Role: Senior Director of Development & Strategy

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: This position is remote; however, we strongly prefer candidates based in the San Francisco/Bay Area, Austin, TX, or New York, NY.

Work Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Salary: $115,000 - $130,000 annually

About IGNITE

IGNITE is a national nonprofit working to bring the next generation of political leaders closer to power. At a time when young women and gender-expansive youth face growing threats to their safety, visibility, and voice, IGNITE exists to ensure they are not only heard but positioned to lead. We believe that those closest to society’s most pressing challenges should also be closest to the decisions that shape them.

IGNITE invests in women, primarily ages 15–28, including high school and college students, early-career professionals, and young parents. Through dynamic trainings, mentorship, and leadership opportunities, participants learn how to advocate for policy change, run for office, and mobilize their communities.

IGNITE has built a strong foundation in individual major gifts, institutional (foundation) philanthropy, and community-based giving, and this role offers the opportunity to deepen and diversify those streams into a sustainable, long-term pipeline.

Position Overview

IGNITE is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven fundraising leader to serve as Senior Director of Development & Strategy. This is a senior individual contributor and team leadership role responsible for building and managing a sustainable revenue pipeline to support the organization’s next stage of growth.

Following a period of expansion supported by a transformational grant, IGNITE is entering an important transition: shifting from episodic fundraising toward a diversified, pipeline-based model. The Director of Development & Strategy will lead that transition—owning the fundraising strategy, managing a team of 2 full time staff and contractors, and partnering closely with the CEO to cultivate and close major gifts.

This role blends strategic leadership, frontline fundraising, and team management, requiring both big-picture thinking and strong execution.

Reporting Structure & Team

The Senior Director of Development & Strategy reports directly to the CEO and manages the following team:

• Institutional Giving Director
• Development Coordinator 

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Pipeline Development

• Build and implement IGNITE’s pipeline-based fundraising strategy in support of a $2M+ annual revenue goal.
• Design and operationalize a donor pipeline that moves supporters (individual, institutional, and alumni audiences) from discovery through long-term partnership
• Set annual and multi-year revenue plans across all fundraising streams, including institutional, individual, and community-based giving
• Refine systems and processes for donor cultivation, stewardship, and retention, ensuring strong pipeline health and long-term sustainability
• Create and manage a structured mid-level donor program ($1,000–$10,000 annual giving)
• Oversee institutional fundraising strategy and overall revenue performance, identifying new foundation opportunities, maintaining a diversified portfolio, and using data to assess progress and refine strategy
• Translate organizational priorities into compelling donor-facing narratives and fundraising materials

Major Gifts Fundraising

• Serve as IGNITE’s primary major gifts officer, owning relationships and revenue at the $25,000+ level.
• Manage a personal portfolio of approximately 100–150 major donors and high-capacity prospects of which 60–90 should be qualified and in active cultivation or solicitation at any given time
• Partner closely with the CEO on top-tier donors and foundation relationships, including preparing briefing materials and managing follow-through
• Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for each portfolio relationship
• Support board members in their fundraising and donor engagement activities including coaching and activating board members to engage their own networks and move high-capacity prospects toward asks.

Development Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a development team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Set clear goals and performance expectations aligned to revenue targets and pipeline health, and hold team members accountable through regular check-ins and performance management
• Clarify roles, workflows, and ownership across the development function to ensure efficiency and reduce duplication of effort
• Coordinate fundraising efforts across all revenue streams to ensure alignment and avoid duplication
• Monitor team performance against pipeline and revenue benchmarks

Community & Digital Fundraising Oversight

• Oversee community and digital fundraising, ensuring events, campaigns, and alumni engagement serve as entry points into the donor pipeline
• Support expansion of peer-to-peer, grassroots, and recurring giving programs, including alumni-driven initiatives
• Strengthen digital engagement and social media fundraising to grow reach, participation, and donor conversion
• Collaborate with leadership to develop and operationalize a long-term alumni engagement strategy, activating IGNITE’s 46,000+ alumni through segmentation, targeted communications, and meaningful pathways for connection (events, storytelling, advocacy, leadership, and giving)

Development Operations & Data

• Oversee donor database systems, prospect tracking, and pipeline reporting
• Establish and monitor metrics for donor retention, pipeline growth, and revenue performance
• Produce regular development reports for leadership and the board

Qualifications

• 7+ years of nonprofit fundraising experience, with a demonstrated track record of closing major gifts at the $25,000+ level
• Experience personally managing a major gift portfolio and moving donors through a cultivation cycle
• Experience leading fundraising strategy and/or managing development teams
• Strong relationship-building and donor cultivation skills
• Comfort working closely with a CEO and board on high-touch donor relationships
• Familiarity with donor pipeline management and CRM systems, preferred experience with HubSpot
• Experience building fundraising infrastructure during a period of organizational transition is strongly preferred
• Alignment with IGNITE’s mission to advance the political leadership of young women and gender-expansive youth

Travel

This role requires occasional travel (approximately 20–25%), including for donor meetings, team convenings, and organizational events.

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position with a salary range of $115,000–$130,000, commensurate with experience. IGNITE’s benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; company-sponsored 401K plan; paid leave; a generous holiday, PTO and sick package; and more. 

How to Apply

Please submit a resume, a thoughtful cover letter detailing your interest in this role and how your experience aligns, and one work sample that best reflects your readiness for this position. Work sample examples include: a fundraising strategy memo or plan, a major gift proposal or case for support, a donor cultivation or stewardship snapshot, a development dashboard or pipeline report, or a donor-facing narrative or impact report. Please redact any confidential information before submitting.

IGNITE requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 within 6 weeks of their start date. 

IGNITE is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will consider applicants for positions without regard to any category protected by applicable federal, state or local law, including but not limited to: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status or uniformed service member status. Women, people of color, LGBTQ people, young people, and members of other historically disenfranchised populations are strongly encouraged to apply.