Senior Director of Development

The Independence Fund is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to serving catastrophically wounded, injured, and ill Veterans and their families. Founded in 2007, the organization exists to empower Veterans to regain independence, restore dignity, and achieve their fullest potential through innovative programs, advocacy, and direct support. With a deep commitment to compassion, accountability, and service, TIF has grown into a trusted leader within the Veteran community, partnering closely with donors, caregivers, and supporters across the country to deliver life-changing impact.

The Senior Director of Development is the chief architect and leader of The Independence Fund’s fundraising strategy and operations, responsible for building, stabilizing and scaling a comprehensive national development program. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer and serving as a key member of the senior leadership team, this role provides strategic command of all fundraising functions, including individual giving, grants, corporate partnerships, systems, and campaigns.

The Senior Director will manage a team of three development staff and will function as the de facto head of development for the organization, partnering closely with executive leadership to ensure TIF has the philanthropic resources required to achieve its mission at the highest level of impact.

The Independence Fund is a lead-from-the-front organization. This position requires an empowering and inspiring leader who is equally comfortable setting strategy, building and mentoring teams, and rolling up their sleeves to execute as an expert tactician. We value leaders who see problems, propose solutions, and own outcomes without needing constant direction.

• Provide day-to-day leadership and management of the development function in a manner that reflects The Independence Fund’s mission, values, and culture of service.
• Develop and execute a clear, forward-looking fundraising strategy that stabilizes existing revenue, strengthens infrastructure, and positions the organization for sustainable growth.
• Rebuild and formalize fundraising systems, processes, policies, and procedures, ensuring consistency, accountability, and transparency.
• Lead, mentor, and manage the current team of three development staff, assess the development department structure and needs, and build a high-performing, success-oriented development culture.
• Serve as the organization’s authority on development, providing strategic guidance to executive leadership and working closely with the COO and senior staff.
• Oversee all individual giving programs, with a strong emphasis on stewarding long-term and legacy donors.
• Build, launch, and scale a national corporate sponsorship and partnership program from the ground up, transforming an underdeveloped revenue stream into a meaningful growth channel.
• Lead and grow the organization’s grant program in partnership with the Grants Manager.
• Design, launch, and manage a structured, data-informed year-end giving campaign, with clear goals, messaging, and performance metrics.
• Work with senior leadership to oversee the transition to new contact management and fundraising software, ensuring CRM integrity, historical data cleanup, and the effective use of donor data to inform strategy.
• Provide timely, accurate, and complete reports on fundraising performance, pipeline, and forecasts to executive leadership and the Board as required.

• Minimum of 8+ years of progressive nonprofit leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership or director-level role.
• Demonstrated success as a “builder” who has created or rebuilt development functions, systems, and teams in growth-stage or turnaround environments.
• Proven ability to lead comprehensive fundraising programs, including individual gifts, grants, and corporate partnerships.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to see problems, propose solutions, and own outcomes without constant direction.
• Strong collaborator who partners effectively with executive leadership and peers across departments.
• Experience managing and mentoring…