Position Summary

The Associate Director plays a key leadership role in advancing The Children’s Heart Foundation’s philanthropic growth strategy. This position is responsible for developing and leading key revenue-generating initiatives, including oversight and growth of the organization’s Gala portfolio, while also growing existing and new pathways for diversified fundraising. Those strategies include:

• Third Party Fundraising (outside of Walk directed donations), including Change My Heart 
• Annual, Recurring and DAF Giving 
• National Partnerships and Retail Strategy 
• Planned Giving Pathway 
• Grant Operations

Working in close partnership with the Chief Development Officer, the Associate Director will drive strategy, revenue performance, volunteer engagement, and donor stewardship to position the organization for sustained growth and impact.

This role is ideal for a leader who can bring structure and clarity to a dynamic and evolving environment, while balancing strategic vision with strong execution and operational excellence. Documented performance and enthusiasm for building and executing new programs will be critical for success in this newly created position.

Key Responsibilities

Gala Strategy & Revenue Leadership

• Lead strategy, planning, and revenue performance of CHF’s Gala portfolio 
• Partner with volunteer leaders to strengthen engagement and outcomes 
• Drive year-over-year revenue growth and experience enhancements

Strategic Growth & Revenue Diversification

• Lead and execute Third Party Fundraising initiatives, including Change My Heart, to expand reach and revenue 
• Develop and manage National Partnerships and corporate sponsorships (outside of Walk) 
• Build and execute a Retail Strategy with corporate partners 
• Identify and grow new revenue streams aligned with CHF’s diversification strategy 
• Build and manage a pipeline of donors, partners, and prospects

Annual Giving, Recurring Giving, Donor Engagement & Stewardship

• Lead strategy to increase Annual Giving, grow Recurring Giving programs, and create new pathways for DAF donors 
• Enhance donor retention and engagement strategies across giving levels 
• Elevate stewardship, recognition, and impact reporting

Planned Giving & Grants

• Develop and begin implementation of a Planned Giving pathway to support long-term sustainability 
• Provide leadership and coordination of grant operations and execution in partnership with internal team members and external stakeholders

Operational & Financial Leadership

• Partner with finance on budgets, reporting, and donor intent compliance 
• Improve systems, workflows, and cross-functional alignment 
• Manage contracts in collaboration with finance and operational leaders related to Galas, Retail Strategy, Planned Giving, and National Partnerships

 Leadership & Collaboration

• Foster a collaborative, accountable, high-performing culture 
• Coach and support team members and volunteers 
• Lead with a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising or related fields
• Bachelor’s degree or 15+ years in dynamic corporate setting 
• Proven success driving revenue growth and managing fundraising performance 
• Experience leading large-scale events (e.g., 500+ attendees and/or $250K+ revenue) 
• Strong project management and operational leadership experience 
• Demonstrated leadership and execution of annual campaigns exceeding $200K+ in revenue 
• Experience working with finance, budgets, and donor recognition standards 
• Experience building systems, processes, and workflows 
• Experience managing contracts and vendors 
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills 
• Demonstrated ability to bring structure to complex environments 
• Strategic thinker with strong execution ability

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience growing fundraising programs and event portfolios 
• Background in complex nonprofit environments 
• Experience with CRM systems and best practices (data analytics) 
• Experience working with executive leadership, boards, and committees 
• Strong donor stewardship and experience building recognition programs 
• Ability to lead through change and organizational growth

Apply

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to:
careers@childrensheartfoundation.org