Director of Development
Commanders Youth Academy
Position Summary
The Director of Development serves as the Academy's lead fundraising and external
engagement executive, responsible for building the philanthropic partnerships, donor
relationships, and external visibility necessary to launch and sustain the Commanders
Youth Academy.
As a founding member of the Academy's leadership team, this individual will develop and
execute a comprehensive development strategy spanning individual giving, corporate
partnerships, foundation grants, fundraising events, donor stewardship, communications,
and community engagement. Working closely with the Executive Director, Commanders
ownership, players, and internal departments, the Director will build a best-in-class
development function that supports the Academy's long-term growth and impact.
Essential Responsibilities:
Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Growth:
• Develop and execute the Academy's comprehensive fundraising strategy, including
major gifts, annual giving, corporate philanthropy, foundation grants, special events,
and future capital campaigns.
• Build and manage a diversified pipeline of individual, corporate, and foundation
supporters.
• Establish annual fundraising goals and monitor progress toward revenue, donor
acquisition, and donor retention targets.
• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities aligned with the Academy's strategic
priorities.
Donor Cultivation & Stewardship:
• Serve as the Academy's lead relationship manager for individual donors, corporate
partners, and philanthropic organizations.
• Develop tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans that deepen
engagement and increase long-term giving.
• Conduct prospect research and build a robust pipeline of prospective supporters.
• Prepare briefing materials and engagement strategies for the Executive Director,
ownership, and Academy leadership to support major donor meetings and
fundraising opportunities.
Communications & Brand Engagement:
• Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop storytelling, digital content,
public relations, and donor communications that elevate the Academy's visibility
and philanthropic impact.
• Oversee fundraising campaigns, donor recognition, annual reports, and external
communications related to development efforts.
• Ensure a consistent and compelling Academy brand across fundraising and
community engagement initiatives.
Events & Community Engagement
• Lead the planning and execution of fundraising events, donor experiences, and
community activations.
• Coordinate volunteer engagement and supervise event staff supporting Academy
fundraising initiatives.
• Manage philanthropic gameday activations, including Foundation Suite
programming, donor hospitality, 50/50 raffle operations, and other charitable
initiatives.
• Partner with Commanders ownership, players, alumni, and football operations to
maximize fundraising and community engagement opportunities.
Development Operations:
• Develop and manage systems to track donor cultivation, fundraising performance,
and pipeline activity.
• Oversee donor database management, reporting, and fundraising analytics.
• Create dashboards and reports that measure fundraising progress and support
executive decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with nonprofit fundraising best practices and donor stewardship
standards.
Leadership & Organizational Growth:
• Partner with the Executive Director to establish fundraising priorities that support
the Academy's strategic plan.
• Collaborate across the Commanders organization to identify opportunities for
partnership, community engagement, and philanthropic investment.
• Recruit, develop, and supervise interns, volunteers, and future development staff as
the Academy grows.
• Contribute to Academy strategy, organizational planning, and cross-functional
initiatives as a member of the founding leadership team.
Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree required.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, business development, corporate
partnerships, nonprofit leadership, or related fields.
• Proven ability to cultivate and steward major donor relationships.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience managing multiple projects and building relationships with senior
executives, donors, Board members, and community leaders.
• Passion for youth development and community impact.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience in philanthropy, advancement, education, youth development,
professional sports, or nonprofit leadership.
• Experience managing donor databases, fundraising analytics, and development
operations.
• Experience planning fundraising events and donor engagement initiatives.
• Former collegiate student-athlete, coach, athletic administrator, or sports-based
youth development professional strongly preferred.
Who We Are Looking For:
The Commanders Youth Academy is seeking an entrepreneurial leader who is passionate
about building relationships and creating opportunities for young people. The ideal
candidate combines strategic fundraising expertise with a willingness to roll up their
sleeves—cultivating donors, leading events, supporting communications, engaging
volunteers, and helping build a world-class youth development organization from the
ground up.
As a founding member of the Academy's leadership team, this individual will demonstrate
initiative, adaptability, and a commitment to doing whatever it takes to advance the
Academy's mission.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.