Development Director in Billings, Montana at BILLINGS LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION

Position Title: Development Director

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Employment Status: Salary/Exempt

Position Summary:

The Development Director is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and serves as the organization’s chief fundraising strategist, responsible for leading philanthropic revenue efforts for the Billings Leadership Foundation, Montana Rescue Mission, and Friendship House.

The Development Director works closely with the CEO to provide visionary leadership in developing, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive fundraising strategies that generate sustainable philanthropic support through major gifts, annual giving, foundations, corporations, planned giving, capital campaigns, special initiatives, and donor stewardship.

The successful candidate will be a highly relational, strategic, and accountable leader who demonstrates initiative, sound judgment, exceptional communication, integrity, humility, and a commitment to excellence. This position requires proactive leadership, disciplined execution, measurable results, and a passion for inspiring generosity that transforms lives.

Essential Responsibilities

Executive Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, helping shape organizational strategy and long-term sustainability.
• Partner closely with the CEO in advancing the organization’s vision, strategic priorities, and philanthropic initiatives.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive annual and multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organizational goals.
• Establish measurable fundraising objectives with monthly, quarterly, and annual benchmarks.
• Evaluate fundraising performance regularly and recommend strategic adjustments.
• Develop contingency plans when fundraising goals are at risk.
• Maintain a high level of collaboration with Finance, Programs, and Operations to ensure fundraising efforts accurately reflect organizational priorities and impact.
• Foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.

Major Gifts & Donor Development

• Personally manage a portfolio of approximately 100–150 qualified major gift prospects and donors.
• Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for major donors.
• Coordinate donor visits, proposals, and solicitations in partnership with the CEO.
• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward transformational philanthropic investments.
• Prepare compelling proposals, gift agreements, and personalized donor communications.
• Maintain detailed donor strategies and interaction records within the donor database.
• Ensure every significant donor receives timely, meaningful stewardship following gifts and key interactions.
• Build long-term relationships founded on trust, authenticity, and mission impact.

Foundation & Grant Strategy

• Lead the organization’s overall grant strategy, including working closely with the data and grants management support position.
• Supervise and support grant writing activities while maintaining responsibility for grant planning and prioritization.
• Develop long-term relationships with foundation program officers.
• Identify new grant opportunities aligned with strategic priorities.
• Maintain a comprehensive grants calendar that includes submissions, reporting requirements, stewardship, renewals, and site visits.
• Ensure all grant reports are timely, accurate, compelling, and outcome-focused.
• Monitor proposal success rates and continuously improve grant effectiveness.

Annual Giving & Campaigns

• Lead all annual fundraising campaigns.
• Develop year-end giving strategies.
• Coordinate seasonal campaigns.
• Plan and execute capital campaigns as assigned.
• Develop sponsorship opportunities and community fundraising initiatives.
• Identify innovative opportunities to diversify philanthropic revenue.

Donor Stewardship & Engagement

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive donor stewardship program.
• Ensure gifts are acknowledged promptly and personally.
• Coordinate impact reports, stewardship events, donor recognition, and appreciation initiatives.
• Develop strategies to increase donor retention and lifetime giving.
• Ensure donors experience exceptional care and communication throughout every stage of the donor journey.

Development Operations

• Ensure complete accuracy and integrity of donor records and fundraising data.
• Maintain an organized, accurate, and secure donor database.
• Develop fundraising dashboards and key performance reports for the CEO and Board.
• Produce reliable fundraising forecasts.
• Analyze fundraising trends and recommend improvements.
• Monitor donor retention, proposal success, donor acquisition, and revenue growth metrics.
• Ensure timely gift processing and acknowledgments.
• Maintain organized electronic and physical development files.
• Continuously improve development systems, workflows, and operational efficiency.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop Development Department staff.
• Establish clear annual goals and measurable performance expectations.
• Conduct regular coaching conversations and performance evaluations.
• Foster collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Encourage professional development and lifelong learning.
• Build strong cross-department partnerships that enhance storytelling, donor engagement, and organizational effectiveness.

