Development Director

Position Summary

Exciting opportunity with Hope Smiles as we continue to expand our mission of providing transformational dental care to communities in need and develop new locations that bring excellent dental care to more communities.

As a member of Hope Smiles, you will help build the relationships and partnerships that make our continued growth possible. Our vision is to create a global community of leaders who love people, serve with excellence, and restore hope through dentistry.

The Development Director is responsible for leading and growing the philanthropic revenue strategy of Hope Smiles. This is a senior fundraising role with significant revenue responsibility. The Development Director must bring demonstrated experience raising substantial funds and personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts.

This is a highly relationship-driven position for an outgoing, strategic, and motivated individual who enjoys meeting people, developing connections, communicating the Hope Smiles mission, and turning relationships into long-term partnerships. This individual must be equally comfortable building a fundraising strategy, sitting across the table from a major donor, making a significant financial ask, and being held accountable for measurable fundraising results.

The Development Director will work closely with the Management Team, Marketing, and other Hope Smiles team members to develop and implement strategies that increase awareness, engagement, donor support, and organizational growth.

Schedule

• Monday–Friday, with flexibility based on meetings, community events, donor activities, and organizational needs
• Some evenings and weekends may be required for donor meetings, community events, fundraising activities, and Hope Smiles events
• Regular time outside the office is expected for meetings, networking, community engagement, and relationship development

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and execute annual and multi-year fundraising strategies capable of supporting significant organizational growth and generating six- and seven-figure philanthropic support.
• Establish fundraising goals, strategies, timelines, ownership, and measurable outcomes in partnership with organizational leadership.
• Build a diversified revenue portfolio across major and transformational gifts, corporate partnerships, foundations, grants, annual/recurring giving, churches and ministry partners, campaigns, events, capital initiatives, and planned giving.
• Set sponsorship and event revenue goals, cultivate key sponsors, identify prospective donors, and develop strategies for donor engagement and post-event follow-up.
• Measure fundraising and event effectiveness through revenue, donor acquisition, retention, major-donor engagement, sponsorship growth, and long-term relationship development.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major-gift prospects through identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Identify and qualify donors based on philanthropic capacity and alignment with the Hope Smiles mission.
• Conduct face-to-face donor meetings, make significant financial asks, and close major, multi-year, and transformational gifts.
• Partner with the Founder/CEO, COO, Board, and other leaders on strategic solicitations.
• Develop strategies to upgrade, renew, and re-engage existing donors and deepen long-term relationships.
• Build and maintain a strong major-gift pipeline, including prospect research, relationship ownership, next steps, ask amounts, and timing.
• Regularly review pipeline progress with the COO and CEO to ensure key opportunities remain active and moving forward.
• Use Bloomerang as the central source of truth for donor activity, including giving history, prospect stages, relationship activity, asks, stewardship, and campaign participation.
• Develop dashboards and reports that identify donor trends, retention opportunities, giving potential, pipeline gaps, and areas requiring attention.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding significant annual fundraising goals.
• Proven experience personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts.
• Demonstrated success securing six-figure gifts; experience with seven-figure gifts.
• Proven ability to grow philanthropic revenue year over year.
• Significant experience managing a portfolio of major donors and prospects.
• Experience identifying individuals and organizations with significant philanthropic capacity.
• Strong ability to build authentic, long-term relationships with high-capacity donors.
• Proven ability to conduct face-to-face donor meetings.
• Demonstrated ability to develop compelling major-gift proposals.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute annual and multi-year fundraising strategies tied to measurable revenue goals.
• Strong understanding of fundraising revenue forecasting, goal setting, performance measurement, and pipeline management.
• Ability to prepare organizational leadership for high-level donor meetings and significant financial asks.
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining strong collaboration with leadership.
• High level of personal accountability for fundraising goals and measurable revenue outcomes.

Benefits

• Medical & Dental insurance (employer-paid)
• Paid time off
• Opportunity to be part of a growing nonprofit dental organization
• Opportunity to directly impact communities through fundraising, relationship development, and organizational expansion
• Supportive and mission-driven work environment

Job Type: Full-time

Education

• High school or equivalent (Required)
• Bachelor's degree in business, nonprofit management, communications, marketing, public relations, or related field (Preferred)

Experience

• Major gift fundraising: Required
• Nonprofit experience: Preferred
• Donor cultivation or stewardship: Preferred
• Corporate or community partnership development: Preferred
• Grant writing or institutional fundraising: Preferred
• CRM/database experience: Preferred

Work Location: In person

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person