Position Summary
The Senior Director of Development is a leadership position within the Institutional Advancement Division. It is responsible for leading and developing a high-performing fundraising team and program for the Bellevue College Foundation. This role is an exciting opportunity for a strong advancement leader to shape the future of the students, faculty, and programs at Bellevue College. The position combines strategic leadership, frontline fundraising expertise, and team coaching to maximize funding for institutional priorities. These priorities advance educational opportunities, support groundbreaking discoveries, and make higher education within reach for families across our region and beyond.
Key growth areas of the development program include major and principal gifts, planned giving, annual giving, corporate and community partnerships, donor stewardship, special events, and fundraising campaigns. The Senior Director will be responsible for effective donor portfolio management, team effectiveness, and comprehensive annual planning. They are expected to collaborate with the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, the Director of Alumni Relations, the Director of Scholarships, and other key staff positions to advance fundraising and donor-centric activities. Performance for this role and the team will be measured, in part, by data-driven performance metrics, based off annual goals. They will work closely with the Vice President of Institutional Advancement/Executive Director the Foundation Board of Directors, board trustees, institutional leadership and others to advance the Foundation's fundraising and engagement objectives.
In addition to managing a personal portfolio of major donor prospects to cultivate towards gift solicitations, the Senior Director provides strategic oversight and support for donor portfolios maintained on behalf of the College President and the Vice President of Institutional Advancement/Executive Director. The Senior Director is also responsible for ensuring adherence to advancement best practices, helping to foster a culture of philanthropy, accountability, donor engagement, and fundraising excellence, both internally and externally.
Pay, Benefits & Work Schedule Position Salary Range: $107,844/year - $156,374/yearThe salary information shown above is a general guideline only. The salary will be determined based on candidate's qualifications and related experience, as well as market and business considerations. Typically, new hire starts no higher than
$119,976/year based on Bellevue College Exempt salary schedule.
We offer comprehensive compensation package with salary and benefits as the main components.
Generous benefits package is offered through Washington State plans that includes multiple medical, dental, life and disability coverage choices for employees and dependents; choices of retirement and deferred compensation plans; paid holidays, sick, and vacation plans; transit program, reduced tuition, employee discounts and memberships, etc.
The employee is scheduled to work 40 hours per workweek. This position is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which means that you are not eligible for overtime pay.
Essential Functions Advancement Planning, Strategy, & Revenue Generation- Drive sustainable philanthropic revenue growth and increased donor engagement.
- Develop, implement, and oversee a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with the College and Foundation's strategic priorities, expanding philanthropic investment, strengthening community partnerships, and advancing institutional goals.
- Establish and lead strategic priorities for major and principal gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, special events, and targeted fundraising campaigns.
- Manage fundraising performance metrics, dashboards, and reporting frameworks to evaluate organizational effectiveness.
- Cultivate productive working relationships with internal leadership and staff to inform strategic decision-making, provide regular updates to executive leadership and the Foundation Board trustees, committees and small working groups.
- Provide strategic leadership and oversight of donor stewardship, recognition and engagement programs, ensuring exceptional donor experiences and fostering long-term philanthropic relationships.
- Collaborate with the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications to develop compelling fundraising communications, case statements, impact reports, and donor-facing collateral, ensuring equity-based storytelling that advances philanthropic priorities and strengthens institutional visibility.
Fundraising Staff Management & Accountability- Provide strategic leadership, coaching, and talent development for the Development team by coaching them in best practices and execution of comprehensive annual fundraising, which is aligned with the Foundation's strategic philanthropic priorities, campaign objectives, and long-term revenue objectives.
- Establish and oversee fundraising performance standards, leveraging data and key performance indicators to drive accountability, optimize fundraiser effectiveness, and achieve organizational revenue goals.
Oversee the implementation and consistent utilization of moves management practices with staff to ensure meaningful donor progression and a sustainable pipeline of philanthropic support. - Help facilitate collaborations between the development team and executive leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders to foster an inclusive, mission-driven culture that values partnership, innovation, and employee engagement where staff feels valued, empowered, and connected.
- Help development staff manage the integrity of the donor database, digital filing systems, and event management platforms, ensuring data accuracy and compliance through established data governance practices, well-documented processes, and procedures that support operational sustainability and audit readiness.
