Wolfe's Neck Center
Position Overview
The Development Director plays a pivotal role in advancing Wolfe's Neck Center's mission to create a world where agriculture and food systems support farmer viability, thriving ecosystems, and vibrant communities. Reporting to the Managing Director of Advancement, the Development Director leads and executes critical fundraising initiatives including managing a grants portfolio, building and maintaining a strong donor pipeline, and directly cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors giving in the $1,000-$10,000 range.
This role is external-facing and requires significant relationship building with donors, funders, partners, and community stakeholders. This position is a key member of the Revenue Generation team, collaborating across Advancement, Programs, and Finance to drive cohesive fundraising strategy, strengthen donor engagement, and support long-term institutional sustainability. The Development Director contributes strategic insights, leads cross-functional projects, and ensures alignment across all revenue-generating activities.
Key Responsibilities Grants Management & Oversight
Manage the full grants lifecycle, from prospect research and cultivation through proposal development, submission, reporting, and stewardship.
Engage directly with foundation program officers and institutional funders to build strong external relationships and identify aligned opportunities.
Work closely with program and finance teams to gather accurate information, develop budgets, and ensure alignment with programmatic goals.
Monitor grant performance, evaluate outcomes, and identify opportunities for renewal, expansion, or new funding.
Strengthen internal grants systems, templates, and workflows for improved clarity and efficiency.
Mid-Level Donor Portfolio Management ($1,000-$10,000)
Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of donors and prospects, securing annual, multi-year, corporate and planned gifts that align with donor interests.
Provide personalized stewardship and thoughtful engagement to deepen donor commitment.
Conduct regular donor meetings, farm tours, and outreach conversations as part of an active, externally engaged fundraising approach.
Work with communications staff to produce compelling and mission-aligned donor materials, appeals, and touchpoints.
Collaborate with Development Operations to optimize the organization's CRM.
Support for Major Donor Strategy
Collaborate with the Revenue Generation team to support major donor identification, cultivation, stewardship.
Assist with planning and executing donor events, farm tours, and other cultivation opportunities.
Serve as a visible representative of Wolfe's Neck Center in donor-facing events and engagements.
Provide insights on donor behavior, trends, and opportunities to shape broader fundraising strategy.
Support the development of multi-year funding strategies aligned with organizational goals.
Qualifications
5+ years of experience in nonprofit development, fundraising, or related fields.
Demonstrated success with grant writing, grants management, and donor cultivation.
Previous management experience.
Proven ability to manage a portfolio of donors and secure gifts in the $1,000-$10,000 range.
Exceptional writing, storytelling, and communication skills.
Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
Comfort and confidence in external-facing roles, including donor meetings, funder engagement, and representing the organization in public or partner settings.
Relationship-centered approach with a track record of building authentic donor and partner connections.
Familiarity with CRM/database systems and a data-driven approach to donor management.
Ability to collaborate across departments and adapt in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
Passion for regenerative agriculture, environmental stewardship, experiential education, or related mission areas is highly valued.
The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job successfully. If you do not fit this description perfectly but believe that you would be a good fit for this position, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or apply. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment welcomes a diverse pool of candidates. In accordance with federal Equal Opportunity laws, Wolfe's Neck Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, sexual orientation including gender identity or expression, veteran status, or physical or mental disability in the hiring of its employees. Applicants are selected based on their ability to perform the essential functions of the job, prior work experience, and references from previous employers.
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This role is external-facing and requires significant relationship building with donors, funders, partners, and community stakeholders. This position is a key member of the Revenue Generation team, collaborating across Advancement, Programs, and Finance to drive cohesive fundraising strategy, strengthen donor engagement, and support long-term institutional sustainability. The Development Director contributes strategic insights, leads cross-functional projects, and ensures alignment across all revenue-generating activities.
Key Responsibilities Grants Management & Oversight
Manage the full grants lifecycle, from prospect research and cultivation through proposal development, submission, reporting, and stewardship.
Engage directly with foundation program officers and institutional funders to build strong external relationships and identify aligned opportunities.
Work closely with program and finance teams to gather accurate information, develop budgets, and ensure alignment with programmatic goals.
Monitor grant performance, evaluate outcomes, and identify opportunities for renewal, expansion, or new funding.
Strengthen internal grants systems, templates, and workflows for improved clarity and efficiency.
Mid-Level Donor Portfolio Management ($1,000-$10,000)
Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of donors and prospects, securing annual, multi-year, corporate and planned gifts that align with donor interests.
Provide personalized stewardship and thoughtful engagement to deepen donor commitment.
Conduct regular donor meetings, farm tours, and outreach conversations as part of an active, externally engaged fundraising approach.
Work with communications staff to produce compelling and mission-aligned donor materials, appeals, and touchpoints.
Collaborate with Development Operations to optimize the organization's CRM.
Support for Major Donor Strategy
Collaborate with the Revenue Generation team to support major donor identification, cultivation, stewardship.
Assist with planning and executing donor events, farm tours, and other cultivation opportunities.
Serve as a visible representative of Wolfe's Neck Center in donor-facing events and engagements.
Provide insights on donor behavior, trends, and opportunities to shape broader fundraising strategy.
Support the development of multi-year funding strategies aligned with organizational goals.
Qualifications
5+ years of experience in nonprofit development, fundraising, or related fields.
Demonstrated success with grant writing, grants management, and donor cultivation.
Previous management experience.
Proven ability to manage a portfolio of donors and secure gifts in the $1,000-$10,000 range.
Exceptional writing, storytelling, and communication skills.
Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
Comfort and confidence in external-facing roles, including donor meetings, funder engagement, and representing the organization in public or partner settings.
Relationship-centered approach with a track record of building authentic donor and partner connections.
Familiarity with CRM/database systems and a data-driven approach to donor management.
Ability to collaborate across departments and adapt in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
Passion for regenerative agriculture, environmental stewardship, experiential education, or related mission areas is highly valued.
The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job successfully. If you do not fit this description perfectly but believe that you would be a good fit for this position, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or apply. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment welcomes a diverse pool of candidates. In accordance with federal Equal Opportunity laws, Wolfe's Neck Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, sexual orientation including gender identity or expression, veteran status, or physical or mental disability in the hiring of its employees. Applicants are selected based on their ability to perform the essential functions of the job, prior work experience, and references from previous employers.
#J-18808-Ljbffr