Associate Director of Development in Richmond, Virginia at Rise Academy

Help Build Partnerships That Change Lives

Do you believe relationships can transform communities?

Rise Academy is seeking a passionate, relationship-driven Associate Director of Development to help expand philanthropic support and build strategic partnerships that directly impact students in Richmond's East End.

This is more than a fundraising position. You'll connect businesses, churches, community organizations, alumni, and generous supporters with opportunities to invest in students through scholarships, athletics, and innovative educational programs. Working alongside our Director of Development and Marketing, you'll cultivate lasting partnerships that strengthen Rise Academy's mission while helping create opportunities for every student to flourish.

If you're energized by building relationships, connecting people to meaningful causes, and making a lasting difference, we'd love to meet you.

Job Summary

The Associate Director of Development is responsible for cultivating, stewarding, and growing philanthropic partnerships that advance Rise Academy's mission. This role focuses on donor engagement, relationship management, stewardship initiatives, and revenue generation through annual giving, sponsorships, athletic partnerships, and community-based fundraising efforts.

Working closely with the Director of Development & Marketing, the Associate Director of Development serves as a key ambassador for Rise Academy, building meaningful relationships with donors, alumni, churches, businesses, foundations, and community partners. The position emphasizes donor retention, engagement, and long-term philanthropic growth while supporting strategic fundraising initiatives across the organization.

Essential Functions

Donor Stewardship & Relationship Management

• Develop and implement a comprehensive donor stewardship strategy.
• Manage a portfolio of individual donors, sponsors, and community partners.
• Conduct regular donor meetings, campus visits, and cultivation events.
• Ensure timely and meaningful donor acknowledgment and recognition.
• Create stewardship reports demonstrating the impact of donor investments.
• Maintain accurate donor records and engagement plans within the donor database.

Annual Giving & Fundraising

• Support execution of annual giving campaigns and fundraising appeals.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward new and existing donors.
• Assist with major gift cultivation strategies in partnership with the Director of Development & Marketing.
• Coordinate peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives and donor engagement campaigns.
• Track fundraising progress and donor activity metrics.
• Athletic Partnership development
• Lead sponsorship development efforts for Rise Academy athletic programs.
• Secure business sponsorships for athletic teams, events, tournaments, and special initiatives.
• Develop sponsorship packages and partnership opportunities.
• Maintain relationships with athletic sponsors to ensure long-term engagement and renewal.
• Collaborate with athletic leadership to identify funding needs and opportunities.

Community & Faith-Based Partnerships

• Build relationships with churches, civic organizations, foundations, and local businesses.
• Represent Rise Academy at community events and networking opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for volunteer engagement and philanthropic support.
• Cultivate partnerships that support student programming and mission advancement

Events & Donor Engagement

• Assist with planning and execution of donor appreciation events, fundraising events, and athletic fundraising initiatives.
• Coordinate donor visits and mission-focused engagement opportunities.
• Support event sponsorship solicitation and stewardship activities.

Reporting & Collaboration

• Monitor donor engagement, retention, and fundraising performance metrics.
• Prepare stewardship and fundraising reports for leadership.
• Collaborate with school leadership, athletic staff, and program leaders to communicate funding priorities and impact stories.
• Support the Director of Development & Marketing in achieving annual fundraising goals.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA’s)

Knowledge

• Knowledge of donor stewardship principles and relationship-based fundraising practices that support long-term philanthropic engagement.
• Understanding of sponsorship development, community partnership cultivation, and donor recognition strategies.
• Knowledge of event planning, volunteer engagement, and community outreach practices.
• Familiarity with donor database management, CRM systems, and the importance of maintaining accurate donor records.
• Understanding of nonprofit fundraising ethics, confidentiality standards, and stewardship best practices.
• Knowledge of athletic sponsorship opportunities and corporate partnership development preferred.

Skills

• Strong relationship-building and networking skills with the ability to cultivate meaningful partnerships with donors, businesses, churches, alumni, and community organizations.
• Excellent written communication skills, including preparing donor correspondence, sponsorship proposals, impact reports, and stewardship materials.
• Effective verbal communication and presentation skills for engaging donors, sponsors, community leaders, and stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to coordinate multiple initiatives, events, and partnership activities simultaneously.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, donor management software, CRM platforms, and database systems.
• Strong attention to detail in maintaining donor records, tracking sponsorships, preparing reports, and managing development activities.

Abilities

• Ability to establish and maintain positive, professional relationships with donors, sponsors, community partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to identify opportunities to grow philanthropic support and corporate partnerships, particularly for Rise Academy's athletic programs and student initiatives.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive donor, financial, and organizational information.
• Ability to work collaboratively with the Director of Development and Marketing, school leadership, coaches, faculty, Board members, and volunteers to achieve development goals.
• Ability to communicate Rise Academy's mission with enthusiasm and authenticity while serving as a positive ambassador for the organization.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, exercise initiative, and contribute to the continued growth of Rise Academy's fundraising and community engagement efforts.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 7–10 years of experience in fund development, marketing, and staff management
• Demonstrated success in donor engagement and raising $2million+ annually
• Experience with data analysis and use of a variety of CRM platforms (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, Givebutter) preferred
• Strong communication, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Cultural competence and comfort advancing a faith-based educational environment.
• Experience partnering with boards, church leaders, or faith-based organizations required.