- Perform supervisory functions including recruiting, selecting and retaining effective employees, providing training, defining work assignment and content, approving/denying leave requests, evaluating employee performance, establishing office expectations, resolving grievances and taking appropriate corrective or disciplinary action in consultation with HR.
Donor Portfolio Strategy & Management- Lead enterprise-wide portfolio strategy and annual prospect assignments to maximize fundraising revenue.
- Establish annual fundraising revenue forecasts.
- Guide and oversee division fundraisers and leadership manage high-performing portfolios aligned with institutional fundraising goals and long-term growth objectives.
- Monitor pipeline progression, solicitation activity, and portfolio productivity, identifying opportunities to increase donor engagement, move prospects through the pipeline, and strengthen fundraising results.
- Research, guide, and oversee portfolios for senior leadership, partnering to develop and execute donor engagement and solicitation strategies.
Corporate, Foundation & Community Relations- Work with the development team and other stakeholders to develop and execute a comprehensive institutional giving program that expands philanthropic revenue, strengthens institutional visibility, and advances the Foundation's fundraising priorities.
- Cultivate, secure, and steward high-value partnerships with corporations, private foundations, civic organizations, government entities, and community leaders to generate grant funding, sponsorship revenue, and long-term philanthropic investments.
- Serve as a senior external relations leader, building and leveraging relationships with key business, civic, and community stakeholders to enhance the Foundation's reputation, influence, and network of philanthropic support.
Collaborate with executive leadership and cross-functional partners to develop compelling funding strategies, sponsorship opportunities, and grant proposals that increase external investment and advance organizational goals.
Monitor trends in corporate philanthropy, foundation giving, public-private partnerships, and community investment to inform fundraising strategy, identify emerging opportunities, and strengthen the Foundation's competitive position.
Collaboration & Institutional Partnership- Partner closely with the Executive Director to advance the Foundation's strategic priorities, comprehensive campaign initiatives, and Board engagement efforts, including the identification, recruitment, and cultivation of influential Board members and strategic philanthropic partners.
- Partner with senior institutional and Foundation leadership to identify and advance strategic opportunities that enhance philanthropic support, expand stakeholder engagement, and elevate the Foundation's visibility and impact within the community.
- Serve as a key liaison between the Foundation and the College, working in partnership with executive leadership, academic divisions, and campus stakeholders to identify funding opportunities, assess philanthropic priorities, and develop integrated advancement strategies that support institutional goals.
- Provide strategic leadership and support to the Foundation Board's Development Committee, while fostering strong collaboration and engagement with the Alumni and KBCS subcommittees to advance fundraising, advocacy, and community engagement objectives.
Other- Oversee the management and integrity of the donor database, digital filing systems, and event management platforms, ensuring data accuracy, system integrity, and compliance through established data governance practices, well-documented processes and procedures that support operational sustainability and audit readiness.
- Other Duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor's degree. Relevant education and/or experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis.
- Minimum of 7-10 years of progressively responsible fundraising and advancement experience, including major gifts, corporate and foundation relations, development strategy, and donor stewardship.
- Demonstrated success securing and closing major gifts of $100,000+, with a proven track record of achieving fundraising goals and generating significant philanthropic revenue from individual, corporate, and foundation donors.
- Proven leadership experience managing, coaching, and developing fundraising professionals, including establishing performance metrics, fostering accountability, and driving results through collaborative team leadership.
- Experience in corporate and foundation relations, including partnership development, grant strategy, sponsorship acquisition, proposal development, stewardship, and long-term institutional relationship management.
- Knowledge of moves management, donor pipeline development, portfolio optimization, and prospect strategy, with the ability to analyze fundraising performance and implement strategies that increase donor engagement and revenue.
- Demonstrated experience developing and executing comprehensive fundraising plans, including annual giving, major gifts, institutional giving, and campaign strategies with measurable goals and outcomes.
- Effective written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively communicate organizational priorities and develop compelling proposals, cases for support, donor correspondence, and executive-level briefing materials.
- Advanced proficiency with donor databases and CRM systems, including portfolio management, donor analytics, reporting, forecasting, and data-informed decision-making.
- Experience working effectively with senior executives, board members, volunteers, donors, and community leaders, with the ability to build consensus and advance strategic initiatives across diverse stakeholder groups.
- Knowledge of fundraising leadership practices that support opportunity and participation among diverse staff, volunteers, donors, and stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications - Master's degree in nonprofit leadership/management, public administration, business administration, communications, higher educatio
