Director of development

Download Job posting (PDF)

Apply by august 28th

Position Summary

We are looking for a passionate and self-directed team leader to develop, champion and execute the organization's fundraising strategy.  The Director of Development will build a diversified revenue base across individual giving, foundations, corporate partners, and government sources.  This person will report to the Executive Director and manage a two-person development team against clear monthly performance targets.

Duties and Responsibilities

Primary duties include: 

  • Strategy, Budget & Performance Management

    • Design and implement an annual development plan aligned to organizational goals and the operating budget

    • Own the development department budget, including expense management and ROI by channel

    • Set annual and monthly revenue goals, and track leading indicators — donor visits and meetings booked, qualification and solicitation counts, proposals submitted, ask amounts outstanding, pipeline value by stage, retention and upgrade rates

    • Report monthly on goals, pipeline, and variance to the ED; report quarterly to the board with analysis and course corrections

  • Major Gifts & Individual Giving

    • Manage a personal portfolio of mid-level & major donors and prospects through identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship

    • Grow annual giving, monthly sustainers, and membership programs

    • Develop planned giving and legacy gift pathways

  • Institutional Funding

    • Oversee grant strategy, writing, submission, and reporting for foundation and government funders

    • Cultivate corporate sponsorships and cause-marketing partnerships

  • Team Leadership

    • Directly supervise two development staff; set individual goals, hold regular one-on-ones, and manage performance

    • Coach the team on moves management discipline and pipeline hygiene

    • Support and coach the ED and board members on their fundraising roles

    • Serve as a role model by adhering to and enforcing organizational policies, procedures and codes of conduct

  • Communications & Events

    • Partner on donor-facing communications, appeals, and impact reporting that translate conservation outcomes into compelling narratives

    • Lead fundraising events and donor engagement experiences, including site visits to conservation projects

  • Operations

    • Oversee the donor database, gift processing, acknowledgments, and data integrity

    • Ensure compliance with gift acceptance policies and grant reporting requirements

Required Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a background and track record that includes: 

  • 7–10 years of progressive nonprofit fundraising experience, including direct major gift solicitation

  • Demonstrated success closing five- and six-figure gifts

  • Experience supervising and developing staff

  • Track record of managing to metrics — comfort with budgets, forecasts, and leading-indicator dashboards

  • Grant writing and institutional funder management experience

  • Proficiency with CRM/donor databases and fundraising analytics

  • Excellent writing and interpersonal skills; comfort as a public face of the organization

  • Genuine interest in conservation, land stewardship, and environmental issues

  • Ability to work independently in a small-team environment where roles flex

  • Willingness to travel within California (primarily the SF Bay Area) and work occasional evenings/weekends.  Must have a valid California driver’s license or the ability to obtain one prior to employment. 

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred qualifications include:

  • Experience with river, watershed or land conservation organizations

  • CFRE certification

  • Remote position with a location within the San Francisco Bay Area

Travel

This position will be primarily remote office-based (60%) with frequent travel required (40%) to donor engagements across the Bay Area and occasionally to our offices in Modesto and Sonora.  Occasional overnight travel may be needed for donor meetings and special events in more distant locations. Proof of a valid California driver's license and insurance will be requested at the time of employment. 

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full time, exempt, remote position within the San Francisco Bay Area. Anticipated salary is $120,000 to $140,000 annually, including a generous benefits package (see below). Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be at or near the lower end of the compensation range. A candidate will land higher on the range according to the degree to which they exceed the minimum qualifications.  

Benefits: 

  • 100% Employer paid medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage 

  • 403(b) retirement plan with a 4% employer match 

  • 2 weeks of paid vacation per year with an additional week each year of employment to a maximum of 4 weeks per year. 

  • 14 paid holidays per year

  • 3 personal days per year

  • 12 days of paid sick leave per year 

  • Long term disability coverage 

  • Employer paid $10,000 life insurance policy 

  • For remote and/or hybrid work employees, monthly home office stipend for internet and cell service and one-time home office setup stipend 

  • 3 weeks of Paid Parental Leave for employees with at least two years of employment 

Essential Job Functions

Work is primarily performed in an office environment (up to 60% of the time). Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods (up to 8 hours per day), move items weighing up to 25 pounds, and move through the office and ascend/descend stairs. Frequent repetitive clerical tasks include but are not limited to operation of a computer keyboard, mouse, phone, tablet, and printer. Occasionally (up to 40% of the time) spends up to 6 hours per day in a vehicle. May be required to work evenings and/or weekends.

To Apply

Send an email with a resume and cover letter as pdf attachments with subject heading “Director of Development” to jobs@yosemiterivers.org. 

Please include:

  • If you have led a team: total dollars raised by the team annually, and year-over-year growth across your tenure. Please indicate amount raised by individuals, foundations, and government sources.

  • If you have not led a team: the size and composition of your personal portfolio of individual donors, dollars raised annually, and year-over-year growth

  • Donor retention rates and how they trended under your management

  • Year-over-year revenue growth you can attribute to your leadership

  • Size of teams and budgets you have managed

Applications without documented results will not be considered.

This position will remain open until filled, but priority will be given to applications received by August 28th.

About Yosemite Rivers Alliance

Yosemite Rivers Alliance is the voice for the rivers that define California’s Sierra heartland — the Tuolumne, Merced, and Stanislaus. We promote stewardship of these rivers and their tributaries to ensure healthy watersheds, from the peaks of Yosemite National Park to the San Francisco Bay. We are the only organization working throughout all three watersheds, linking Sierra and Central Valley conservation issues and forging strong ties between rural mountain communities and Bay Area urban centers.

In 2025, we expanded our mission and became Yosemite Rivers Alliance — carrying forward a proven legacy while stepping into a broader responsibility to protect the interconnected rivers that sustain millions of people and countless species across the region.

For more information, visit yosemiterivers.org.

Yosemite Rivers is an equal opportunity employer.  We believe that a varied staff of qualified, intelligent, highly skilled and creative individuals is necessary to achieve the vision and mission of the organization.