Development Director - 826 Valencia is seeking a visionary fundraising director to join an iconic, m

The Development Director is a visionary fundraising leader who inspires stakeholders to invest in 826 Valencia’s mission and programs. As a member of the leadership team and the staff member chiefly responsible for contributed revenue (approximately 99% of our annual income of $8M), the Development Director reports to the Executive Director, works closely with the Board, and oversees all aspects of comprehensive and strategic fundraising plans that meet both short- and long-term revenue goals. The person in this role supports the Development team, spearheads an organization-wide culture of philanthropy, champions our DEI values, and builds relationships that yield new and increased donations. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled fundraising leader to join an iconic, mission-driven, and fiscally strong organization that is entering its 25th Anniversary.

POSITION SNAPSHOT

• Works collaboratively with staff and board to raise $8M annually through new relationships, cultivation, and upgrades
• Effectively supports a diverse team through clear systems, strong follow-through, and professional development
• Takes initiative and innovates to leverage the 25th Anniversary for donor engagement, new gifts, and increased contributions
• Full-time (40 hours per week), flexible work schedule Monday through Friday (e.g., 9 am to 5:30 pm), some evenings and weekends as required
• Based out of our Tenderloin Center at 180 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco. Candidates must be located in or willing to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area, where we have an open-office environment where there may be substantial ambient noise and overheard conversations. The team tends to work two days in the office and three days from home, but team members come in as needed.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Development Director reports to the Executive Director of 826 Valencia and manages two staff members (the Director of Institutional Giving and the Manager of Individual Philanthropy) while indirectly supporting two additional staff members (the Grants and Database Manager and the Development and Annual Fund Coordinator).

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising

• Lead fundraising efforts in support of a team (including individual and corporate giving, foundation, government grants, events), raising upwards of $8M annually
• Develop and execute annual and long-term fundraising plans, employing best practices to maximize contributed revenue, scale the organization’s fundraising reach, and plan for its future sustainability
• Direct special events and fundraising opportunities for 826 Valencia’s 25th Anniversary in 2027
• Support the Executive Director, Board members, and Development Team to build and maintain long-term relationships with donors and to cultivate effective, meaningful relationships with prospects that lead to new gifts, upgrades, and multi-year investments
• Manage a personal portfolio of major individual donors, with full responsibility for all cultivation, stewardship, and progressive levels of engagement and giving
• Lead the organization’s moves management processes; identify and implement new opportunities for increased investments and cultivation that include personalized and high-quality opportunities for donor involvement and stewardship
• Evaluate and analyze the existing development program and implement effective changes, responses to a changing environment, and policies and procedures to increase overall fundraising performance
• Support the Director of Institutional Giving, who prepares high-quality, targeted grant proposals and reports that inspire deeper donor connection and investment
• With the Manager of Individual Philanthropy, oversee the creation and execution of our end-of-year appeal, Associate Board, and fundraising events, including the annual Bookeaters’ Bash gala
• With the Grants and Database Manager and the Development and Annual Fund Coordinator, optimize Salesforce donor database management and ensure the accuracy of donor records; build systems to use Salesforce effectively for fundraising projections, reporting, and moves management

Supervision and Organizational Leadership

• Supervise and support team members by providing ongoing coaching, formal evaluations, two-way feedback, and professional development plans
• Be a visible member of the Development Team externally and internally; build a culture of philanthropy and act as a trusted and knowledgeable leader related to the organization’s fundraising priorities and needs
• Partner with the Communications Team and Department Heads to develop creative and effective fundraising strategies and corresponding collateral
• Serve on the 826 Valencia leadership team to support staff members from diverse backgrounds and help build a collaborative, mission-driven, and effective work culture that supports the organization's vision and mission
• Collaborate across the 826 Network, supporting effective fundraising practices with 826 chapters

Other Duties

• Actively participate in 826 Valencia meetings (including internal committees on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), performance appraisal systems, and other work events (such as DEI trainings, professional development workshops, and the annual 826 National conference)
• Meet all deadlines
• Support programs as needed to gain a broad and deep understanding of our work; all non-programs staff are expected to tutor with at least one program per week (approx. 2 hours)
• All other duties as assigned by the Executive Director