Director of Development

Are you ready to uplift and support elementary school girls through your work? We're looking for a passionate and experienced Director of Development to join our exciting Scientific Adventures for Girls (SAfG) team. If you're seeking impactful mission-based work and are ready to make a difference, you're in the right place.

About Us

SAfG is on a mission to break down barriers for girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) from an early age. Our hands-on programs in East Bay schools aim to inspire, equip, and engage girls in STEM fields. We're paving the way for future female scientists and engineers! Learn more about our programming and funders.

Competitive Salary: $100,000 - $110,000 per year (based on experience). This is a salaried, exempt position working 40 hours per week.

Hybrid Position: Experience a mix of remote work and working in our Berkeley offices with our collaborative and fun team.

Perks and Benefits: We value our team and offer a range of competitive benefits including health, dental, vision, paid time off, professional development, gym access.

Team Collaboration: We're not just colleagues; we're a supportive, collaborative team.

The Director of Development will spearhead fundraising efforts to grow SAfG from its current $850,000 in annual corporate grants to $2M in annual revenue. Working closely with the Executive Director and board of trustees, you'll develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy focused on expanding individual and major gifts while strengthening existing corporate partnerships. This new leadership position requires a strategic thinker with proven experience in major gift solicitation, donor relationship management, and grant writing.

You'll create meaningful donor experiences that connect supporters to our mission and drive program impact. This hybrid role requires onsite presence at least three times weekly, with some evening and weekend commitments.

Strategic Leadership & Planning:

Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy that aligns with organizational goals and maximizes revenue potential across all giving channels.

Lead annual planning processes, establish fundraising targets, and create detailed campaign strategies for major initiatives and meet fundraising goals of $1.5 million ($1.1M grants, $300,000 in individual giving, and $100,000 in-kind gifts).

Provide strategic counsel to leadership on philanthropic opportunities and donor engagement.

Manage a portfolio of major donor prospects and cultivate relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporations capable of transformational gifts.

Conduct prospect research, develop solicitation strategies, and execute face-to-face meetings to secure five and six-figure commitments.

Partner with board members and volunteers in cultivation and solicitation activities. Corporate and Grant Fundraising

Develop compelling grant proposals that resonate with foundation and corporate partners and align with funding priorities and organizational needs.

Lead the full grant lifecycle from research to reporting.

Maintain and strengthen relationships with institutional funders through proactive stewardship, impact communication, and identification of renewal and multi-year funding opportunities.

Donor Relations & Stewardship

Design and oversee comprehensive donor stewardship programs that recognize contributions, demonstrate impact, and encourage continued engagement.

Develop personalized stewardship plans for major donors and ensure timely, meaningful acknowledgment of all gifts.

Maintain detailed records of donor interactions and preferences.

Program Development & Implementation

Launch and manage annual giving campaigns, donor-advised funds relationships, planned giving initiatives, and special events as appropriate to organizational needs.

Coordinate with program staff to create compelling cases for support and develop funding proposals that clearly articulate organizational impact and need.

A successful candidate will have the following:

Education and/or Experience:

A qualified candidate will possess a combination of the following education and/or equivalent experience.

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required

Minimum 7+ years of progressive fundraising experience

Minimum 5+ years managing comprehensive development programs

At least 3+ years in a leadership role

Demonstrated success in securing major gifts (individuals, foundations, DAFs, corporations) of at least $150,000 and securing multi-year commitments from individuals and family foundations.

Ability to drive fundraising goals of at least $2 million annually.

Proficiency with donor management systems (Insightly or similar platforms), wealth screening tools, and Google Suite.

Experience with online fundraising platforms and social media for donor engagement.

Strong data analysis capabilities for tracking performance metrics and ROI.

Exceptional written and verbal…