Director of Development

The Redford Center is seeking an experienced, strategic and relationship-driven Director of Development to help grow the resources and relationships that make our work possible. This is an opportunity to shape and lead the organization’s fundraising strategy at an exciting moment of growth and evolution. You’ll lead a talented development team, build meaningful relationships with donors and funders, and work closely with our Executive Director, Board, and program and communications teams to turn our innovative mission into philanthropic support. This is both a strategic leadership and hands-on relationship-building role. We’re looking for someone who can think big, inspire others, and bring both strategy and energy to the work of growing a sustainable fundraising program.

About the Position

The Director of Development sets and leads the organization’s overall fundraising strategy, ensuring long-term sustainability. This role oversees all development functions – including individual giving, major gifts, institutional fundraising, campaigns, and donor communications – and manages a development team of three. The Director of Development partners closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and program leadership to cultivate strong relationships with donors and funders.

Reports to: Managing Director

What you will do:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive annual fundraising plan with clear revenue goals.
• Lead long-term fundraising strategy, assessing and cultivating opportunities for growth in individual giving, major gifts, grants, and corporate partnerships.
• Oversee prospect development strategy and prioritization.
• Lead our donor education strategies with deep collaboration with the Executive Director and program and communications team. 
• Facilitate fundraising planning and engagement with the Board of Directors.

Team Leadership

• Supervise, coach, and support the Individual Giving Manager, Institutional Giving Manager and an Executive Assistant, ensuring effectiveness, alignment, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Foster a results-oriented, inclusive, and collaborative culture.
• Help foster a culture of transparency, trust, and shared ownership across teams.

Organizational Collaboration

• Align fundraising priorities with organizational strategy, programmatic goals, and annual planning, partnering closely with department directors across the organization.
• Participate in cross-department leadership meetings and identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration, storytelling, planning, and resource alignment.
• Collaborate with program, finance, and communications teams to source stories, data, and impact information to support fundraising.

Donor Engagement & Relationship Management

• Manage a portfolio of top donors and major gift prospects, cultivating and soliciting gifts.
• Oversee stewardship efforts to ensure a positive experience for every donor and strong donor retention.
• Oversee the development of donor-facing materials and, when needed, create them directly (e.g., pitch decks, invitations, organizational overviews, and reports).
• Oversee and deepen the Board’s engagement in fundraising strategy and donor development, identifying opportunities for and supporting Board members with cultivating and stewarding donors and making strategic introductions and asks.

Campaigns & Donor Events 

• Oversee major fundraising campaigns, appeals, donor education strategies, and donor events in partnership with the development team, supporting strategy and concept development, cross-departmental resourcing, and project management oversight.
• Provide oversight for donor communications and storytelling.

Department Operations

• Oversee department infrastructure (CRM, Asana, budget, prospect management tools) to ensure strong development operations, data tracking, reporting, and CRM hygiene.
• Provide oversight and accountability for forecasting, tracking and reporting progress towards revenue goals and other key success metrics (e.g. donor engagement, pipeline development, event and appeal ROI)

You’re a great fit if:

You have:

• 8+ years of progressive fundraising and development experience, including experience leading and/or managing a comprehensive development program and team, and overseeing an annual operating budget of at least $3m.
• Significant experience in a leadership position that included managing, coaching, and developing a high-performing development team.
• Experience managing across multiple revenue streams, with the ability to think strategically about how major gifts, individual giving, institutional fundraising, and corporate partnerships can work together.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors and funders, including managing a personal portfolio of major donor relationships.
• Experience partnering effectively with Board members to advance fundraising goals.
• Strong understanding of fundraising operations, including CRM systems, prospect pipelines, revenue forecasting, reporting, and data-informed decision-making.
• Experience overseeing and executing fundraising and donor events.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate organizational impact into compelling donor-facing messaging.

You are:

• A big-picture thinker who gets things done. You can zoom out to see where the organization needs to go, then roll up your sleeves and figure out what needs to happen next.
• A natural relationship builder. You’re extremely curious about people and understand that great fundraising starts with authentic relationships.
• Excited to get out there. You genuinely enjoy meeting new people, taking meetings, attending events, and representing the organization. You’re energized by the relationship-building side of fundraising.
• An optimistic fundraiser. You see possibility where others see a challenge and bring creativity, persistence, and a healthy dose of optimism to reaching ambitious goals.
• Someone who brings energy to the room. You inspire people with your enthusiasm, optimism, and belief in what’s possible. You know how to rally a team around a goal, build momentum, and make people excited to be part of the work.
• A collaborative leader. You believe the best fundraising happens when development is deeply connected to programs, communications, finance, and organizational strategy.
• A thoughtful and direct communicator. You can make a complicated idea clear, have hard conversations when needed, and keep people informed and moving in the same direction.
• Someone who creates momentum. You’re proactive, organized, and good at turning ideas into action without needing every step mapped out for you.
• Comfortable with both people and numbers. You can talk passionately with a donor about why the work matters and then turn around and look closely at the pipeline, forecast, or budget.
• A rigorous learner who is excited by iteration. You like measuring tactics against clear goals, experimenting thoughtfully, and using what you learn to make better decisions.
• A generous team leader. You model high standards while creating an environment where people feel trusted, supported, and excited to contribute.
• Mission-motivated. You are passionate about film as a tool for culture change and deeply committed to environmental progress.

All candidates must:

• Be able to work legally in the United States and maintain proper work authorization throughout employment. 
• Currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area and willing to come to the office 1-2 days a week and for other in person meetings as necessary. 
• Be able to assist with events, including occasionally lifting up to 35 lbs., with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Work occasional evenings and weekends and travel periodically for donor meetings, events, organizational gatherings, and other fundraising activities.
• Be able to successfully pass a background check for all candidates who receive a contingent offer. 

Benefits

We offer a flexible schedule and an excellent benefits package, including generous paid time off, $100 monthly phone/internet stipend, $500 per year towards professional development, 100% coverage of employees’ health benefits, 50% coverage for dependents, dental and vision insurance, and participation in a 403b retirement plan with an employer contribution of 3%, after six months. 

About Redford Center

Cofounded in 2005 by activists and filmmakers Robert Redford and James Redford, The Redford Center is a nonprofit organization that advances environmental solutions through the power of stories that move. We believe that environmental films are some of the most effective tools we have to shift culture, build empathy, support frontline communities, and move people into action. As one of the only US-based nonprofits solely dedicated to environmental impact filmmaking, The Redford Center develops and invests in projects that foster action and strengthen the reach of the grassroots efforts driving the environmental movement.  

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy 

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome diversity in the workplace. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. We strive for equity, diversity, and inclusion and prioritize these values in our organization, programming, and employment practices. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, cultures, skills, and experiences, knowing that the more inclusive we are, the more successful we will be. We are an equal opportunity employer and Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.