Director of Development

From Black-led movement-building, to queer and trans liberation, to disability justice and inclusion, community organizers are working every day to bring about transformational change. Borealis Philanthropy exists to listen to, invest in, and support them. Our staff of experts come from the communities we serve, and bring their lived experiences, values, and visions to the work of supporting community-driven change through grantee and funder collaboration.

As a philanthropic intermediary, Borealis Philanthropy builds bridges between funders and organizers by creating opportunities for impact-driven investments. We team with funders to conceive, develop, and implement grantmaking initiatives that resource the many innovative organizations within each of our respective grantmaking funds. In partnering with philanthropy, we remove barriers to funding for grassroots organizations and invest in intersectional movements building a future that serves all of us.

Our Values

Alchemy + Healing, Atrevida + Audacity, Accountability + Integrity, Ubuntu + Interconnectedness

Job Overview

The Director of Development leads Borealis Philanthropy’s fundraising strategy across our five interconnected pillars—Racial, Gender, and Disability Justice; Media, Journalism, and Narrative Change; Economic Justice and Inclusion; Community Safety and Justice; and Movement Infrastructure. The role ensures our resource mobilization approach is aligned with Borealis 2.0’s integrated, ecosystem-based strategy. This role requires a strategic and forward-facing leader who can cultivate high-level relationships, anticipate emerging trends, and develop innovative approaches to resource mobilization.

The Director manages and mentors staff, coordinates fundraising efforts across departments, and guides the organization toward new funding opportunities that support the expansion and long-term sustainability of Borealis’ programs and services. They solve complex problems, steward donor partnerships, and serve as a key ambassador for Borealis across the philanthropic landscape.

Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership and Strategy: The Director of Development serves as a member of the Management Team, providing organizational leadership in alignment with organizational values and vision, including:

• Serving as a visible and active member of the leadership team, contributing strongly to cross-disciplinary teamwork, collaboration, and organizational planning
• Managing resources, removing barriers, and providing creative solutions to staff and stakeholders to support organizational goals and objectives
• Bringing a forward-thinking perspective to strategy discussions, ensuring Borealis remains responsive to emerging social justice movements, shifts in the philanthropic sector, and opportunities for impact

Leads Fundraising Strategy and New Business Development: The Director of Development establishes development strategies and leads staff in designing and implementing donor engagement efforts, including:

• Cultivating, stewarding, and owning relationships with donors, including identification, outreach, and stewardship
• Manage campaign budget, timeline, and project plans including campaign design, materials, and prospect lists
• Planning and conducting events and other opportunities to engage donors, present Borealis’ case for support and secure philanthropic commitments
• In partnership with the VP of Advancement and cross-departmental teams, identifying and evaluating new funding opportunities rooted in the intersectional nature of Borealis’ program pillars
• Bring innovation, experimentation, and strategic insight to new fundraising and long-term sustainability planning

Steward Fund Contributors: The Director supports the cultivation of existing and prospective donors across funding pillars at Borealis, including:

• Supporting program staff to document engagement with donors and ensuring the effective development and implementation of a CRM as a development management tool
• Partnering with VP of Advancement and other staff to identify growth goals for funds, and to create and implement annual fundraising plans
• Providing strategic insight and guidance to ensure donor relations remain aligned with Borealis’ values, program goals, and long-term vision

Narrative Creation and Communications Alignment: The Director of Development partners closely with the Communications Director to shape clear, compelling organizational and fund-specific narratives, including:

• Developing and maintaining boilerplate language for fundraising, donor engagement, and external collateral
• Crafting storytelling that highlights fund priorities, grantee impact, and the broader vision driving donor investment
• Creating and stewarding standard language and messaging frameworks to ensure consistency across all Borealis communications
• Aligning narrative strategy with fundraising goals, donor expectations, and organizational values

Department Vision, Leadership, and Oversight: The Director is the internal leader of the Development Department, including:

• Supervising, coaching, and mentoring Development staff
• Developing and managing the Development department’s annual work plan and budget.
• Creating and maintaining department policies, procedures, and development systems
• Cultivating a collaborative, accountable, and values-aligned culture

Other Duties: As a member of the Borealis staff, the Director of Development performs certain functions that are not specific to their job, but support the organization as a whole. This Includes:

• Submitting and approving expense reports and approving timecards by stated deadlines
• Attending all staff meetings and required trainings and events
• Participating in organizational development and change processes, including serving on committees or special project teams
• Modeling Borealis’ culture and values; align outcomes, practices, and communications within the organization’s culture
• Leading special projects and other duties as assigned

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in related field, Masters preferred
• Ten (10) years experience in fundraising and business development for nonprofits or philanthropic entities
• Five (5) years of previous supervisory experience leading staff
• Experience with CRMs, Salesforce preferred
• Experience using systems and tools such as Zoom, Google Suite, Slack, and Asana

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills & Personal/ Behavioral Attributes)

• Deep knowledge of fundraising, donor cultivation, stewardship, events, budgeting, and institutional giving
• Strong commitment to staying current on emerging trends, innovative practices, and movement-aligned approaches within philanthropy
• Ability to work collaboratively and build relationships within a diverse virtual work environment
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to navigate conflict and hold complex conversations
• Ability to conduct prospect research and engage both individual and institutional funders
• Demonstrated leadership with the ability to coach, direct, and inspire diverse staff toward shared goals
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to assess and mitigate risks to the organization
• Strong project management skills from visioning to execution
• Ability to manage change, perform under pressure, and balance multiple strategic and tactical priorities
• Commitment to Borealis’ mission, vision, and values, including a belief in the power of intersectional social justice movements

Work Environment (Conditions and Physical Demands)

This job operates in a professional, virtual, home office or co-working environment, with local and national travel. In line with Borealis’ commitments to racial equity and disability justice, our current policy is that no staff member travel or attendance at in person meetings is required at this time. If team members are interested in attending in person events, Borealis will, as needed, work to make reasonable accommodations to ensure their health and safety.

This role routinely uses standard office equipment, including a laptop computer and cell phone. The employee is generally required to spend long periods of time sitting, typing, and working at a computer. May require the ability to occasionally lift and transport items. Accommodations will be made based on ability and accessibility.

Commitment to Disability, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Borealis is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact recruitment@borealisphilanthropy.org. Borealis is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other category protected by local, state, or federal laws. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive staff team. We strongly encourage applicants who are people of color, LGBTQ, women, trans and gender non- conforming people, people with disabilities; and/or formerly incarcerated people.