Managing Director of Development

The National Alliance to End Homelessness (Alliance) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. The Alliance uses data and research—including the perspectives of people with lived experience of homelessness—to identify solutions, inform public policy, and help communities implement effective strategies. Recognizing the disproportionality of homelessness among people of color, the Alliance is committed to advancing racial equity through all of its work.

What We Are Looking For:

This is a pivotal moment for the Alliance. With homelessness at the forefront of our nation’s most urgent challenges, we seek a strategic, visionary, and accomplished Managing Director of Development to fuel bold solutions, expand our philanthropic reach, and help scale our national impact.

In this senior leadership role, you will lead the growth of the Alliance’s fundraising program, with a focus on cultivating transformative foundation partnerships engaging major donors. Your leadership will be instrumental in fueling innovation and scaling change across the country.

We are looking for a seasoned development professional with 8–10 years of fundraising experience and a strong record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts from both major donors and foundations. The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader with deep expertise in relationship-based fundraising, a national perspective on the philanthropic landscape, and a passion for equity and systems change.

What You Will Do:

The Managing Director will shape the organization’s fundraising vision, focus on high-value donor and institutional partnerships, and lead cross-functional strategies to engage funders. They will supervise a small team and strategically deploy Alliance leadership (CEO, President & COO, Vice Presidents, and board members) in advancing relationships.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership

• Set and oversee a multi-year fundraising strategy across all giving streams.
• Set and monitor annual revenue goals in collaboration with the President & COO and senior team.
• Ensure fundraising strategies are fully integrated across the Alliance’s pillars of work—building knowledge through research and data, improving policy through strong advocacy, enhancing capacity by strengthening community and provider effectiveness, and promoting awareness through truthful, public-facing communications—while embedding equity throughout every effort.
• Serve as a senior advisor on development trends, funder relationships, and long-term resource planning.

Team Management & Development Operations

• Supervise and mentor the Senior Manager of Individual and Institutional Giving and manage relationships with fundraising consultants.
• Foster professional growth and capacity within the development team.
• Ensure development systems, segmentation, and reporting tools support organizational strategy.
• Manage the development budget and coordinate closely with finance to align revenue forecasting with program planning.

Major Donor & Foundation Engagement

• Personally manage relationships with major donors and national institutional funders.
• Lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for major gifts and grants.
• Identify and secure new high-value foundation partners; direct proposal strategy in partnership with executive and senior team leaders.
• Develop tailored engagement strategies for prospective funders and, in partnership with the Vice Presidents (Policy, State Strategies and Innovation, Research, Training & Technical Assistance, and Communications), lead proposal development, outreach, and briefings to ensure programmatic expertise is effectively leveraged to build strong relationships and demonstrate impact.
• Support and strategically deploy the CEO, President & COO, and other members of the executive team in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors.
• Partner with board members to expand philanthropic relationships and deepen donor involvement.
• Ensure exceptional stewardship through personalized communications, events, and tailored reporting.

Corporate Partnerships

• Provide strategic direction for corporate fundraising at the national level, including cultivating high-value partnerships and integrating corporate engagement into the overall fundraising strategy.
• Partner with the Senior Manager to align corporate sponsorship and partnership tactics with broader strategy.
• Support cultivation of select high-value corporate relationships alongside the President & COO and board members

External Representation

• Represent the Alliance in philanthropic forums, high-level donor briefings, and national networks.
• Collaborate with the communications team to ensure donor campaigns align with organizational messaging.

All other duties as assigned by the President & COO or CEO.

What a Successful Candidate Will Need

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of experience and training.
  • Equivalent work experience combined with lived experience of homelessness will be considered.
• 8–10 years of progressive fundraising experience, including success securing six- and seven-figure gifts from major donors and foundations.
• At least 3–5 years of experience supervising development professionals and/or consultants.
• Deep commitment to ending homelessness.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated success identifying, cultivating, and soliciting new foundation funders in alignment with organizational goals.
• Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional proposal development, engaging senior programmatic and communications staff in funder strategy.
• Experience supporting and deploying executive and senior leaders (e.g., CEO, COO, VPs) in donor and funder engagement.
• Excellent writing and storytelling skills, with experience developing proposals, cases for support, and donor communications.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Proficiency in donor CRM platforms (e.g., CiviCRM, EveryAction) and fundraising analytics.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience fundraising during periods of organizational growth or strategic change.
• Familiarity with public policy, systems change, or the homelessness/housing sector.
• Lived experience of homelessness or experience working directly with individuals affected by housing instability.

Please note: Studies have shown that women and Black, indigenous, people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the Alliance, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace– so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles!

What we can offer you:

The Alliance is a dynamic and flexible team of professionals working collaboratively to achieve its mission of preventing and ending homelessness nationwide. We provide a supportive work environment where staff are empowered with both the responsibility and opportunity to drive solutions to this pressing national issue. Every team member is valued and encouraged to contribute meaningfully.

In addition, the Alliance offers the following benefits:

• A hybrid work environment
• Competitive salary
• Employer-sponsored health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Financial support for professional development and wellness activities
• Paid vacation, personal, and sick leave, along with a generous holiday schedule

The Alliance’s salary ranges are designed to support growth and advancement within each role. Starting salaries typically fall above the lower end of the posted range but do not exceed the midpoint. Salaries above the midpoint at hire are uncommon. Final salary offers are based on a candidate’s relevant experience and demonstrated expertise.