Communication & Accountability

The Development Director is expected to:

• Communicate proactively with the CEO regarding opportunities, challenges, risks, and fundraising progress.
• Meet established deadlines or communicate anticipated delays well in advance.
• Provide accurate, timely, and complete information for executive leadership and Board reporting.
• Maintain transparency regarding fundraising activities, donor engagement, and organizational opportunities.
• Respond promptly to requests from leadership.
• Demonstrate ownership of responsibilities and consistent follow-through.
• Receive coaching and feedback professionally while implementing agreed-upon improvements.
• Collaborate respectfully and effectively across all departments.

Financial Stewardship

• Exercise sound stewardship of organizational resources.
• Develop and manage the Development Department budget.
• Ensure compliance with donor restrictions and gift acceptance policies.
• Partner with Finance to ensure accurate gift reconciliation and reporting.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding donor information and organizational matters.
• Uphold the highest standards of ethical fundraising.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible fundraising leadership.
• Demonstrated success securing major gifts and institutional funding.
• Experience managing donor portfolios and fundraising strategy.
• Strong leadership and supervisory experience.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience with donor management software and fundraising analytics.
• Strong organizational, project management, and strategic planning abilities.
• Commitment to the mission and Christian values of the Billings Leadership Foundation.

Preferred

• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).
• Capital campaign leadership experience.
• Planned giving experience.
• Faith-based nonprofit leadership experience.
• Experience preparing and presenting reports to executive leadership and Boards of Directors.

Core Competencies

The ideal candidate consistently demonstrates:

• Christ-centered servant leadership
• Integrity
• Humility
• Strategic thinking
• Emotional intelligence
• Initiative
• Accountability
• Excellent judgment
• Relationship building
• Executive presence
• Professional communication
• Collaboration
• Adaptability
• Innovation
• Confidentiality
• Dependability
• Commitment to continuous improvement

Performance Expectations

Success in this position will be measured through:

Philanthropic Growth

• Achievement of annual fundraising goals
• Growth in unrestricted giving
• Growth in major gifts
• Increased foundation and corporate support
• Diversification of philanthropic revenue
• Growth in planned giving

Donor Engagement

• Increased donor retention
• Growth in average gift size
• Number and quality of donor visits
• New major donor relationships
• Meaningful stewardship activities

Leadership

• High-performing development team
• Strong Board engagement
• Cross-department collaboration
• Positive organizational culture
• Effective leadership of fundraising initiatives

Operational Excellence

• Accurate CRM data
• Timely gift acknowledgments
• On-time grant submissions and reports
• Reliable fundraising forecasting
• Organized systems and documentation
• Accurate and meaningful executive reporting

Statement of Organizational Trust

Because this position represents the organization to donors, community leaders, churches, foundations, volunteers, and the public, the Development Director is entrusted with significant responsibility. The successful candidate will consistently demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, transparency, stewardship, accountability, sound judgment, confidentiality, and ethical conduct while faithfully advancing the mission and values of the Billings Leadership Foundation.

This position is expected to cultivate trust through honesty, consistent communication, follow-through, and unwavering commitment to excellence in every aspect of the organization’s development efforts.

Requirement:

Billings Leadership Foundation is a privately funded 501 (c)3 non-profit, evangelical Christian ministry. Our designated purpose is religious, and we are a Christ-centered ministry which is dedicated to sharing the Gospel by being an exemplary provider of effective and efficient solutions for those we serve, from a distinctly Christian perspective. We consider every position to be essential in the fulfillment of our ministry and Mission Statement. All employees must:

• Be able and willing to share the Gospel and participate in the spiritual activities of Billings Leadership Foundation including leading/participating in prayer, devotions, bible studies, etc.
• Support and respect the Montana Rescue Mission Statement of Faith, Core Values, and Qualifications for Employment upon hire and continuously while employed.
• Adhere to the Billings Leadership Employee Handbook.