Development Officer

The Development Officer manages a portfolio of individual donors and business partners, cultivating and stewarding those relationships through responsive, personalized service. Working closely with the development team, this role also provides frontline relationship support and operational coordination for DMF’s development team, with a particular focus on the Foundation’s individuals, business sponsors and community partners. The Development Officer also represents DMF at community events and keeps the development team’s day-to-day systems (CRM records, sponsorship tracking, and reporting) accurate and up to date.

Dakota Medical Foundation

Since 1962, Dakota Medical Foundation (DMF) has connected people to opportunities that improve health across North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Operating alongside its affiliate, Impact Foundation, DMF has invested more than $130 million in the region since 1996 and currently supports more than 500 nonprofit organizations through grantmaking, fundraising infrastructure, and capacity-building programs.

DMF is best known as the founder and administrator of Giving Hearts Day, an annual 24-hour regional giving event that has raised more than $257 million for local nonprofits since 2008. The Foundation also leads Lend A Hand Up, providing financial assistance to families facing medical crises, and manages a portfolio of charitable funds, health and wellbeing initiatives, and partnerships with regional foundations including the North Dakota Dental Foundation, and the Optometric Foundation of North Dakota.

Key Responsibilities
Development Fundraising & Support

• Cultivate relationships with individuals, businesses, community foundations, and civic leaders to expand DMF's reach and impact across North Dakota and northwest Minnesota.
• Manage a caseload of individual and business partners, focusing on recruitment, stewardship, and maintaining engagement through DMF’s initiatives.
• Provide customer service support on partner needs passed along by the development team (e.g., follow-up emails, cold calls, benefit delivery, scheduling, and answering general inquiries through the business email).
• Represent DMF publicly at community events, media engagements, and speaking opportunities to raise the Foundation's visibility and advance its mission.
• Support cultivation and follow-up activities for development initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Development Team Operations

• Coordinate operational processes for the development team to ensure efficiency and accountability.
• Track deadlines, deliverables, and benefit fulfillment for individual and business sponsors and partners.
• Monitor the CRM system to ensure accurate data, including up-to-date contact information, monitoring for duplicates, and current badges and custom groups.
• Maintain updated team resources and tools, such as sponsorship trackers, campaign calendars, and shared documents, to keep workflows consistent and reliable.
• Prepare reports and updates for internal use.
• Assist with drafting and coordinating partner focused newsletters and email updates to strengthen communication and visibility.

Event & Campaign Support

• Assist with planning, logistics, and execution of events and business development campaigns.
• Coordinate sponsorship benefits, recognition, and follow-through tied to events.
• Provide operational and logistical support to ensure smooth implementation of partner engagement at events.

Qualifications
Required

• 3-5 years of nonprofit fundraising experience with a track record of success.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to track multiple deadlines, deliverables, and relationships at once.
• Comfortable representing the organization publicly, including at tabling events and group presentations.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, and comfort learning CRM and database tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for local travel to community and partner events.
• Willingness to travel regularly within North Dakota and northwest Minnesota and to work occasional evenings to promote Giving Hearts Day and Lend A Hand Up state-wide.

Preferred

• Experience with a CRM or donor/sponsor database
• Experience supporting events, campaigns, or sponsorship programs.
• Familiarity with email marketing or newsletter platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, TicketSpice).
• Interest or coursework in nonprofit management, business, communications, or a related field.

Core Competencies

• Customer-service oriented and relationship-focused
• Organized, detail-oriented, and reliable with deadlines
• Comfortable multitasking across administrative and relational work
• Collaborative team player
• Professional, positive presence when representing DMF in the community

Application

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter describing their interest in and qualifications for the Development Officer role to Elise Rue at [email protected].

Dakota Medical Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Provider.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: In person