Director of Corporate Giving & Partnerships in Chesapeake, Virginia at YMCA Of South Hampton Roads

OUR CULTURE:

Our mission and core values are brought to life through our culture. At the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day.

We are welcoming: we are open to all and create spaces where people can belong and become.

We are genuine: we value people and embrace individuality.

We are hopeful: we believe in the potential of people to grow, lead and become catalysts for change.

We are nurturing: we support individuals throughout their journey to reach their full potential.

We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger, beginning with our people.

Our culture is not a People & Culture initiative; it is how we lead, serve, develop talent, make decisions and deliver on the YMCA's mission.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Corporate Giving & Partnerships leads the YMCA’s strategy for developing and growing philanthropic relationships with corporations and corporate foundations. This role builds meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships through charitable giving, sponsorships, workplace giving, employee engagement, volunteerism, and cause-marketing opportunities that increase financial support and deepen corporate connection to the YMCA’s mission.

Reporting to the Vice President of Philanthropy, the Director manages the full lifecycle of corporate relationships, from prospect identification and cultivation through solicitation, stewardship, renewal, and expansion. The Director works across the Association to develop customized partnership opportunities, connect corporate interests with YMCA priorities, and ensure commitments are effectively fulfilled and recognized.

The Director also identifies corporations with the interest and capacity for transformational philanthropic investment and, in partnership with the Vice President of Philanthropy, transitions qualified opportunities to the Chief Development Officer for further cultivation.

Success in this role is reflected through growth in corporate philanthropy and sponsorship revenue, strong donor retention, new and multi-year partnerships, increased employee giving and volunteer engagement, and a consistent pipeline of qualified corporate opportunities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

Corporate Giving & Revenue Growth

• Develop and implement an Association-wide corporate giving strategy that increases philanthropic support and builds sustainable relationships with corporate partners.
• Cultivate, solicit, secure, and steward annual corporate philanthropic investments and sponsorships.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective corporate donors and corporate foundations through research, relationship development, and strategic outreach.
• Develop customized proposals and partnership opportunities that align corporate interests with YMCA programs, priorities, and community impact.
• Identify opportunities to secure multi-year commitments and expand existing corporate relationships.
• Monitor revenue, pipeline activity, renewals, and other performance measures to ensure achievement of annual corporate fundraising goals.

Corporate Partnerships, Sponsorships & Engagement

• Develop strategic partnerships that integrate charitable giving, sponsorships, employee giving, volunteer engagement, and other opportunities for corporations to support the YMCA’s mission.
• Lead sponsorship development and fulfillment, ensuring commitments, benefits, recognition, and stewardship expectations are consistently delivered.
• Coordinate and grow workplace giving initiatives that increase employee participation and philanthropic engagement.
• Create meaningful corporate volunteer and employee engagement opportunities in partnership with YMCA program and operational leaders.
• Develop cause-marketing and other innovative partnership opportunities that expand corporate engagement while protecting the YMCA’s mission, values, and brand.
• Maintain strong relationships with corporate partners throughout the year to strengthen retention, satisfaction, and future investment.

Corporate Foundation & Transformational Giving Pipeline

• Identify, research, cultivate, and solicit corporate foundations whose philanthropic priorities align with the YMCA’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Monitor corporate and philanthropic trends to identify emerging funding opportunities and new partnership models.
• Identify corporations and corporate foundations with the capacity and interest for transformational giving and develop appropriate cultivation strategies.
• Partner with the Vice President of Philanthropy and Chief Development Officer to transition qualified transformational opportunities for continued cultivation and solicitation.
• Maintain clear documentation, relationship history, next steps, and pipeline activity to support coordinated donor strategy across the Philanthropy team.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Stewardship

• Partner with Marketing and Brand Experience to ensure appropriate recognition, storytelling, communications, and visibility for corporate partners.
• Collaborate with Operations, program leaders, Finance, and other departments to develop partnership opportunities, gather impact information, and ensure commitments are successfully fulfilled.
• Represent the YMCA professionally with corporate executives, community leaders, board members, volunteers, and other external stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate and timely donor and prospect information within the YMCA’s donor management system and use data to support relationship strategy, forecasting, and performance reporting.
• Support broader philanthropy initiatives, campaigns, special events, and organizational priorities as needed.

YMCA CAUSE DRIVEN LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:

• Philanthropy
• Communication & Influence
• Innovation
• Functional Expertise

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience plus a minimum of 3-5 years (direct or equivalent) experience progressive fundraising, corporate relations, business development, sponsorship, or related experience.
• Demonstrated success cultivating and managing high-level donor or corporate relationships and securing philanthropic investments or sponsorships of $10,000 or more.
• Demonstrated ability to develop partnership strategies, proposals, and cultivation plans and move relationships from prospect identification through solicitation, stewardship, and renewal.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills with the ability to manage multiple relationships, proposals, deadlines, and competing priorities.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation skills with demonstrated ability to engage professionally with corporate leaders, donors, volunteers, and internal stakeholders.

PREFERRED ATTRIBUTES:

• Strategic relationship builder who can connect corporate interests with YMCA mission, community impact, and philanthropic priorities.
• Strong business acumen and demonstrated ability to develop creative, mutually beneficial partnership opportunities.
• Self-directed and highly organized, with strong judgment, initiative, follow-through, and attention to detail.
• Comfortable using donor-management systems, research tools, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and other technology to manage relationships and measure results.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across functions and influence outcomes without direct authority.
• YMCA Leader Certification or ability to obtain within two years.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

This position operates in a professional office and community-based environment and regularly interacts with team members, leaders, board members, donors, corporate partners, volunteers, vendors, and other stakeholders. The role requires use of a computer and other standard office equipment, prolonged periods of sitting or standing, and the ability to communicate and exchange information effectively. Regular local travel and occasional flexible hours, including early mornings, evenings, or weekends, may be required to support donor meetings, events, volunteer activities, and organizational needs.

The YMCA of South Hampton Roads provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position, consistent with applicable law.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

Accountable for achieving assigned philanthropy and corporate partnership goals as measured through corporate philanthropy and sponsorship revenue, donor retention, new and multi-year partnerships, employee giving and volunteer engagement, qualified transformational-giving referrals, cause-driven measures, operating results, and supervisor evaluation.

Employment is contingent upon satisfactory performance and successful completion and maintenance of applicable position requirements, which may include background screening, driver’s license review, CPS screening, drug and/or alcohol testing, or other screenings as required by the position or applicable law.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

Salary Range: $65,000 - $75,000 annually

The salary range provided reflects the YMCA of South Hampton Roads’ good-faith determination of the minimum and maximum starting salary for this position.

In addition to base compensation, the YMCA of South Hampton Roads offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees, including an employer-funded retirement contribution equal to 12% of eligible compensation, health and welfare benefits, paid time off, and other YMCA benefits.