Director of Development

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region is partnering with Dragonfly Central to find a Director of Development. This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished leader to partner with the President & CEO in all aspects of development, fundraising, and advancement for The Arc’s enterprise. We are seeking a strategic, forward-thinking candidate who possesses both critical thinking and relationship-building skills to maximize The Arc’s development initiatives.

The Position

The Director of Development will partner with the President & CEO and SVP of External Relations to lead all aspects of philanthropic giving, focusing on major giving, donor outreach, and grant development. The Director of Development will support the development of diverse revenue streams through traditional and nontraditional development strategies, which will include future endowment and capital campaigns. The Director of Development will support government funding requests and stewardship with the Vice President of Engagement. The Director of Development will be a member of the Expanded Executive Leadership Team and Leadership Council.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Director of Development will provide effective and inspiring leadership for all aspects of philanthropic giving, including capital campaign(s), major gifts, annual giving, grants, and development communications. The Director will also:

• Foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization; Partner across divisions and business units to maximize opportunities for philanthropic engagement.
• In partnership with the Development Officer, implement strategies related to major gifts, planned giving, and the annual fund.
• In partnership with the Development Manager, support a robust grants development and stewardship program.
• Support, prepare, and strategically deploy the President & CEO with key potential donors and gift ask; Attend donor meetings and engagement sessions with the President & CEO.
• Work collaboratively across the External Relations Team; Align development activities to the overall External Relations strategy of The Arc.
• In partnership with the Director of Strategic Communications, align development communication with the strategic direction on external communication, focusing on consistent messaging and using the “voice of the organization.”
• Manage and coach employees and consultants that are directly and indirectly assigned.

Other Functions

• Stay current on development and communication trends in the disability, affordable housing, and nonprofit fields through professional development and community/civic involvement.
• Support the President & CEO with board and volunteer recruitment.
• Participate in various outreach and engagement activities that are internal and external to The Arc.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Experience and Attributes

• Five years of leadership experience in fundraising with at least three years as a Major Gifts Officer or a Director-level position required.  
• Bachelor’s degree required; Masters’ degree and/or Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification is a plus.
• Expertise and proven track record in cultivating, soliciting, and closing corporate, foundation, governmental, and individual gifts.
• High energy, team player, and passion for The Arc’s mission.
• Ability to work autonomously in ambiguous situations with little direction, running toward problems without being asked; solutions-oriented.
• Experience in planning and executing high-stakes meetings and convenings.
• Demonstrated and proven ability to build relationships.
• Ability to remain flexible, calm under pressure, and adaptive to change.
• Experience working across cultural, geographic, and organizational lines to align work, solve problems, and achieve goals.
• Excellent oral and written communication; strong interpersonal skills with the ability to manage positive communication.

In addition to a competitive base salary of $115,000, The Arc also provides a comprehensive total rewards (benefits) package which includes access to robust health, vision, and dental insurance; EAP; FSA; Basic Life Insurance and AD&D coverage; STD and LTD; 403(b) with up to 4% employer match; PTO, as well as 12 paid annual holidays per year. Typical work schedule is Monday through Friday during The Arc office hours, with frequent night and occasional weekend meetings or events. This position is eligible for periodic telework, which means up to 3 days per month. Telework days are not guaranteed.

Application Process

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region is partnering with Dragonfly Central to find the best candidate for the Director of Development position. To apply, email a cover letter that details your fit with the position’s requirements and a chronological resume to TheArcDirector@dragonflycentral.org.

For all other inquiries, contact Ginna Goodenow at ginna@dragonflycentral.org.

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region Enterprise

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) began in 1961, founded by a group of parents who wanted equity, access, and opportunity for their children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). At our core, The Arc believes that people with IDD deserve the same opportunities for self-determination and self-advocacy as any other community member. The Arc's growth over the last six decades has been in response to community-identified needs. We are providing—and often creating—the services that people tell us they need to live the life they choose for themselves.

Today, The Arc supports more than 3,000 people with IDD and their families throughout Maryland, providing comprehensive programs and services that support the full spectrum of a person's life, from birth through retirement, and all the joys and opportunities in between. All our programs and services are designed to empower and support people with IDD and provide greater self-determination in how they live, work, and connect with their communities.

The Arc’s Core Values are evident in all aspects of our programs and services. These values are:

• We embrace individuality. We see the whole person, celebrate our differences, and offer the people we serve, and our team, opportunities tailored to them.
• We are heart-driven. Every interaction matters to us; we go the extra mile to care for the people we serve and our team.
• We take strategic risks. Fueled by the urgency of our mission, we continually push for better and more innovative approaches.
• We are action-oriented. We are creative, resourceful, and have a “get it done” approach to overcoming challenges.
• We promote equity and respect. We value the different identities and experiences of the people and communities we work with, and we build respectful relationships to meet them where they are.

The Arc partnered with employees from across the organization and community members to develop the value statements above, which reflect who we are as an organization and how we approach our work.

The Arc welcomes employees of diverse backgrounds, striving to create a workplace where all feel valued for their contributions. We actively incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) best practices into every practice and policy. It's more than mandatory employee training—it's at the very root of our organizational culture. How power is distributed, who contributes to decision-making, the distribution of workloads, and the representation of diversity across the organization are all factors in how The Arc's leadership team guides the organization.

The Arc is constantly finding new ways to invest in its employees' personal and professional success to create an environment where people can be their authentic selves and feel a sense of belonging.

About The Arc’s Subsidiaries

What's unique about The Arc is our focus on innovation, commitment to community-based services, and tremendous growth. The Arc is an entrepreneurial organization, and strongly values innovation informed by community needs. It is the driving force behind the growth of The Arc and the development of new programs, services, and subsidiaries throughout our history.

Chesapeake Neighbors

The Arc’s work in providing quality, safe, affordable housing for people with IDD showed our leaders the need for affordable and accessible housing in the greater community. Recognizing this need for affordable housing throughout Maryland, The Arc founded Chesapeake Neighbors in 2007 as a nonprofit subsidiary dedicated to the development and management of affordable housing for all. Today, Chesapeake Neighbors owns and operates 70 units throughout Maryland with goals of increasing to 100 units by the end of 2025.

Chesapeake Community Development

In 2021, The Arc founded Chesapeake Community Development, a Community Development Corporation (CDC), to serve as our acquisition and development arm. Under this model, Chesapeake Community Development purchases properties and stewards projects through development while Chesapeake Neighbors provides ongoing leasing, management, and maintenance services throughout the life of the property. Over the next two decades, Chesapeake Community Development will become an essential part of our overall community development strategy on the Eastern Shore where we anticipate adding approximately 150 units of affordable housing in mixed-use zones.

For more information about The Arc, see www.thearcccr.org. For more information about Chesapeake Neighbors, see www.chesapeakeneighbors.org.

In addition to a competitive base salary , The Arc also provides a comprehensive total rewards (benefits) package which includes access to robust health, vision, and dental insurance; EAP; FSA; Basic Life Insurance and AD&D coverage; STD and LTD; 403(b) with up to 4% employer match; PTO, as well as 12 paid annual holidays per year. Typical work schedule is Monday through Friday during The Arc office hours, with frequent night and occasional weekend meetings or events. This position is eligible for periodic telework, which means up to 3 days per month. Telework days are not guaranteed.