher-value monthly donors as part of the individual gift portfolio
• Identify and close at least 2 new faith community or corporate partnerships, targeting $20,000
• Launch and execute KVPI's 5-campaign annual communications calendar; produce 2 impact stories per quarter
• Maintain the donor CRM with accurate contact history and retention tracking; report monthly to the Executive Director

What We're Looking For

We are not looking for someone who has managed a fundraising program. We are looking for someone who has built one — and can show us the results.

• 5+ years of professional fundraising experience with a verifiable track record of winning five- and six-figure foundation and/or government grants
• Demonstrated experience cultivating family foundations, family offices, or major/principal-gift donors; existing relationships in U.S. private philanthropy are a strong asset
• Deep fluency in the U.S. philanthropic landscape — how tax-advantaged giving works, and how the approach to a family office differs from a family foundation or institutional grantor
• An exceptional writer who can turn complex program work into something clear, accurate, and donor-ready
• Self-directed and effective without day-to-day supervision
• Proficiency with donor CRM software (Bloomerang, Salesforce NPSP, DonorPerfect, or similar)
• Comfort representing a faith-based mission — you don't need to personally share our faith, but you need to respect what drives our work and speak about it authentically
• Familiarity with international development, child welfare, or OVC programming is a plus

U.S.-based or American based abroad preferred, but not required. International applicants must have demonstrated experience with U.S. fundraising and be comfortable working across U.S. time zones.

During the interview process, you will be asked to share examples of funded proposals and gift closures. Please only apply if you have specific, verifiable results to speak to.

What KVPI Offers

• $5,000–$5,500/month retainer (independent contractor, 1099)
• Flexible hours by mutual agreement; fully remote
• Direct access to the Executive Director and Board leadership
• A mission that matters — and a community of donors who believe in it
• Clear path to a renewed and expanded engagement for strong Year 1 performance

How to Apply

Send the following to tami@kudavana.org with the subject line: Development Director Contract — [Your

Name]

1. Cover letter (1 page max) — speak directly to your grant writing and donor cultivation experience. Be specific: what did you secure, not just what you managed.
2. Résumé or LinkedIn profile
3. Two writing samples: at least one funded grant proposal or letter of inquiry (redacted as needed)
4. Three professional references, at least two of whom can speak to your fundraising results

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Early submission encouraged.

Kuda Vana Partnership International is an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome qualified applicants of all backgrounds and beliefs and consider all candidates without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, sex, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. As a faith-based organization, we ask that all staff and contractors respect and be able to represent our Christian mission; personal profession of that faith is not required.

Professional fluency in English (spoken and written) is required. This includes the ability to craft persuasive fundraising communications, respond to complex funder inquiries, and present effectively to US-based audiences.