The Fund Development Manager provides strategic vision, leadership, and operational direction for the organization’s fundraising and development program. This role is responsible for creating, executing, and leading comprehensive fundraising strategies that achieve annual and long-term revenue goals through individual giving, major gifts, events, grants, and planned giving.
The Fund Development Manager serves as a key leader in advancing organizational sustainability by cultivating meaningful relationships with donors, community partners, foundations, and other stakeholders. This position requires a skilled fundraising professional with a proven ability to develop and implement successful fundraising initiatives, build a culture of philanthropy, identify new revenue opportunities, and inspire staff and volunteers to support fundraising priorities.
The Fund Development Manager manages the Community Development Assistant and provides leadership, coaching, and direction to ensure effective execution of fundraising activities, donor engagement strategies, and development operations.
Key Attributes
- Demonstrates leadership through collaboration, accountability, adaptability, flexibility, communication, dependability, and support of organizational and department goals.
- Demonstrates respect and caring (compassion, customer relations, professional behavior, and confidentiality) and maintains patient, staff, donor, and organizational confidentiality.
- Effectively utilizes resources (time, people, supplies, financial resources, and systems) to achieve fundraising and organizational goals.
- Demonstrates initiative and strategic thinking by identifying opportunities, developing solutions, taking ownership of projects, and implementing improvements that strengthen fundraising effectiveness.
- Supports WVH’s values, mission, and goals and demonstrates this through the strategic design, leadership, and implementation of effective development activities.
Essential Job Duties
Strategy and Planning
- Lead the development and execution of the annual fundraising plan, establishing strategies, priorities, timelines, and measurable goals to achieve revenue targets across all fundraising programs.
- Partner with the executive director and board of directors to develop and implement long-term fundraising strategies that support organizational sustainability and growth.
- Develop and maintain a comprehensive development roadmap that integrates individual giving, major gifts, grants, events, planned giving, donor engagement, and stewardship.
- Identify emerging fundraising opportunities and develop strategies to expand revenue streams and strengthen donor relationships.
- Analyze fundraising results, trends, and opportunities to continuously improve effectiveness and achieve organizational goals.
Financial Planning and Budget Management
- Develop and manage cost-effective fundraising budgets aligned with strategic priorities and revenue goals.
- Monitor fundraising revenue and expenses, maintaining effective tracking, reporting, and evaluation systems.
- Ensure development activities are implemented within approved budgets and resources are aligned with organizational priorities.
- Provide regular updates and recommendations related to fundraising performance, opportunities, and challenges.
Fundraising
- Lead and manage a comprehensive fundraising program that achieves established income targets and strengthens organizational sustainability.
- Create, implement, and evaluate fundraising strategies across individual giving, major gifts, events, grants, planned giving, and other development initiatives.
- Build and maintain a portfolio of individual donors and major gift prospects through relationship-building, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Lead the development and execution of donor acquisition, retention, and engagement strategies.
- Oversee the management of grant and trust income programs, including researching opportunities, developing proposals, participating in grant writing, and ensuring timely, high-quality reporting.
- Lead annual giving and individual donor programs, including donor communications, outreach, and appeals.
- Develop and maintain effective stewardship program that deepens relationships and increases donor retention and lifetime value.
- Partner with organizational leaders, staff, and volunteers to create a culture of philanthropy and expand community engagement.
Staff Management
- Provide leadership, coaching, mentoring, and development support to the Community Development Assistant.
- Establish clear expectations, priorities, and accountability for development activities and department operations.
- Manage workload and performance through regular one-on-one meetings, goal setting, coaching, and feedback.
- Support staff development by providing training, resources, and opportunities to strengthen fundraising knowledge and skills.
- Conduct performance reviews and contribute to a positive, collaborative, and results-oriented team culture.
Performance Standards
- Demonstrates successful leadership and execution of strategic fundraising initiatives.
- Proven record of accomplishment of developing and implementing fundraising strategies that achieve challenging revenue goals.
- Demonstrated ability to secure revenue through multiple fundraising channels, including individual gifts, major gifts, grants, events, and planned giving.
- Proven ability to build, manage, and strengthen relationships with donors, community partners, board members, and other key stakeholders.
- Demonstrates innovative and creative thinking with the ability to identify opportunities and implement effective solutions.
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills with the ability to present complex ideas clearly, persuasively, and effectively.
- Self-motivated with the ability to work independently, prioritize effectively, make sound decisions, and lead initiatives to completion.
- Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends for donor engagement activities and events.
Education and Experience
- Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in fundraising, development, or nonprofit advancement, with demonstrated success managing comprehensive fundraising programs.
- Experience in individual giving, major gifts, planned giving, events, and grant development required.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Business, Nonprofit Management, or related field preferred.
- Demonstrated experience with donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and relationship management.
- Public speaking and community engagement experience required.
- Hospice knowledge required, hospice or healthcare nonprofit experience preferred.
- Knowledge of planned giving resources and donor networks in Salem and outreach areas.
- Proven experience writing successful grant proposals, reports, and other communications for funders.
Who We Are:
It’s not our organization itself that delivers deeply impactful work. It's our people. We’re an empathetic, resilient, diverse and passionate group of people working together to create the best care possible for those facing serious illness and grief. We believe personalized care and grief support should be available to all who need it, so we provide our services regardless of ability to pay.
Thank you for your interest in joining the team at Willamette Vital Health. We provide rewarding careers for passionate, caring, and experienced employees. We believe that everyone facing serious illness, death, and grief deserves access to the best personalized and compassionate care available, and the team at Willamette Vital Health strives to provide such care.
Willamette Vital Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to providing a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, physical characteristics, age, religion, creed, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability, victim of violence or bias, or veteran status. All qualified candidates legally able to work in the United States are encouraged to apply.
